Karen Tumulty: “Disarray is a word much overused in politics. But it barely begins to
describe the current state of chaos and incoherence as Republicans come
to terms with electoral defeat and try to regroup against a year-end
deadline to avert a fiscal crisis.”

“Whether and how the party can resolve the issue has implications going forward. It could determine Boehner’s viability — even his survival– as leader of the only part of the federal government controlled by the Republicans. It also could set the terms of engagement for the battles that lie ahead, including such contentious ones as immigration and the fiscal 2013 spending bills, which are funded for only half the year and which expire March 31.”

“As things stand now, some worry that nothing short of a catastrophe could force a resolution.”

Andrew Sullivan: “The Republican slide
into total epistemic closure and political marginalization has now
become a free-fall. This party, not to mince words, is unfit for
government.”

Politico: “Reps. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Justin Amash (R-MI) and Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), all stripped of prized committee assignments earlier this month because of perceived sins against the party, did a three-amigos end zone dance as GOP leaders struggled and failed to get the votes for a tax-cut bill designed to empower Speaker John Boehner in negotiating the so-called fiscal cliff.”

“The whole episode gave Boehner the feel of a substitute teacher who
is accountable for what happens in the classroom but isn’t really in
control of the kids. He’s already used the tools at his disposal to
bring Huelskamp, Amash and Schweikert into line — and that didn’t work.”

Jonathan Chait notes President Obama seems to have realized he’s not going to get a “grand bargain” to deal with the nation’s debt.

“You can see in the Democratic side a persistent good-government
impulse, one that finds the GOP’s inability to even advance its own
interests rationally as a troublesome failure of government for which
they themselves ultimately share responsibility. It’s true that a
smarter, better organized Republican party would be easier to deal with.
But the GOP remains dysfunctional and apparently bent on
self-immolation. The only question for Obama is whether he wants to
allow Republicans to turn this fact to their advantage, or whether he is
willing to disengage and let them burn out on their own rage.”

The Week: Does President Obama know what he wants?

“God only knows.”

— House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by ABC News, on how Congress will avoid the fiscal cliff.

Now that House Speaker John Boehner’s “Plan B” for addressing the fiscal cliff “has crashed and burned, the top U.S. Republican appears to have two remaining options — wash his hands of the entire matter or negotiate a compromise with Democrats that could abandon scores of his fellow Republicans,” Reuters reports.

“The Republican rank and file and Democrats may face an equally stark choice: work together for a change, or plunge together off the cliff.”

Washington Post: “Following the latest breakdown in negotiations, Democrats said Boehner
should return to the bargaining table with Obama — or just let House
Democrats and 25 or so Republicans vote for a Senate-approved plan to
extend tax cuts for the middle class. But Republicans said the well has
been so poisoned that restarting bipartisan talks would be more
difficult than ever.”

Wonk Wire: Low expectations for a fiscal cliff deal.