What on earth were they thinking? The 'Rats are like AlQaeda: they view politeness and manners as weaknesses to be not only taken advantage of, but despised. People like these respect only one thing: power. Do not confuse "respect" with "like"--they are not the same.
The Republicans will always be in this situation as long as they continue to treat the Democrats as merely their "opponents". The modern Democrat party is our enemy and the enemy of American. We had better start treating them that way.