House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) suggested on Sunday that Republicans could be open to a deal on the sequester if it includes cuts to entitlement programs. “What we need to have happen is leadership on the part of this president and the White House, to come to the table finally and say 'we're going to fix the underlying problem that's driving our deficit,'" Cantor said on "Fox News Sunday." "We know that is the entitlement programs and the unfunded liability that they are leaving on this generation and the next." [...] "This fall is going to give us a great opportunity, I think, to all come together and try and tackle the real problem, which is the entitlements,” Cantor said.

Ah, "compromise." In other words, yeah, we're taking hostages. We'll shut down the government over Obamacare AND Social Security and Medicare. As if President Obama hasn't had Social Security and Medicare benefits cuts sitting out there on the negotiating table for every manufactured debt crisis the Republicans come up with. Cantor even says "the House really is the only one who has consistently engaged in trying to address the spending problem." As if Democrats haven't agreed to $1.5 trillion in cuts, as if the deficit wasn't actually shrinking.

This time, Obama should take them up on it, at least to the extent of telling them to make him an offer. Take his own offers for cutting the programs off the table and tell them to put theirs out there, since obviously they're not going to bite on his. This time, let Republicans own the cuts to these programs. Make them put their names on them, make them insist that unless they get those cuts, they'll shut down government. There's a template out there already for that. Just ask Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. We all remember how well that worked for Republicans.

Tell President Obama it's the Republicans' turn to own Medicare cuts, and to take the cuts he's offered off the table.