Michael Steele

Does the Republican Party really want Michael Steele doing the driving right now?

Punishing "defectors"

Yes! RNC Chairman Michael Steele told Neil Cavuto that he is open to cutting GOP funding for the 3 Senate traitors who voted for the Generational Theft Act.

Just saying, "no, no" to civil unions.

A reality check. As the party finds itself uniting in hostility to Obama, and the Independents and Democrats stay pretty much the same in terms of judging him, it's interesting to see Michael Steele being frank about reaching out to the center:

GALLAGHER: Is this a time when Republicans ought to consider some sort of alternative to redefining marriage and maybe in the road, down the road to civil unions. Do you favor civil unions?

STEELE: No, no no. What would we do that for? What are you, crazy? No. Why would we backslide on a core, founding value of this country? I mean this isn't something that you just kind of like, "Oh well, today I feel, you know, loosey-goosey on marriage." [...]

GALLAGHER: So no room even for a conversation about civil unions in your mind?

STEELE: What's the difference?

This, remember, is from the RNC candidate who was most regarded as eager to reach out to the next generation.

The Republican Party seems to have forgotten that its base has gotten smaller and smaller over the last four years, and they seem anxious to harden that through almost geological pressure. The result, they must think, will be diamonds.

There is a leadership vacuum in the GOP right now -- everyone knows that. And it is being filled by Michael "Off the Hook" Steele, and The Excorcist.