Don't Bet on Bipartisan Niceties (washingtonpost.com)

Reporters who have covered Congress over several decades know from their daily experience that with almost every session, they have found fewer moderates or progressives on the Republican side and fewer conservatives among the Democrats -- especially when it comes to fundamental economic and social policy questions and the role of government in American life.

In the 1970s, on the partisan roll calls, the average member of Congress backed the party position 65 percent of the time. In the 1980s, the average degree of partisan loyalty rose to 73 percent; and in the 1990s, to 81 percent. In these past two years, it has been 87 percent.

In the Senate, the new majority leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee, often described as "a healer," was every bit as loyal a partisan last year as the man he replaces, Trent Lott of Mississippi. Lott was a 98 percenter; Frist, 97 percent, and the new Republican whip, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, also voted the party line 97 percent of the time.

The only surprise is on the Democratic side of the Senate. Democratic Leader Tom Daschle agreed with his party majority only 80 percent of the time -- a remarkably low figure for a man often described by Republicans as a partisan obstructionist. His deputy, Harry Reid of Nevada, was more partisan, toeing the Democratic line 94 percent of the time.

Damn, that's part of Daschle's problem - he's 20% Republican!