I 've been saying for a few months that if the Republican establishment foists Romney on the Party as the nominee, and he loses to Obama, there will be no stopping the formation of a new ' Liberty Party ' , driven by tea party and grassroots conservative activists.  The only question was - would the "foisting" be demonstrably clear - or would Romney merely prevail with his establishment-funded campaign over the long pull of the primaries? 

 Seems to me the establishment has now crossed the Rubicon.  They are willing to spend $16MM of negative attack ads against the leading Conservative challenger.  Their candidate is so out of step with the Party ' s activist base that they were willing to poison the electoral well with a deluge of the brand of negative ads that should NOT be used in a PRIMARY by anyone.  There are plenty of "negative" ads that starkly contrast the candidates with issues that ONLY Republicans care about, e.g. degree of fiscal or social conservatism, moderate positions, flip-floping, voting record, sitting on a couch with Pelosi, adherence to principles, ability/willingness to take it to the other side etc.  None of these lines of attack should have much traction coming out of the mouth of a Liberal opponent, and therefore do not provide the opposition with ammunition. 

 However, the establishment PACs and their candidate chose to attack Gingrich on character, personal issues, using lies and every sort of personal disparagement.  These lines of attack have paved the way and will give credibility to Obama when he pursues the same lines of attack in the general election.  This is the nature of the bright line that should never be crossed in a primary.  The Republican establishment has taken the conservative base for granted and crossed us and stepped on us so many times in the past couple decades.  This may well be the last time.  For if they are successful in foisting their candidate on us this time and they lose, they will have paved their way to the same fate as the Whigs of the 1850s and they ' ll never see it coming.  Those anchored within the old paradigm never see its eclipse developing.

Truly hoping to avoid that opportunity,