Is the GOP Coming Out of Its Slumber?

From the pages of Politico to God's ears:

Congressional Republicans, who only weeks ago were sheepish about their own electoral failures and cowed by Obama's polish and popularity, are suddenly punching back — hard — on both sides of the Capitol.

The Senate GOP surprised the administration Monday evening by mustering a muscular 30 votes — including their three top leaders — against the inevitable confirmation of Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary.

Sen. John McCain started this week's pummeling, declaring Sunday that he would oppose Obama's stimulus package as written. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has kept up a daily din of opposition to the specifics of the package, mocking the inclusion of a mob museum and a water park, and demanding more discussion and transparency. Senate Republicans are also rallying against the Democratic version of a children’s health care bill being debated this week.

The nitpicking took its toll, and Obama on Monday privately urged House Democrats to remove a notable flash point: funds for contraception that had been defended by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on national television just a day before. The Democrats agreed.

Then this morning, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) went for the jugular, urging his members to oppose the economic centerpiece of Obama's first term just hours before the president paid the Republicans the compliment of coming to the Capitol for a private meeting — even before he did the same for House Democrats.

Obama's aides cast the visit as an outstretched hand — and it got slapped.

The bottom line: a coordinated effort to embarrass a president who looked largely unassailable just weeks ago.

Yet Republicans are still walking a balance beam – trying to give the appearance that they are listening to Obama’s rhetoric while claiming that the Democratic Congress is ruining the Obama message.

McConnell told the Today Show Tuesday morning that Democrats in Congress are "drifting away" from Obama's preferred stimulus plan, which was supposed to include 40 percent tax cuts and be free of earmarks.

Democrats hope the tactics backfire.

"This is a very dangerous political vote for House Republicans, in particular those from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan," said a White House aide familiar with House districts. "Their constituents want them to take action to save the economy, not block progress."

Here's where the GOP has to make their argument that what the Democrats are doing will not result in saving the economy or making progress. It's a big government pork bill designed largely to reward Dem allies for their support in November.

Giving $4 billion dollars to ACORN or $400 million to that global warming nut at NASA will not stimulate the economy. Creating a new SCHIP bill that directs taxpayer funds to pay for the children of illegal immigrants is not progress. Republicans have to make those arguments and keep making them, even if they can't stop the bills from passing.

With very little effort they managed to knock Nancy Pelosi's contraceptive funds from the stimulus, and there's no reason they can't get rid of some of this other stuff to simply by bringing embarrassment and attention to the items and their Dem sponsors.

The Republicans are not required to provide political cover to the new president. The sooner they figure that out, the sooner they will become a more effective force.