A grand bargain could successfully navigate the fiscal obstacle course only if it injects hundreds of billions of dollars of stimulative spending into the economy for years to come and delays government spending cuts until the economy emerges from depression.

The Budget for All would not only be good for Massachusetts but would be good for America; other states would benefit from taking a cue from Massachusetts and voting to send a strong message to their representatives as well.

While there may be an element of truth to Santorum's argument that compromise, in the long post-World War II era, usually resulted in more government, it's too simplistic as history and too pessimistic as a compass for future action.