Inside two sides of the GOP

The most fascinating thing in politics right now is the infighting int he GOP as they try to find themselves and regroup after being rebuked by voters in 2012. It wasn't exactly a landslide election for the Dems, but considering the state of the economy and mood of the country, the failure to unseat Obama was massive one.
Now we see two different approaches moving forward. One, best exemplified by Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey is to moderate extreme stances on social issues and relent on the manaical assault on the credibility of government as a whole. Make no mistake, CC is still conservative, but he is strategic and effective as a con governing a very blue state. He has established great cross party cred and is well liked across the political spectrum, something few others in the GOP can say.
The 2nd approach to being rebuffed is best shown by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. The js from the bluegrass state and scion of the biggest name in libertarian circles has lead the charge from the teaparty/isolationist wing of the GOP base. In contrast to "establishment" pols like Christie, Paul sees government and corporate synergy as a huge problem and has launched a zealous crusade against the growth of big government and big business in the name of individual liberty. His support is more fevereant than Christie, but unless he can expand his message beyond the older, predominatly white, fox news watching crowd, his method of doubling down on isolationist conservatism is doomed to fail at the pols.
And that is not just my idealogical opinion, it is a demographic certainty in 21st Century America.
Unless they can broaden their tent to draw in more young people, the lgbt community, and minorities, who are currently shunning the GOP in astonishing numbers, the 2010 midterms will stand as the highwater mark of Paul's brand of libertarian conservatism. The Tea Party will surely be remembered fondly for generations by those politically left behind, similar in a manner as Pickett's charge was (and is) viewed by those with confederate sympathies after the civil war. The high water mark of a glorius lost cause for a demographic out of time, out of power, and out of new ideas.

The Weight

Take a load off Corbett, and you can put that load right on me.

PA governor Tom Corbett has vowed not to raise state taxes, to reduce spending, eliminate a deficit, turn water into wine, lower corporate taxes, layoff employees, and yet somehow increase the commonwealth's tax revenues. Changing water into wine might actually be the most doable of the group after the layoffs.

Many level-headed people have noted that reducing the number of individuals employed while also reducing corporate taxes is probably NOT going to lead to an increase in tax revenue. Just doing a simple bit of associative math, it seems more than probable such a policy would fail. Less People paying Taxes + Plus less Tax Revenue from Corporations= More Tax Revenue? I don't need to be an accountant to tell you that kind of math simply doesn't add up.

So now, for at least the second time in less than 7 days, another Western PA municipality is announcing their plan to raise property taxes in order to offset the cut in state aid to their school districts. So while Corporate Corbett may be right that he personally did not raise state taxes, these local hikes are a not too distant product of his slash and burn education budget.

The same schools that were good enough for his own two children to attend are now left to be the bad guy while he bathes in gas drilling money at the gubernatorial mansion.