This year, several Tea Party challengers seem to be crashing and burning early in the process. This could be very good news for the Establishment Republican wing of the party. Rather than have a candidate implode in the general election, when candidates self-destruct before the primary then they never become the nominee in the first place.

One bit of minor calendar news before we get on with it: for the next two weeks, this column will be on hiatus. Instead, it will be pre-empted by our annual awards columns where we note the notable and laud the laudable from the past year.

This Act has broad public support across the board. In fact, it is not a right or left issue but a human rights one. And I believe it will eventually get passed, just as same sex marriage will become the law of the land. It is like a fast approaching locomotive train. There is no stopping it.