I wonder if getting the “machine players” out of politics — or maybe even just out of the Democratic Party — would make a difference.

Up here in South Canada, we had a reasonably popular Democratic governor, Joe Brennan, who won the gubernatorial elections of 1978 and 1982.

Maine has the limitation that a person can serve only two consecutive four-year terms as Governor. He or she can then run again, but only after different person has assumed the office for a four-year term.

So after Brennan’s eight years in the Blaine House, Joe apparently didn’t know what to do with himself, and he once again ran for Governor in 1990.

He lost to the Republican, John McKernan (Mr. Olympia Snowe, for those unaware.)

Four years later, in 1994, he again ran for Governor.

And lost to the Independent, Angus King.

Two years after that, he ran for the U.S. Senate.

And lost to the Republican, Susan Collins.

Joe stopped running after that.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein.