Since the passage of the 2016/2016 Omnibus and Tax Plan – has anyone else noted the complete and utter lack of commentary from those who were stating that only Paul Ryan would be able to steer the republic?

Perhaps Ryan’s most visible cheerleader in the weeks prior to Ryan’s ascension to the speakership was Hugh Hewitt. Without Ryan, Hewitt opined, the conservative congress was doomed to failure – Ryan heralded as the savior of all things Republican.

However, Hewitt was not alone. Charles Krauthammer, George Will, Stephen Hayes, and every single member of the proverbial chattering class were also shouting from the rooftops that only Representative Paul Ryan could bridge the divide. Without Speaker Ryan, the congressional world would end – or so they told everyone.

Yet strangely, with the passage of the largest single visible spending and tax bill, and against a reality of congressional republicans holding the largest number of seats in congress since the civil war, the Omnibus Bill was the exact opposite of everything the supposed conservative republican party stood for; and now, all of those industrial voices are silent in Speaker Ryan’s delivery of it.

What gives?

I repeat: Having @SpeakerRyan is the best news for U.S. generally and @GOP specifically for 2015. He made the best of a lousy situation. — Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) December 21, 2015