[shankbear]

That is such an obtuse response.

[editor-surveyor]

It was not ‘obtuse.’

Conservatism is not an ideology unto itself; it has to have principles and goals to be preserved. What defines conservation in your world? To what are you applying conservation?

[OneWingedShark]

That is such an obtuse response.

But it is valid; there are two ways something can be 'conservative':
(1) Preservative of the status quo,
(2) Based upon the founding principles.

The anointing of Romney, from even before the primaries, was the GOP-leadership signaling that they are about #1.