Judging from the recent session of the General Assembly, Republicans seem to have become the new Democrats in state politics. Consider the following developments: A majority of Republican lawmakers, with the assistance of Democrats, approved what has been accurately described as a “massive tax increase” that will generate more than $900 million a year to pay for highway and bridge construction projects. The highway bill includes a substantial increase in the gasoline excise tax, a new tax on hotel rooms and a yearly charge of $200 or $300 on electric vehicles.