Elephants In A Teapot

The State of the Union is over and the Republicans are off and running trying to find their asses with both hands. They have pledged to cut billions from the budget, but can't quite decide how many billions, or on what exactly they plan to plunge the knife into first. As they continue to tout jobs as their first priority, their most recent efforts have produced 3 different bills attempting to limit abortions, guess the jobs will come later? House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) got hit not once , but 3 times by end runs from the Tea Party, turning a very easy legislative week into a massive embarrassment. Shooting down provisions of the Patriot Act that Tea Party legislators thought too intrusive against civil liberties! Hows that for strange bedfellows? The Patriot Act! the Rights primary terror tool co-opted by the Tea Party. Now I'm sure this will probably get rectified somewhere down the line, but I'm equally sure there were some big smiles in the White House, despite the fact they want the Patriot Act extended. Welcome to the Republican leadership Mr Boehner, after you wipe the egg off your face, "Where are the jobs?"

The Republicans are trying so hard to put on the brave face of an energized party trying to consolidate its gains from November. Sadly their entire leadership is adrift, they're all staring at each other wondering which direction they need to look to catch the bus. Anybody who thinks the Republican Party's not trying desperately to avoid an internal split isn't paying attention. They are all saying different things, and when they do say something they have to genuflect to the Tea Party first. John Boehner found this out the hard way this week. Even he said (paraphrasing) "... I'm not a card carrying member, but I appreciate what they have to offer." Little tougher to lead when you don't have the luxury of sitting on your hands and saying "No" to everything huh Mr. Boehner?

Still not convinced? Well this week the Tea Party Express put long time Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) on their Republican Primary hit list. In an interview just this morning new Tea Party Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) would not come out and endorse his senior Senator until AFTER the primary process was completed. He said that was up to the voters of Utah to decide. Translation: You are old guard Republican and unless you win the Republican Primary, you'll get no help from me. Pretty ballsy for a freshman Senator from the same State, don't you think?

Finally, with the 2012 Election on the near horizon the Republicans have more potential candidates than a teenage boy has tissues on the floor of his bedroom, and there is not much difference between the two. Romney seems the early favorite, but he won't survive the scrutiny of his mandated health care in Massachusetts. Donald Trump put his toe in the water at the CPAC Convention this morning, but he has no real appeal I think. So that leaves all the FOX News headliners, political analysts, and contributors leaving you with one giant blob of mediocrity. In a phrase "They Got Nobody." and at this point, I don't see how they win in 2012 with the current crop of candidates available. There is lots of time, but the ongoing struggle to keep their own house undivided, will plague them though the entire process will tie their hands as to who works for the old right AND the new right.