House GOP leaders like to point out how many bills they’ve passed that have died in the Senate, and it’s true. The House has passed a lot legislation that is in limbo because of the filibuster in the Senate. But none of them are transformative, none are major overhauls or reforms. None dramatically shrink the size and scope of the federal government. They’d be small victories, at best.

The Republican takeover of Congress in 1994 brought with it a wave of ideas ready to be voted on that mattered, and most passed. Current congressional Republicans have nothing of the sort – they’re the worst pitcher in the bullpen who never expected the game to go 18 innings and didn’t pack his cleats.

And that’s the problem – Republicans never expected to be in a position to implement anything, to have their votes count. It’s easy to vote for Obamacare repeal when you’re certain it’ll never become law. It’s a different world altogether when there’s an occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. who’d sign that bill.