Senator Tom Coburn is a breath of fresh air today. He has written an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal where he gives Republicans a simple piece of advice: act like Republicans.

Voters are tired of buying a GOP package and finding a big-government liberal agenda inside. What we need is not new advertising, but truth in advertising.

Becoming Republicans again will require us to come to grips with what has ailed our party – namely, the triumph of big-government Republicanism and failed experiments like the K Street Project and “compassionate conservatism.” If the goal of the K Street Project was to earmark and fund raise our way to a filibuster-proof “governing” majority, the goal of “compassionate conservatism” was to spend our way to a governing majority.

Yes, well, that’s a lot more easily said than done. These days, the Republican Party, including many who would profess to be conservatives, is busy loading up their trays with our tax money to buy a few more votes back home. Coburn’s suggestion isn’t exactly a stroke is brilliant insight. Unfortunately, such is the state of the Republicans these days Coburn’s advice is necessary.