[Servant of the Cross]

"The distinctive visions of the two parties — social-democratic versus limited-government — have underlain every debate on every issue since Barack Obama’s inauguration ..."

" ... the problem is not that Washington is broken, that ridiculous, ubiquitous cliché. The problem is that these two visions are in competition, and the definitive popular verdict has not yet been rendered."

Let's pray that the 'definitive popular verdict' is rendered in November, 2012.

[org.whodat]

Nice to have the opinion of another demorat, I remember the stories about reaching arose the isles. When the republicans had all three, they caved then also. They just called it power sharing, and let the little man in the wig run the senate.

[ConservativeDude]

This piece has some persuasive points...it’s difficult to know what the optimal conservative plan really is at this time, when we have limited input.

To that end, I posted this on another thread:

How about this for a deal:

The Tea Party caucus says that it will support the Boehner bill (which, does not raises taxes and promises future cuts...the shortcomings obviously being in the empty promise), IF Boehner will step aside as Speaker and agree to let Michelle Bachmann become Speaker.

In other words, he will let us know that his promises mean something....and we will know that he is putting his country ahead of his career.

(And Michelle B gets a great job...because she isn’t going to be President....).

How do y’all like that for a plan???

[30Moves]

Krauthammer - isn’t he the one that said Obama would govern as a moderate?

Isn’t he the one that said the TEA Party would have no power?

Isn’t he the one that trashed Sarah Palin?

Old school.

[jpl]

There is always some excuse to cave in, and there always will be. "Just give us all three branches and next time we promise to stop beating you. No, we really, really, REALLY mean it for real this time."

Whatever. I'm so tired of the bullcrap.

[Jonty30]

That is a very good Charles has made. If you want Boehner, and the rest of the Republican party to do more, they need more than one hand ties behind their back.

[OKIEDOC]

I support the TEA folks but at this juncture it is time vote for the changes that will be coming today in the speakers new plan. I like that Charles aptly named the Tea party folks as counter revolutionaries. Because if Obama continues as he has done for the last two plus years we are going to have revolution. This government scares the hell out of me, I do not trust most in Washington to do what is right. I think if the debt ceiling is not raised Obama will try to punish old folks and veterans first while taking care of his banker friends.

[marktwain]

The premise of this article is that the Republicans will be blamed for the economy.

This only holds true if the MSM controls the debate. If that is correct, then it doesn't matter what the Republicans do, they will be blamed for the economy anyway.

What Charles Krauthammer and all the other ruling class pundits are unwilling to acknowledge is that is not about the political parties. It is about who controls the debate.

The MSM no longer controls the debate. If they did, there would be no Tea Party and no debate. The Republicans need to show that they are an alternative to the ruling class, who have brought us to the edge of ruin.

To that end, they need to hold firm.

This struggle is essentially between the MSM and the new media. We are part of the new media, and need to push as hard as we can.

[throwback]

I think the Krauthammer strategy has some merit, back Boehner, show that you're reasonable and avoid the bad PR of a government shortfall. On the other hand, I'd love to see the bluff called for once on economic calamity that has been predicted since TARP to push more and more spending. I'd also like to see the government for once sit down at it's kitchen table and see that it can't pay it's bills. Then and only then, will these clowns in Washington think that it's real money they're spending, because they're out of it. This will be a trial run for the future when there is no more money, and people can see what it will be like. I read in the WSJ yesterday about these small airport subsidies. Cases where the Feds subsidize $200 on a $60 fair to fly 80 miles. I read those stories everyday. This stupidity must and will stop. Blow it up now, or blow it up later. Either way, it blows up.

[GonzoGOP]

I don’t know whether conservatives have God on their side (I keep getting sent to His voicemail), but I do know that they don’t have Kentucky

Kentucky Senators:
McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY), Paul, Rand - (R - KY)

US House of Representative is 4/2 GOP

The Dems do hold the Governor and state house 59/41, but I would say that any state that sent Rand Paul to the Senate is probably well on the way to being on the side of conservatives.

[SMARTY]

He’s right about absolutely everything.

BUT ... the ‘play along’ MO is not new!

Where and when it has been adopted (it seems Liberals exact this perennially…it’s like a STANDING Liberal requirement) it has cost Conservatives taxpayers more money AND diminished the Conservative position.

Much as I like this author, I feel that he has NO concept of how this rankles with Conservatives… and NOT just with Tea Party types. Conservatives have reached the saturation point with the kind of Liberal tyranny we are AGAIN being ‘invited’ to accommodate.

I realize that force of circumstance is everything here… but hasn’t this ALWAYS been their justification when politicians ask for further and more compromising complicity in policies and programs which are totally inconsistent with Conservative beliefs? NOW, we feel like it is finally asking TOO MUCH!!

Conservative complicity in this buys us a seat on the bus… yet we are always threatened with being tossed off the bus because we haggle over the surrender of ever more principle for the sake of political expediency.

Charles needs to see that SOME Conservatives feel like they’re against the wall here.

[Servant of the Cross]

This is the first that I’ve ever seen National Review required to be excerpted. Is this new?

[MrChips]

Oh, I pray for that daily. Unfortunately, short of an act of God, we just kissed it goodbye last night.

[Diogenesis]

Krauthammer really thinks we all are lemmings.
Says he - ignoring the US Constitution for his Mondale delusion,
"Given this reality, trying to force the issue
— trying to turn a blocking minority
into a governing authority — is not just counter-
constitutional in spirit
but self-destructive in practice."

Nope. The House controls.
But, Krauthammer always supports Obama and the DNC
rather than America, the GOP, or conservatives.

Makes himself a honeypot for the MSM.

[ken21]

>>>>>I have every sympathy with the conservative counterrevolutionaries.

sounds good, but that’s not what he says at 3:37 p.m. and later on faux news.

[drellberg]

I agree with CK.

Pocket the wins now. Fight again another day.

The Tea Party has won the argument, for anyone paying attention.