https://redstate.com/erick/2011/12/22/lack-of-principle-got-them-in-this-mess-principle-gets-them-out/feed/Conservative News & Politicsen-usWed, 10 Jun 2026 01:53:49 -0400<![CDATA[The payroll tax holiday has become a mess for Republicans. I am beginning to believe raw sewage has greater political acumen than the Republican leadership in Washington. At least raw sewage can pick the path of least resistance when flowing through the bowels of Washington, D.C.Not so the Republicans.They have gotten themselves into this mess for three reasons.First, House Republicans were going to vote on their bill and leave town, but decided to play nice with the Senate Democrats. So instead, the Senate did to the House what the House had planned to do and then did not do. The Senate passed its plan and fled.Second, House Republicans let the Senate Republican Leader call the shots. Let us not forget that in the government shutdown against Bill Clinton in the 90&#8217;s, House Republicans were betrayed by Senator Bob Dole, the then Republican Leader, who announced the Senate was going back to work when the House expected to stay shut down.Third, and most importantly, the GOP lost — and they did lose, here being clubbed to death like a baby seal — because they abandoned long held Republican principles.]]>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:46:00 -0500<![CDATA[Erick Erickson]]>https://redstate.com/erick/2011/12/22/lack-of-principle-got-them-in-this-mess-principle-gets-them-out-n41588