Hatch death reminds us of how politics used to be

It seems there are two types of politicians. Those who see their job as fighting for those they serve to try to make their lives better, and those who only seem to care about themselves.  We lost one of the former over the weekend, when former U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch passed away. Hatch is a rare breed in today’s politics, reaching across the aisle to reach consensus on issues important to Americans. A far cry from the Madison Cawthorns and Marjorie Taylor Greens who seek to advance their political careers by being outrageous rather than being accomplished. Like Cawthorn and Taylor Green, Hatch was a Republican, representing the state of Utah proudly for 42 years. His work to build consensus brought many dividends. Hatch is recognized as having sponsored or co-sponsored 750 pieces of legislation, more than any other Senator. Important issues like the American with Disabilities Act and the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, which paved the way for generic drugs. Things that helped average Americans and made the country better. Hatch knew things were changing in Washington, warning his colleagues in his farewell speech, warning “gridlock is the new norm” and “partisanship permeates everything we do. The Senate is in crisis.” He certainly was right. But his fellow Republicans should look back fondly at Hatch, and recognize what can be done when politicians actually work together to do good things.