Not to be piling on, but I think Ezra Klein makes an important point here: The ideas and proposals of conservative intellectuals like Reihan Salam have little to do with the decisions made by Republican legislators. This isn't to say that Democrats are slavishly following the footsteps of progressive policy wonks, but you can plausibly point to legislators who support ideas like the public option or the Consumer Financial Protection Agency that originated among outside thinkers. The fact that Republicans and their outside intellectuals are so far apart makes many debates between progressives and conservatives purely academic. While Reihan's position on state aid is certainly defensible, it isn't shared by the Republican party, making his efforts to defend them something of a bridge too far. Consider even Rep. Paul Ryan's famous budget plan, hailed as both intellectually honest (it fails some key tests) and conservative, and no one else in his party supports it. Perhaps when the Republicans find the majority again, they'll try some innovative policy thinking, but right now there is only one consensus policy among elected Republicans: Obstruction "to deny Democrats accomplishments in the run-up to the election." Recognizing that fact is the first step in talking seriously about today's policymaking environment.
-- Tim Fernholz
