In the NY Times today, Sheryl Stolberg had this gem of a quote about the scandal-ridden GOP:

"The real question for Republicans in Washington is how low can you go, because we are approaching a level of ridiculousness," said [Republican strategist Scott] Reed, sounding exasperated in an interview on Tuesday morning. "You can't make this stuff up. And the impact this is having on the grass-roots around the country is devastating. Republicans think the governing class in Washington are a bunch of buffoons who have total disregard for the principles of the party, the law of the land and the future of the country."

Again, this from a Republican strategist, who makes his living by getting hired and paid by Republicans. Do you think he would be saying such things publicly if he didn't feel it was safe to do so? Reed has likely tapped into a strong feeling of enough-is-enough within his party and that it's time for serious, thorough reform. No more lip-service calls for cleaning up Washington or any such similar crap Bush was peddling when campaigning in 2000. The rot and stench in the GOP is so bad, so beyond-the-pale, that a party strategist must state for the record that it's reached the "level of ridiculousness." Wow.

Is it any wonder the future looks dire for the party?

A Democracy Corps poll from the Washington firm of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner suggests voters ages 18 to 29 have undergone a striking political evolution in recent years.

Young Americans have become so profoundly alienated from Republican ideals on issues including the war in Iraq, global warming, same-sex marriage and illegal immigration that their defections suggest a political setback that could haunt Republicans "for many generations to come," the poll said.

Republicans had better listen to Scott Reed and fast or the likes of him will be unemployed "for many generations to come."