Hyper-partisanship prevents service to citizens

If anyone wonders why our government is in such a mess, a fine illustration of the problem can be found in the state Democratic Party’s current hissy fit over two of their members joining with Republicans to form the coalition controlling the Senate [“ ‘Not invited to our party anymore’: Democrats turn up heat on Tom, Sheldon,” seattletimes.com, Feb. 7].

Democrats are not unique in this self-righteous myopia. Just this last election the Republican Party managed to successfully shoot itself in the foot by allowing ultraconservatives to push out moderates who may have had a chance at winning. These hyper-partisans either don’t know or don’t care that they are supposed to be working for the good of the citizenry, as a whole, and not puffing up their political power at the expense of the rest of us.

So the Democrats call Sens. Sheldon and Tom traitors? I call them heroes.

--Cheryl Nielson, Olympia