While Washington Republicans continue to resist federal encroachment and Obama-nomics half-heartedly or with splintered results, Republican governors throughout the country are showing the country how to lead by example and consensus.
The most dispirited example for party activists is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Yes, he has hugged President Obama. Yes, he scheduled the US Senate special election one month before his gubernatorial bid for office.
But his early years in Trenton brought forth much-needed tough talk on reforming pensions and ending outrageous public works projects.
He stood up to teacher's unions, who coalecesed his efforts with private union leaders in the statehouse to govern with some effectiveness. He reduced New Jersey's property taxes three times in a row without budget deficits.
Corzine and his Democrats raised taxes 115 times. That's not leadership, that's complaince with the special interest status quo.
I have written before that Governor Christie will end up the weakest Presidential candidate, should he run in 2016.
What a strong "weakest front-runner" he will be.
Consider also Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Sam Brownback of Kansas. They are phasing out the income tax in their states. Businesses are moving into Kansas to set up shop and avoid the heavy costs.
And then there's Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Facing a three billion dollar budget deficit, Walker and his Republican legislators pushed reforms of public sector union collective bargaining rights. The left-leaning elements in his state swarmed the state capital to protest, and Democratic state legislators swarmed hotels in Illinois to block a quorom from advancing the legislation.
Walker moved past these setbacks and forced unions to contribute more toward the public pensions, allow members to recertify every year, and end the automatic pay deductions from employees.
Union power has declined considerably in Wisconsin, but also in Michigan, wherer Governor Rick Snyder passed "Right to Work" Legislation to open the Wolverine state to business. Synder's unique legislation to empower emergency managers to save struggling cities met with skepticism and criticism, but the necessary reforms have forced bankrupted citites to restructure.