If I were a Republican, I would be hanging my head in shame at the behavior of my elected representatives during President Obama's historic speech to Congress last week.

The party of no ideas apparently also has no manners, no dignity and no class. During the previous Republican administration, Congress and the American people were repeatedly lied to, and yet no Democratic representative ever showed such disrespect to President Bush during one of his speeches.

Fortunately, I am a Democrat, and I hold my head high. My president and my party are taking on the incredible mess left by eight reckless years of Republican rule. And they will solve it -- with or without the cooperation of the very people who brought these troubles upon us in the first place.

CAROL LOGIE, MINNEAPOLIS