Yes, it got to this point.
Obviously McCain is trouble, but he's just one Senator.
I keep raising this point because I think it's crucial.
The two Senators from Maine and Lincoln Chafee are liberal Republicans. That's what they are, and there's no point grousing about it. Rhode Island isn't going to elect a conservative anyhow, so in New England you take what you can get. Better to have three liberal New England Republicans adding to the GOP caucus than having three liberal Democrats adding to the Democratic Caucus. No point in punishing the three New England Senators for being liberals. They don't pretend in their campaigns to be conservatives, so when they agree to the deal, it's not surprising nor particularly offensive.
McCain's position is offensive.
But that's only FOUR, which means that Republicans STILL have to lose TWO Republican Senators' votes to not be able to pass the nuclear option.
Who?
Who are those Senators?
John McCain can't offer anything. Frist, and Bush, can. Why haven't those Senators been stood up in front of an open grave and had their political fate explained to them?
It's fine to be mad at McCain, but the Republican leadership does not have to follow the terms of this "deal". It can press ahead anyhow, and it had better.
After the Specter business after the election, and Terri Schiavo, the "trust me" of the Republicans has been worn out. They have got to act, or as a party they are going to suffer terrible defections. These will not be pro-lifers voting for Hillary, but rather folks getting frustrated and failing to vote, or folks following a legitimate, unabashedly pro-life third party candidate, should one come along.
This is Waterloo.
You highlight very good points. Even though we had a inkling McCain would betray this Republic, I feel we are more fearful that the Rep leadership will drop the ball. Frist can negate the action of the traitorous seven, but the big question, will he? I fear he may loose the will.. It seems the Rep leadership never fails to disappoint us in the end (while giving it to us in the end) :(