"The only reason not to line all the Democrats up against a wall and shoot 'em is that you'd have to find someone else to blame when the Republicans screw up."

You are being extreme. There many fine Democrats, that do not believe that all we need is a HUGE govt. And there are some Republicans who think the problem with govt is that all that it's lacking their brillance insight and simply needs more money thrown at it.

I don't think that the quality of a politican depends upon whether they are Dem or Rep. The main problem with the Dems is they were in power too long and they became stuck in a rut. It's quite possible for the Rep to make the same mistake and be kick out of power- and in a much shorter time frame. The main problem with govt is not the politicans- it's the dynamics of any bureaucracy. Bureaucracies whether public or private over time get fat and become distracted from what they should be doing. In private sector, at least a bureaucracy might face reality. When govt become a job program or entitlement program- it's gone south. When govt employees realize that they are public servants, and that they are serving the public, then at least they are heading in the right direction. I know there are a lot of people working for govt who are proud to be serving the public. There are also many people who are stuck in a govt job in which they know things could done better but are unable to change the way things are done. And others who concentrating on a path of advancement which doesn't have much to do with serving the public.