There is a branch of the Republican Party that stocks most of the Republican punditry corps on television, fills the op-ed pages and editorial pages of right leaning papers, and gets together to toast themselves each year at the CPAC, among other places. They turn their nose up at the conservative grassroots. They hate the tea party. And they will defend till the death [mc_name name=’Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B000589′ ], [mc_name name=’Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’R000570′ ], [mc_name name=’Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M000355′ ], and the rest of the leadership.

In the voices and writings of these pundits and enablers, the Republican leaders were dealt a bad hand. Conservative activists are new to the scene and just don’t understand or don’t care. We should trust the leadership and understand that they are up against a President of the United States.

Above all else, we need to know that shutting down the government never works and will always get only the Republicans blamed and the GOP will lose seats.

These enablers and excuse makers are now shocked and horrified at the deal [mc_name name=’Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B000589′ ] and [mc_name name=’Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M000355′ ] have cut with Barack Obama. It is, in their minds, a total cave. They cannot believe that the Republican leaders would do this to the public and to themselves and betray the ideals of incrementally limiting government.

They have no one to blame but themselves.

For four years, conservative activists have been fighting the Republican leaders and these enablers have defended and emboldened the Republican leadership. They have attacked the conservatives as hobbits and trolls and wackobirds. They have denounced [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ], [mc_name name=’Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’L000577′ ], [mc_name name=’Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’J000289′ ], [mc_name name=’Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B001283′ ], and so many more who have fought. They have drummed up hit pieces against FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, the Heritage Foundation, the Senate Conservatives Fund, Club For Growth, Madison Project, and more.

They have created their very own echo chamber wherein [mc_name name=’Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B000589′ ] and the Republican Leaders never had to fight because they would be praised for being adults and practical. They whine on Rightblogs about the nasty and uncompromising and unreasonable purists who, they have convinced themselves, are just trying to make money off chaos — a presumption made because they presume everyone else shares their lack of principle.

Now these enablers are upset at what is really and truly a gigantic cave by the Republicans in Congress.

We told you so.

Once these people took the use of the power of the purse off the table, there was no way the Republican Leaders could do anything else. All Barack Obama had to do was threaten a government shutdown and the leadership and their cheerleaders would cave.

Republican leaders will not fight because they do not have to fight because they know that editorialists, pundits, and donors will pat them on the back and say “tough break.” Well, it is — for the country.