WHAT SHOULD REPUBLICANS DO as the GOP seems to be committing suicide? I dunno — saving the GOP isn’t my job, and if the Democrats weren’t worse on national security I wouldn’t mind much. (And the GOP advantage there seems to be shrinking anyway).

But you’ve got three basic choices: Exit, voice, and loyalty. That is, quit, bitch like hell, or hold your nose and vote.

Problem is, people have been exercising “voice” a lot and it’s clear that President Bush, Trent Lott, et al., don’t care and aren’t listening. So if you don’t want to hold your nose, you’ve got to exit, either to a third party, to a GOP candidate you like, or to another engagement on Election Day — go fishing, perhaps? I think the GOP’s vulnerability to a third party challenge has just gone way up.

UPDATE: Yeah, that’s a book, and the subtitle seems especially appropriate: Responses to Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States. The G.O.P. certainly seems to be declining at the moment.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Ben White emails:

You forgot the only option that actually helps:

Run against them in the primary elections. Or find someone to run and support them.

Jon Bruning is running against Hagel. I sent him a contribution even though I’m not from Nebraska. I will send a contribution to a Trent Lott primary opponent. The same goes for John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and any of the rest of these guys.

Well, that’s “voice,” isn’t it?