> If you've spent any amount of time with people who actually work in politics, it's readily apparent there's no kind of mutual collusion between the parties.

> If you've spent any amount of time with people who actually work in politics, it's readily apparent there's no kind of mutual collusion between the parties. My admittedly limited experience suggests otherwise. Many years ago, I worked for a state-level legislator, as an environmental aide. Although Republican, he supported (and contributed to) many good environmental bills. And worked closely with Democratic colleagues. So one night over beer, I asked why he was Republican. And while he did make some cogent points about social and economic issues, his primary reason was that he lived in a Republican area, and that he'd never be elected as a Democrat.