Too Soon Old, Too Late Wise

I wish my defense hawk friends at the American Enterprise Institute and the Weekly Standard had discerned before it was too late that a budget framework that calls for: (1) no additional revenues and (2) big cuts in discretionary spending, is not a hospitable climate for a robust defense budget.

The cut-taxes-forever faction of the Republican party knew what it wanted - and got it.

The live-to-fight-another-day Obama administration mostly lost this round, but at least put some points on the board.

But the pro-defense conservatives who cheered and cheered as Tea Party Republicans were awarded veto power over GOP decision-making have completely outfoxed themselves. They are now parties to a deal that targets the defense budget as the main hostage in future budget negotiations.

They went along with a crowd in hope of gaining sway over the crowd. They've discovered too late that instead of swaying, they were swayed. Cynicism is not wisdom after all.