In a Trap of Their Own Making

...which for Republicans will become a mass political grave.

Brother Meringoff explains why:

For Republicans, yesterday was not a rain-out; it was a defeat. The optimists are clinging to the notion that members of the gang of seven can still support a rules change at any time if the Democrats act in bad faith. That view is based on the following language - "In light of the spirit and continuing commitments made in this agreement, we commit to oppose the rules changes in the 109th Congress." This language is ambiguous on the question of whether the commitment not to oppose rules changes is other than completely binding. Quite apart from that problem, who honestly believes that Senators who lacked the stomach to change the rules when they were unencumbered by any agreement will vote to change the rules given the agreement? Any Senator who so voted would risk being accused by his opponent in the next election of outright dishonesty. [my emphasis]

On the bright side, that would be the best of both worlds for conservatives: the filibuster broken, an additional constitutionalist or two on the SCOTUS, and one fewer RINO in the Senate.

Something to savor on the long, desultory trudge back into the wilderness.