Republicans showing backbone?

This is a bit late, but I wanted to add my two cents about this whole "No Republicans in the House voted for the Economic Stimulus Bill holy cow maybe they're actually showing fiscal conservatism" thing.

On its face, this move gives conservatives reason to be somewhat hopeful. However, my cynical side believes something else is going on.

People have a natural tendency to behave more appropriately when someone nearby is not. When Billy in your second-grade class is drawing on the wall with crayons, some people will join him, but some will tattle to the teacher.

As adults, this phenomenon can be even more pronounced. When that couple is talking loudly in the theater, aren't you less likely to talk to the person you're with? And if someone throws their sandwich wrapper on the ground, won't you be sure to put yours in the trash?

In this way, I think the House Republicans saw someone else (the Democrats) pouring tons of pork into this supposed "stimulus bill" and put their collective foot down. Never mind the fact that for the past eight years the very same House Republicans had been part of a massive, unchecked spending spree that was very un-fiscally conservative. Oh no, now little Billy is drawing on the walls, so the Republicans decided to be good.

In addition, what do the Republicans have to lose? Their votes were entirely meaningless, as the bill easily passed in the House without them. They could afford to take this very public stand, get kudos from people like Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham, and earn votes in the next election.

Do I hope this means Republicans are coming to their senses? Yes. Do I think they really are? No.

The more I look at the issue of term limits, the more I like them. Seems no matter how well-intentioned someone is when they first get to Washington, it only takes a few years before they're as political and power-hungry as everyone else there.