The Democrats’ upset win in this week’s special New York congressional election prompts Jonah Goldberg to offer some advice to Republicans: Remember your Julius Caesar.

The simple fact is that the Democrats have their battle plan. It’s going to be Medi-scare every day in every way for the next 17 months. They are on autopilot. They are committed. Their die is cast. They have crossed their Rubicon. They have no desire to defend Obamacare, high gas prices, high unemployment, and a third Middle East war. They want — no, need — to be on offense because they have so much they cannot defend.

The question now is, “What are Republicans going to do about it?” Are they going to play the role of Pompey, the dissolute leader who didn’t want to fight? Or will they don Caesarian robes and join the battle head-on because they know they have nowhere to retreat? That is the political choice for the GOP: Win or die.

Goldberg discusses a similar theme during this weekend’s edition of Carolina Journal Radio. Click play below for his take on the necessity of entitlement reform.