Reuters -- Washington, D.C. -- 7-27-11

Tea Party faithfuls are reminding Speaker Boehner that his seat as speaker is dependent upon him living up to their expectations. Expectations that the runaway spending in Washington will end under his leadership.

Wearing t-shirts adorned with “Hold the Line” a large contingent of small-government activists held court at capitol hill on Wednesday. Their show of  solidarity wasn’t about dealing with a foreign enemy, but a domestic one – ourselves. Conservative Americans are asking the right side of the isle to stand firm against Harry Reid’s progressive, extremist caucus on the issue of the national debt.

As children we were showered with the notion that if nothing was done about federal spending that grandchildren would be left with a bill they could not pay. Well, it’s not grandchildren anymore, the United States of America is broke thanks almost entirely to overspending on Democratic entitlement programs.

While Democrats and establishment GOP paint the “hold the line” mantra as near psychotic ramblings from an extremist cult – the Tea Parties have it right and Republicans should pay attention – it’s the Constitution, stupid.

Republicans have been forced to water-down budget solutions time-after-time while the Senate Democrats produce nothing. The way this should work is that the House passes their version of a bill, if the Senate doesn’t agree with the bill they offer their version and finally the two sides meet in conference committee to hash out a compromise. Harry Reid has no intention of compromising.

Republicans passed Cut,cap and balance – the Senate Democrats offered no alternative. In fact, they just tabled the bill instead of debating and voting on it as Reid had promised.

Republicans passed the Ryan plan – the Senate Democrats offered no alternative and killed that legislation too.

The kind of brinkmanship being offered by Democrats in the Senate and White House is dangerous. The fact that Republicans are faltering instead of meeting the challenge is disheartening.

What we need now is leadership from the House GOP. Demand that the Senate supply their version of a budget fix and force a conference committee. That is how it is supposed to work. This cycle of pass a bill, Harry hates it, water it down, try to pass it, the House hates it, change it again… is nauseating.  The fact that the House GOP is largely being led around by the nose by Senate Democrats is embarrassing.

Cut,cap and balance is the starting point – it is the line. It’s already passed the House and Republicans should be demanding real negotiations from the left instead of turning tail and looking for more giveaways to  the progressives.

Perhaps we need our own version of Mel Gibson in “The Patriot” running against the tide of fleeing soldiers yelling over and over “HOLD THE LINE .. HOLD THE LINE” while waving the American flag.

Mr. Speaker “HOLD THE LINE!”