The GOP's failure to regain control of the Senate and White House - a surprisingly huge shock for the out-of-touch members of the party who predicted landslide victories in November - appears to have sent a message to at least a handful of Republicans. In the days since the re-election of Barack Obama, key members of the party have distanced themselves from an anti-tax pledge pushed by Grover Norquist (shown in AP file photo), a lobbyist and founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform. The pledge - which has been signed by 219 representatives and 39 senators in the upcoming Congress - commits signers to oppose any tax increases, for all time. It has made compromise in D.C. impossible, at least if you view a compromise as both Republicans and Democrats making concessions/Devin Rokyta, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. More here.

Question: Is it time for Republican congressmen to embrace some tax increases?