The only thing that belongs under a “big tent” is a circus. And that’s apparently what Republican leaders are aiming for. Unfortunately for conservatives, the GOP’s latest sideshow comes at the expense of the party’s greatest opportunity: capitalizing on America’s disgust for ObamaCare. While Democrats try to change the subject from their epic failure, Republican leaders seem intent on helping them out by splitting the party over controversial candidates. The timing couldn’t be worse for an internal spat, as polling shows the public moving conservatives’ way on a host of issues. Making matters worse, it’s a debate the party doesn’t need to have.

We might give the most rational, well-constructed, evidence-filled line of reasoning. We might show from the evidence, from the premises, from the arguments, from the logic, and, maybe even from Scripture (if necessary) what the truth is. And, having constructed this awesome edifice of calculation, we would assume that the proper response will be — could only be — submission to the truth. Wrong.

Today’s headline says it all; Big obstacles to clear by New Year’s. Since Obama has entered the Oval office, our federal government has gone budgetless. This indifference to a Constitutional mandate now totals five years. What’s the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Not only is this injustice not broken, this Constitutional defiance has reaped untold dividends since it has placed the Republican camp in a losing and catch up mode.

When presidents give speeches, the affair is choreographed like a Broadway production. The message is not just the words of the speech, but where it is given and who happens to be the chosen audience. So it was not by accident that President Barack Obama chose a theater in a poor black neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where the average income is barely half the national average, to speak this week about economic opportunity and fairness.