A surprising fundraiser took place yesterday, one that will inevitably anger a portion of the Republican base.  

The event set out to mock the antics of radio personalities John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, whose KFI-AM (640) program has put the lawmakers’ “heads on a stick” for engaging with Brown. The targeted GOPers wore paper cutouts of their own heads taped to popsicle sticks, tucked in the breast pocket of their suits. The fundraiser was billed as a celebration of “leaders on a stick.”

“This is not a commitment to a vote or anything like that, but you just can’t say no all the time,” said Assemblyman Paul Cook (R-Yucaipa), one of the hosts, of the potential budget accord.(LA Times)

Republicans don’t lightly dismiss the dual-headed scorpion of the right.  The leaders of this little event will certainly end up being excoriated on the right for even considering negotiation.  And so it is.

At the same time, what just happened at this event? A bunch of Republicans who have never really crossed party zealots on any issue this substantial are now saying they are going to do so? Hardly.  They are raising some cash by toying with a few optimists.  Could they consider voting for a revenue measure? Perhaps, but none of these legislators has any substantial record of bipartisanship.  Paul Cook is termed out and Tom Berryhill said during the winter that the “budget was not their (the GOP’s) problem.”  Hardly an inspirational group, and my confidence that these folks are just going to sing Kumbaya and support a balanced approach at the budget isn’t really all that strong.

But maybe poking a scorpion is a good way to start.