Is Robert Samuelson an Ideologue?

That's the question that readers will inevitably ask after reading his column complaining that ideology is responsible for the government shutdown. Samuelson tells readers:

"A crucial difference between interest-group and ideological politics is what motivates people to join. For interest-group politics, the reason is simple — self-interest. People enjoy directly the fruits of their political involvement. Farmers get subsidies; Social Security recipients, checks. By contrast, the foot soldier...