[af_vet_rr]

It means that the Republican Party while still the party of conservatives, must be a big-tent party,

You should say "the GOP is still the party of some Conservatives", because this "big-tent" crud is what's getting this country into trouble, whether it's increased power of the govenrment, or increased spending, and many Conservatives are becoming disgusted with it.

I don't know where this idea that the GOP must compromise with the liberals, and/or embrace their beliefs (big-tent party if you must) - I can point to '94 and say it started going downhill, but I don't know how the people, the voters, have let it happen so fast, and continue to let it happen.

It's one thing when you see people my age or older, who know what the GOP used to stand for, getting upset.

It's very telling when my children see how bad things are getting, to the point where they want nothing to do with the GOP, and theGOP since '94 is the only GOP they've voted for - they never voted for a Reagan or any of the previous Conservatives, all they've known is Clinton and Bush and the GOP Congress, and they are bothered by it all.

[MACVSOG68]

Fine. Lay out a series of "conservative" principles that 80% of the American people will not vote for, ignore the dramatically changing demographics, and turn the Party into a historical footnote. No thanks.

BTW, Reagan was not afraid to compromise. It's how almost everything gets done today, in politics, international relations, business, labor, and at home.