JPod — Isn’t there an Occam’s razor explanation here? Reid’s making a stupid mistake.

Or maybe it isn’t a stupid mistake. Maybe it’s merely an understandable mistake. Rump parties create their own self-perpetuating logic which sustains their rump-party status. Looking back on the way Bob Michael (former House GOP minority leader for those of you who don’t remember the pre-Newt GOP) used to say and do all sorts of stupid things which made sense only if you understood that he had reconciled himself to a lifetime as a minority party. Reid may not have resigned himself — yet– but being caught in the historical switches which have confined the Democrats to rump-party status he may not be able to see how his tactics only hasten his party’s shame-spiral. He may just think he’s brilliantly buying greater resources for his party and shaping its image as a principled fighter for this or that.