On inauguration night, we heard the classic Etta James song “At Last” played over and over again as the new president and first lady danced across ten separate ballrooms.

Today, conservatives and Republicans can add their own meaning to “at last.”

For today, House Republicans rediscovered their manhood and got a grip.

They said “no” to socialism, “no” to $1 trillion in ridiculous hyper-spending, “no” to Nancy Pelosi, and “no” to The Bama.

To be honest, I didn’t think they had it in ‘em.  After months of cowering in the corner, afraid of their own shadows, melting in the presence of The Bama, and behaving like sniveling wimps, the Republicans finally got their acts together.  I suppose a $1 trillion omnibus horror show can arouse passion even in the most lame Republicans.

All 178 House Republicans voted against The Bama’s socialist experiment, with 10 Blue Dog Democrats joining up.  This is a far howl from the massive bipartisanship The Bama wanted—needed—as cover for this nightmare.  He wanted as many Republicans as possible to join the socialist cause, so when the entire “stimulus” failed, he could point fingers at the GOP and claim they should all share the blame.

Good thing the Republicans wised up to his game, and blew him off.  They offered an alternative package comprised almost entirely of tax cuts (the only thing proven to stimulate economic growth and job creation), and that failed.  So, they voted against a humonguous package of pork (the only thing proven to fail in a recession.)

If The Bama and Pelosi (and Reid—it goes to the Senate next) want to strangle this economy further, the GOP stepped back today in order to let them (after, of course, trying to stop them).  Watching this wave of socialism stomp out job creation, incentives, investment, and wealth creation will be heartbreaking.  But at least now, the Republicans can say, “It wasn’t us.”  They offered an alternative that would have worked—and would have been in keeping with our grandest and strongest traditions of limited government and free enterprise.

The Democrats rejected that, and now they will live with the consequences.  Unfortunately, so will the rest of us.

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