TOWEL THROWING-IN TIME - AT 9:05 P.M. ET:  Thoughtful Democrats, and there are some left, are starting to realize that their approach to health-care reform hasn't exactly clicked, either with their colleagues in Congress or with the public.  The Politico reports:

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Democrats cannot go it alone on health care reform because the numbers aren’t there – despite the party's 60-vote majority in the Senate.

"There are not the votes for Democrats to do this just on our side of the aisle," Conrad said on ABC’s “This Week.”

"It's just not possible to have a Democrat-only bill?” host George Stephanopoulos asked Conrad.

"No, it is not possible, and perhaps not desirable either,” Conrad said. “We're probably going to get a better product if we go through the tough business of debate, consideration, and analysis of what we're proposing."

COMMENT:  Here, as a great general once said, is an opportunity to excel.  In this case, an opportunity for the Republican Party - not an organization always known for imagination.

In effect, Conrad is saying that Republican help is needed.  Republicans should give that help, in the form of creative, practical ideas to cure the problems in our health-care system.  No clichés.  None of this endlessly boring stuff about "the great Amurikan free enterprise system."  No scare stories about "gumm-int."  But good ideas.

People don't realize that Ronald Reagan came to office on the power of ideas, not just opposition.  Newt Gingrich led the GOP to victory in the 1994 midterms on the power of a contract with America. 

Now the GOP, following on a faltering Democratic Party, has a chance to shine by showing how problems can be solved.

Do it.  Do it.  Do it.

July 26, 2009