Indiana Senator Richard Lugar had crossed the aisle one too many times.
Bipartisanship has become the bane of good government in the United States. Democrats and Republicans have entered into a grand bargain of log-rolling and vote-trading to support constituent interests and local interest groups. Both sides have had no problem with raising the debt ceiling, since they money is coming out of taxpayers' pockets, anyway.
Even the most fiscally hawkish of legislators have pandered in the past to funding the public interests of their Congressional interests or the states which they serve.
Richard Lugar is a celebrated example of a conciliatory politicians who voted predominantly with his party, but after over three decades, grew distant and disinterested in the more local interests of the voters who he had sworn to represent.
Now more than ever, this federal government must stop the spending. The debt ceiling should not be raised without real cuts. The voters are getting tired of asking their representatives to respect the budgeting process of this country, then continue to tax and spend as if there were no end to the supply of wealth in this country.
Lugar was the loser May 8; this country is better for it, and the financial condition of this country still has a chance to go on the mend.