"THE PROMISED LAND" is the title of David Brooks' latest essay in The Times. It's tremendous; here's the money graph:

This week the G.O.P. behaved as a majority party in full. The Republicans used the powers of government to entrench their own dominance. They used their control of the federal budget to create a new entitlement, to woo new allies and service a key constituency group, the elderly.

As the spiritual leader of the Republican party, no doubt, the Gipper would enjoy the destination. But would the small government-oriented conservative who gave the legendary "Rendezvous With Destiny" speech in 1964 approve of the route taken to get there?

UPDATE: Somewhat related to Brooks' essay, Donald Lambro writes:

The last three Democrats to occupy the White House were Southerners, two of them governors. Fewer governors means fewer chief executives to promote for higher office, a gloomy picture indeed of the Democrats' political future.