Self-perpetuating, ossified majority

Thomas Oliphant: The Republican House of cards

"...The Republicans' current margin is a historically thin 229-206, but there is nothing about recent events that suggests the leadership is crumbling. These almost unanimously rubber-stamp Republicans will cut any tax or increase any tax credit as long as the major beneficiaries of this mind-boggling largesse are not families who depend on paychecks to survive. In addition, the rubber-stampers will tolerate no significant foreign policy dissent, and now that Bill Clinton is comfortably in retirement they have abandoned investigative and oversight vigor..."