David Frum points out the problems of Republican intransigence

He wonders if they could have made a deal with Obama given the President's desire to do so, but notes that the party made a decision to say no, period. Waterloo | FrumForum:

"There were leaders who knew better, who would have liked to deal. But they were trapped. Conservative talkers on Fox and talk radio had whipped the Republican voting base into such a frenzy that deal-making was rendered impossible. How do you negotiate with somebody who wants to murder your grandmother? Or – more exactly – with somebody whom your voters have been persuaded to believe wants to murder their grandmother?"