They’ve stopped behaving like politicians and started acting like, well, professors. Abstract ideas have grabbed them: Public sector unions are bad. A fertilized egg is a person. Illegal immigrants must be shut out of American society. Government regulation only leads to unintended consequences. Voter fraud is a threat to the Republic. Judicial independence also. Government doesn’t create jobs.

So Americans believe that the rich should pay more taxes? Ordinary people don’t know the facts of economic life. The agenda is to attend to what the people who have the money give out grants to do. The “Koch Foundation” makes an RFP and you apply, take the money, and run for office.

But Citizens United notwithstanding, dollars don’t yet go directly into the ballot box. As a result, the GOP pols got their rear ends handed to them yesterday. If they’re smart, they’ll start behaving like politicians again.