Principles yes, partisanship no

If the past decade has produced a more divisive primary election campaign season than this one, please name it.

The national phenomenon of voter discontent reaching the frantic fringe of rebellion was felt right here at home. In Kootenai County, harsh words were often exchanged and best friends became avowed enemies over the congressional candidates they supported - and we're talking about members of the same party here.

For every pronouncement that Democratic incumbents are in big, big trouble come Nov. 2, there is an offsetting one that suggests many Republicans engaged in such bloodletting during the primary campaign, vulnerabilities were brutally exposed.

As recent elections have indicated, Democrats could be in deep political doo-doo for forcing unpopular legislation down many Americans' throats. But again, there's an offsetting phenomenon that rankles all but the most ardent party loyalists: Blatant, inexplicable partisanship.

In a recent issue of Christian Science Monitor, columnist Robert S. McElvaine notes that the Grand Old Party used to encourage free thought. In 1935, for instance, McElvaine said that "although many conservatives denounced it as 'socialism,' 84 percent of House Republicans and 76 percent of Senate Republicans voted in favor of Social Security."

In 1964, 80 percent of Republicans in Congress supported the Civil Rights Act. A year later, 97 percent of Senate Republicans and 85 percent of House Republicans voted for the Voting Rights Act.

Why does this matter? Because all three of those historic issues were proposed by Democratic presidents. And now? Well, exactly zero congressional Republicans supported last year's economic stimulus package, and they repeated the shutout with this year's health care reform bill, both advocated by President Obama.

McElvaine concludes: "The Grand Old Party once allowed members to think for themselves. The nation would benefit substantially from a restoration of Republicans' lost freedom of thought and action."

Democrats are not exonerated. We note similar manifestations on their side of the aisle, as well.

Between today and Nov. 2 we urge candidates to stump for their constituents, not their party.