“Either the GOP starts getting it’s act together with a will to get down and dirty and fight or it will be Whigged and replaced.”
My guess is I’m talking yet again to a Libertarian. Sorry, I’m a conservative Republican, emphasis on conservative, not interested in a thirdy party. Sick of third party libertarians infecting the conservative body. Go sell your third party baloney elsewhere.
Your guess like your comments are wrong :>} 1976 Reagan in the primaries and Ford in the general. 1980-88 Reagan in both primary and general. 1988 Bush in both general and primary. 1992 Bush in the general with serious reservations due to military cuts and his overall policy. 1996 POTUS vote Alan Keyes in the GOP Primary Howard Phillips in the general election the 1996 GOP Convention a gathering of Liberal Republican Freaks sealed it for me. I'd had enough.
2000 election Alan Keyes in the primary Howard Phillips in the general. 2004 Keyes again in the primary and Peroutka in the general. 2008 Chuck Baldwin in the general election. I think my voting record does not make me a Libertarian at any point but rather a supporter of The Constitution Party from 1996 on. IOW I vote far more Conservative than you likely ever have or ever will. I stopped voting the GOP party choice in the general election in 1996 because they were LIBERALS.
You might want to actually read up on persons like Howard Phillips who had Reagan's ears and helped put him in office. Too many think being a Republican means being a Conservative as long as they support party votes, candidates, and platform. There are Republicans in the GOP holding office today who are far left of what JFK was. Actually many of today's older Republicans likely voted for LBJ and some likely voted McGovern as well. IOW the GOP is not a Conservative Party but rather a party ran by liberals with Conservatives voting in it and a few holding office. That is the problem.
Did you know that when Fred Thompson said he was not running for another term in the seante it was the Bush White House who rushed Family Friend Moderate Alexander into the limelight? The speculation started before Fred even announced. There were two other very fine record proved Conservatives who could have won but were shut out by the party. If you think Lamar Alexander is a Conservative you have no idea of Conservatism.
I vote Conservative in all cases and I ignore GOP party loyalty if they are running Liberals. Liberal Republicans from Tennessee? Here's you a few. Lamar Alexander, Bill Frist, Bob Corker, Zack Wamp who despite his district saying NO voted yes on bailouts, Fred Thompson I would put as leaning Moderate. Now you really want to see Liberal GOP look up former governor Don Sundquist-R A RINO’s RINO and the best governor the liberal DEMs ever had working for them. Party loyality elected him twice. Look up the Tennessee Income Tax Revolt in FR.
Being a Republican does not make a person Conservative. Being a Conservative in all aspects and sticking with it even against popular parties is being a real Conservative who fights the fight for what is right.