THIS IS NOT ->Delawareliberal

GOTV means "get out the vote" and in thinking about the modern republican party it has occurred to me that I was wrong when I said "Republicans can't govern". It is more accurate to say "Republicans don't want to govern." The recent sham vote on Iraq in congress on is just the latest example of republicans ditching serious debate about America's future and opting instead for sound bites and partisanship.

Republicans have figured out that you don't win election by governing. You win by firing up your base and getting mud to stick to you opponent. Period.

So, it is never about policy for these guys - but only ever about GOTV. Viewed through that prism it is clear that the following things are related:

- Ting's proxies smear Tom Carper.

- Rep. Stephanie Ulbrich grandstanding on the backs of teachers in the Christiana School district,

- Dave Crossan's and Ferris Wharton's ongoing smear attacks on Beau Biden,

- Michael Castle's PR vote for another blank check for Bush, and

- The gay marriage amendment to the constitution.

Part two of this will look at why the Democrats have been so slow in picking up on this and countering it.