Not 24 hours after President Bush signed into law the latest round of tax cuts (which have no effect on the size of government), Republicans from around town gathered to gush about their Medicare prescription drug program (which increases the size of government).

I’ll not name names, but there were a few faces at the GOP love-fest who, in their hearts, truly want to reform Medicare. The greatest tragedy of Part D might be the way it has distracted those Republicans from that purpose.

(Erratum: On a previous occasion, I accused the GOP of throwing your tax dollars off the back of a truck. It appears Republicans have been using a bus rather than a truck. I apologize for the error.)