“Republicans are back on offense”
Some Republicans are on offense. Most are still in the fetal position.
“They pillory administration officials at Capitol Hill hearings. They cite the millions of people getting dropped by insurers despite President Barack Obama’s promise that it wouldn’t happen. They harp on the program’s flawed enrollment process...”
They do? Where?
The Establishment Republican elite is much like the doomed dodo bird of Mauritius, when confronted by that fierce predator, the brown rat, which arrived on merchant and pirate ships. “Dodo” became a synonym for meek and confused, unable to do the least effort necessary for self-preservation.
Consider what happens to a brown rat when it is confronted by several barnyard geese. The geese have no compunctions whatsoever about attacking and pretty well demolishing the rat.
The Republican party needs more geese and fewer dodo birds.
You'd think they'd be all over the democrats on this, given the clarity of the situation. But the criticism I hear from republicans is still pretty muted.
GOP dummies: forget about sitting back and letting your opponents hang themselves - that only gives the media time to rally and mount a defense. Now is the time to press your advantage.