WHY GOVERN WHEN YOU CAN BULLY?

Amity Shlaes: "In the past, politicians and policy thinkers tended to be magnanimous in victory. They and their friends focused, post-victory, on policy and strategy -- not on trashing individuals."

But now ... according to posts on three left-leaning blogs:

"Michele Bachmann’s version of history is 'from another planet.' Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana, is 'chronically stupid.' And Eric Cantor of Virginia, the second-ranking Republican in the House, is 'busy lying constantly.'

[T]he magnanimity isn’t there. Indeed, the closer the Democrats get to total power, the nastier the commentators friendly to them have become.

Shlaes attributes the nastiness to a combination of the internet, historical ignorance, and Democrat discomfort with power.

I’m not as generous. To me it’s arrogance born of certainty and a firm belief that anyone who dares dissent must, of necessity, be evil. Secular extremism, if you will.