[AreaMan]

So, the religious right can stay in the party and get a portion of their agenda, or it can stay home and get nothing, or it can start a third party and get nothing,...

Agreed. These are the options. I choose the first, stay in the party and exert influence.

I see the balance of the religous right to the libertines in the Republican party as that of an accelerator and brake. Without the accelerator you can't get going and without the brake you fly off the road at the first sharp turn.

Which one is the accelerator and which one is the brake? It doesn't matter, we will have both sides with us forever.

[Modernman]

I see the balance of the religous right to the libertines in the Republican party

I think you meant to say "libertarians."