"Two years ago President Barack Obama met with House Republicans during their retreat in Baltimore.

He said it was important to “visit the Republican caucus every few months” and to open more dialogue over differences of opinion because it was essential for democracy. “It's only through the process of disagreement and debate that bad ideas get tossed out and good ideas get refined and made better. And that kind of vigorous back and forth is at the heart of our democracy,” Obama said.

This weekend there is another GOP retreat and it is still a discourse about differences, but that vigorous back and forth is among Republicans.

This morning those lawmakers will meet with their leaders, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), in a session called “Planning for the First Quarter.” That will open the debate over the internal Republican differences over strategy, philosophy, and what it means to be a majority in a house of Congress. Two recent votes: the deal to resolve the Fiscal Cliff and Sandy relief package are in case in points. Speaker Boehner essentially abandoned the Hastert rule, the idea that only measures supported by the Republican caucus will reach the floor a vote. "

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