Oh Ez. or, "At Least In Theory..."

He's at it again, I see. He's likeable enough, surely -- young, young, young -- but he still thinks it's just a game, I think. A strategic, winnable game.

Except, in these games, nobody wins.
And no son, I do not think that the American public is going to be fooled that superficial cost cutting at this time entitles you and yours to pass big-spending bills right around the corner ...

You can’t spend till you cut: The deficit is sucking the oxygen out of everything else in Washington. It isn’t just powerful as an issue in and of itself, but as a response to any significant investments the administration might propose. If you believe we need to do more on jobs, or more on anything, you need finish the deficit conversation. And as an added bonus, if you finish the deficit conversation in a way that convinces the American people you’ve made sacrifices and forced government to live within its means, you have, at least in theory, more credibility when proposing new initiatives that would expand the size of government again.

Everybody just remember that last line, and consider this is the man behind Journolist, which transferred the administration's talking points into what passes for mainstream journalism. At the WaPo, nonetheless.

Personally, I'm confident the American people out here are not-at-all so stupid that they will permit any more big gov't initiatives in the near future.

The Tea Party is not a fad. It's an attitude. You might not like the perceived demographics, but don't downplay the message being delivered.

It's much, much bigger than just the usual political gamesmanship. Much bigger. Wait and see.