New Year, new fear: Republicans play to the base while everyone else suffers. (Below The Beltway).

SHORTLY AFTER THE REPUBLICAN sweep of Congress in November, President Bush said he looked forward to working with lawmakers to "make our country a better and more compassionate place," And when Sen. Bill Frist was elected majority leader in December, the Republican from Tennessee promised to "listen, to diagnose, to treat ... to heal," and to focus particular attention on strengthening Medicare, lowering the number of uninsured and boosting the economy.

All worthy goals, but don't hold your breath. Just doing the math makes it highly unlikely that the ...

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