A listener sent this to me yesterday but I haven't had a chance to get to it. We've discussed this on the show before and others have as well and much as been written about the scam that baseline budgeting is. But this piece is particularly excellent. And the WSJ is spot on when it says Republicans are blowing this debate by dropping the notion that the 1974 atrocity needs to be changed.

My suspicion is they don't think Americans will understand. Much has been said and written since November 6th about how Republicans failed to get their message past the media filter. I'm beginning to believe Republicans don't bother anymore because they don't trust the American people to figure out even if it is adequately explained to them.

A few years back I heard a presentation from a prominent radio consultant. He told the story of how he once told a Program Director for a station he was consulting that there was a fundamental rule of radio that his on-air personalities were violating. The Program Director responded by saying; "it's no use, I've tried and I've tried to make them do it the right way and they just won't. They can't get it, so I'm giving up."

The consultant responded by saying: "oh, then you must suck at this teaching thing." Just because I can't run the four minute mile doesn't mean it can't be run. Just because these Republicans have failed to communicate reality to voters doesn't mean it can't be done. It simply means they are incapable of doing it. That's something they need to remember.