Weigel

Opening Act: 10 Years

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) speaks on stage with other female members of Congress during day one of the Democratic National Convention on September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

It’s Paul Ryan’s day, as he previews his budget in the Wall Street Journal. He doesn’t say so there, but he basically balances in 10 years by accepting all the tax hikes from the fiscal cliff deal. How does he get from there to collapsing tax rates, something that looks like even less of a revenue-raiser? He hints at it here—the budget will remain unspecific, giving that hard job to Dave Camp’s tax reform.

A bit late to this, but there’s no substitute for Alex Pareene when he’s got the jackhammer out for an idiotic column.

Conn Carroll argues that the Republicans are back, baby, but I’m not sure about this evidence:

None of his second term agenda items (amnesty, gun control or climate change) has advanced in either chamber of Congress.

Really? A background checks bill has been marked up by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the “gang of eight” Republican/Democrat immigration superteam is hacking away at a reform bill.

Maggie Haberman asks whether Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz can translate the Pennsylvania GOP’s unquenchable thirst for social conservative legislation into a gubernatorial win.

Josh Green wonders whether Obama blew it by not “letting us go over the fiscal cliff.”