Douthat wishes Republicans had "taken yes for answer" on the payroll tax cut:
The White House’s embrace of payroll tax cut, properly understood, should be a boon to the right, since it involves a Democratic president tacitly admitting that Social Security isn’t really pay-as-you-go, that the trust fund is more a gimmick than a lockbox, and that America’s retirement system could be just as easily paid for out of general revenue rather than through a counterproductive tax on employment and work. Instead, the debate as it’s unfolded has made the Republicans look ideologically confused, politically disorganized, and loath to champion policies that directly benefit the middle class. As the overture to an election year, it’s been the poorest possible advertisement for conservative governance.
The Dish 