Yes, it does matter. The GOP is trashing the USA slower than the DEMS. Personally, unless there is a Tancredo running in 2008, count me (and a lot of conservatives) OUT. A SMART GOP would pass anti discrimination legislation NOW precluding discrimination in job hiring for Native Born Americans who do not speak a FOREIGN language.
Buying time, or what you call "trashing the USA slower than the Dems," is worthwhile. It will make a recovery easier, if we ever get a conservative government. History seems to show that whatever we lose to the Rats, in terms of public policy, is hard to win back. In addition, a great deal of damage is done by some of the things they're able to enact. That's why blocking the Rat agenda, or even much of it, is valuable even if we move very little of our own. To abandon the GOP because it hasn't accomplished more is simply childish. If we act like children, we are certain losers.