There's been some chatter in Idaho political circles about the idea that Democratic legislative sucesses, few as they are, have made the Republican caucuses ever more conservative - and so, the operative control of Idaho's legislature ever more conservative.
To which the essential reply is: Well, yes, they have.
Some Democrats seem to have been made uneasy by comments like those of Betsy Russell of the Spokesman-Review, who asked in her blog, "Could it be that by electing more Democrats, Idaho voters actually bought themselves a more conservative Republican Legislature?" And proceeded to answer yes.
We agree with Russell's analysis, and we'll take it a few directions further.