"A Republican who does not agree with you on the best way to solve our problems is not Fifth Column."
A fifth column is within a group, not without. The fifth column within the Republican Party are the RINO's, that are not true conservative Republicans because they lack concrete principles on certain basic tenets of conservatism, which the Republican Party used to represent. Now it is watered down by RINO's who think that being a RINO is the norm within the party, and those that aren't are the odd men out. The exact reverse is true. By the way, being a RINO, are you therefore also schizophrenic? It would explain things. Are you Patricia or are you Ruth?
From an historical point of view the Republican party "used to represent" all sorts of views. There was a liberal wing to the Republican party back when Goldwater and Rockefeller faced off. The idea that the Republicans are 'conservatives' is a fairly recent one.
The only given then was that the Republicans supported free enterprise and patriotism vs. communism and anti-Americanism.
Teddy Roosevelt, for instance, was very liberal.
And Abraham Lincoln was for the government doing things to make things better for the common man.
I would say that yes, a definite strain of conservative political thought has gained a lot of power in the Republican party, but this is not a "used to be" thing.
Please list the conservative "concrete principles" you believe were part of the old time religion of the Republicans, so I know what you really mean.
Am I Patricia or am I Ruth?
There already was a patricia when I first went on the net. So I added ruth to sign up at my first website.
I've tried to keep that consistent everywhere I am logged in.
I hope that isn't too schizophrenic for you. I'm still catching up to the leading posts, and now my honey bunny wants to take his turn on the net, so I'm packing it in for the night.
Is he honey or is he bunny? Or is he also schizo? Inquiring minds want to know...