Republicans furious over member's honesty

Republicans are furious that Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed did not abuse his power as overseer of the election to assure a Republican victory in that state's gubernatorial race.

Quoted by the Seattle Times, Reed said: "There are people who think I should be using the position of secretary of state simply to weigh the scales on the side of my own party. I just don't accept that, and it would not be proper."

Also: "There are some people who have been dismayed that I wasn't a Katherine Harris who took the position, 'I'm a Republican, and by God that comes first.' "

Reed is alluding to the 2000 election in Florida where Harris exploited the public trust to assure Bush a victory through various (many illegal) disenfranchisement schemes.

What is telling from Reed's case is that he is being ostracized for "not being Republican enough." That's a good indicator of where the Republican Party is ethically these days. Proving party loyalty by going the extra(legal) mile is a basic requirement.

Extreme party loyalty was a staple mindset of hardcore communists under the Soviet Union.