0
Yeah yeah, I know: more confident-sounding predictions about how the Tea Party is going to kill Republicans in the end. Still don't see the logic in it. Given the tremendous gains they saw in November, it's almost impossible for the Tea Party to be even a net negative for the Republicans, let alone a "disaster," barring a massive electoral collapse with implications stretching across the next several cycles. And predicting their House majority will lessen next cycle, if it happens, isn't evidence of this -- it's the normal way of things. Historically, yes, of course they should lose some seats the next time around, particularly after such stunning gains the last time around. That's not even unusual, let alone indicative of some grand collapse. Particularly if they're riding on the anti-coat tails of some weak Presidential nominee, which is fairly likely.
But, again, at most this would be a political argument. If the Ryan plan sinks Republicans in the short-term (and really, it would only be in the short-term), it's only because people are buying into the idea that Republicans are the ones that want to destroy Medicare; nevermind that ObamaCare guts it plenty (ditto for Medicaid). Stop looking at ObamaCare! Ryan plan! Ryan plan! Look over here! It's pretty shameless even by political standards.
As for the nomination: Huck getting out clarifies things immensely, I think. My money's on Pawlenty...unless Daniels runs. He has his own problems but I think it'd be a genuine race between the two of them. By which I don't mean that Romney wouldn't be in the middle, just that I still don't see how he gets past RomneyCare in the end.
At this point I think our last hope for a potentially exciting, viable candidate is Rick Perry. I know he's said he isn't running, but the latest word is that he's got some vague feelers out. And why shouldn't he, given how underwhelmed voters apparently still are with their options?