SCOTT RASMUSSEN: “To be relevant in politics, you need either formal power or a lot of people willing to follow your lead. The governing Republicans in the nation’s capital have lost both on their continuing path to irrelevance. The disconnect between D.C. Republicans and Republicans throughout the country has been growing for nearly 20 years, but it became more intense and noticeable during the waning years of the Bush administration.” Plus, what the “tea party” protests mean. His conclusion: “The future for the GOP is beyond the Beltway.”