Two conservative concessions

I've just finished watching This Week With George Stephanopolis and found myself somwhat amazed at what I heard the two conservative members of his panel saying. Granted, David Brooks is more of a moderate who greatly admires Obama and does not side with the most reactionary elements of the Republican party, and George Will is a fiscal conservative and less socially conservative than many. But here's what astonished me:

1. David Brooks:

"The problem with them and the problem with Limbaugh in terms of intellectual philosophy is they are stuck with Reagan. . . . They are stuck with the idea that government is always the problem. A lot of Republicans up in Capitol Hill right now are calling for a spending freeze in a middle of a recession/depression. That is insane. But they are thinking the way they thought in 1982, if we can only think that way again, that is just insane. And there are a lot of Republicans like David Frum ... who are trying to say Reagan was right for his era, but it is time to move on. And there are just not a lot of them on Capitol Hill right now, and I think the party is looking for that kind of Republican."

2. George Will:

In responding to a question as to whether the Republican party needs to soften its opposition to certain issues, like gay rights, Will said, "Yes. To the younger generation, being gay is like being left-handed. It's boring and uninteresting." In the context, it was clearer that he meant it should not be an issue that they fight, because increasingly it will turn people off to the party.

So, here are two conservative pundits who see the need for the Republicans to change their obsession with past battles and redefine -- or reaffirm -- what conservatism actually does stand for.

Meanwhile, the Republicans in Congress dither, directionless, and can seem to unite only in some sort of blind opposition. And Rush Limbaugh steps into the leadership vacuum, aided and abetted by Democrats who, as Cokie Roberts put it, "have died and gone to heaven" because this Republican cat fight is so playing to their advantage.

Ralph