The American Spectator

Congressional Republicans, by and large, have spent the past week warning that the sequester must be stopped and frantically blaming the president. Now, a coming-to-their-senses moment?

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said he plans to make the case to other Republicans and the public that despite warnings from the Pentagon that the mandated cuts will be devastating, the overall amount of defense spending will actually still rise.

Cornyn conceded that until now he had been parroting what Defense Secretary Leon Panetta continuously warns — that automatic, government-wide cuts could jeopardize national security.

Cornyn is the number two Republican in the Senate. And while the upper chamber is still mulling a bill to mitigate the “damage” of the sequester, Cornyn’s comments are a sign that the GOP will stop participating in this brouhaha. Is a turning point? The moment when the Washington Hysteria Machine finally wheezes and shuts down? Not a chance. But you take your victories where you can get them.