Jim Geraghty, joining the ranks of a whole host of GOP opinion leaders put off by all this “Establishment” GOP talk, looks to set the record straight — even if that means you conspiratorial Hobbits are going to have to take it on your unnuanced chins. Drawing on the early primary and caucus numbers, Geraghty writes: Either the conservative base does not hold such a numerical advantage over the “Establishment,”

And why wouldn’t he? But don’t worry: Boehner and McConnell were quick to tell the President he won’t get a dime over $1.185T — though if Obama threatens to shut down the government, the two privately admit in public that they’re likely to just go ahead and fold again. For freedom. Because after all, this is not the hill the GOP wants to die on — not before the 2012

In light of our very heated (but very useful, I feel) recent discussion on the role of the voter — does he owe allegiance to himself of to a Party? should his vote be affirmative or act as a corrective by canceling out the impact of a negative? — I’d like to put into perspective what it is we’re debating over. And the best way to do that is to

From Robert M: Regarding your post “A note to the GOP leadership and all the establishment conservatives who will now begin telling us it’s our duty to rally around Mitt Romney.” I agree with you a more conservative/classic liberal would be the best way to go, but none of those running are and Mitt Romney seems to be heading towards the nomination. Let’s think about just two things: 1. The

Jim Pethokoukis: […] Romney was a starter and fixer of companies, not a wrecker and pillager like Gekko. Nor did he do anything illegal like Gekko. Indeed, the private equity industry overall has been a powerful force for good in American economic life for the past 30 years. Corporate America entered the 1980s fat and uncompetitive. Private equity firms like Bain helped get it back in shape. As one analysis

Because the most important thing now is to get Obama out of office, even if that means we only move the needle slightly back toward the center. Besides, don’t you remember what Reagan said? Or was it Buckley…? Discuss.

Don’t think it’s lost on us that you are the same people who were saying that a vote against debt ceiling increases would be a vote for Obama, and that to hold the line against further increases marked us as naive and unnuanced (right before the credit downgrade you pretended your capitulations would prevent); the same people who called us Hobbits for demanding the GOP stay good to its word

My son is listless and has a stomach ache this morning, and his temperature is registering about a degree and a half low. He says he’s shaking, but “on the inside.” I’ve let him go back to bed and I want to keep a close monitor on him. So for now, feel free to entertain yourselves in a manner you see fit. Sorry for any inconvenience. I realize that news

Same old story, same old story, same old song and dance, my friend.

I know what you’re all thinking: The headline-as-performative for both the tenuousness of liberty and the natural desire of a power-hungry central authority to use any and every instrumentality of government to expand its size, reach, and control, that one is. And you’d be right. So good going. CNS: In 2005, Michael and Chantell Sackett were working toward what many American families work toward, their own home on their own