David Brooks, who is ostensibly the New York Times House Conservative, tells us exactly what is wrong these days with the Republican party and how they could have raked in a lot more marbles than they're going to get out of the whole Debt Ceiling issue. I really think a lot of the problem is that having rallied their toops by so demonizing Obama, these guys have painted themselves into a corner. You can't sell your base on the idea that the president is the Anti-Christ and then turn around and make a compromise deal with the Anti-Christ. Anyway, read this essay.