There are two factions of the social conservatives in the GOP too. You have the Pat Buchanan, isolationist, pro tarriff wing. You also have the pro business, pro tax cut, pro trade group.
There are alot of former FDR style democrats who are very socially conservative, but like the nanny state. They want big government. Just big government also setting social policy as well as economic.
You have the pure libertarians who are open borders, you have closed border mostly libertarians.
That's a very small wing, but basically IMO and overall the two parties are making their differences starker.
...of course, you're right, and maybe Heath Shuler could be miles to the right of Lincoln Chafee, but you're neglecting the letter after the names...that's what counts...the party, and holding onto power...Dems will never win by being conservative, because overall the Pubs do it better, and because the 40% liberal element of the populace cannot be ignored. Regardless of how Heath runs his own life (hopefully better than he ran the 'Skins offense)his political reality that of a good soldier...win the battle though you may hate having to fight...and it's also unlikely any newly elected people will be turned out within two years, the Pubs were hurt badly by the popular perception that they'd been in power long enough, and time for someone else to get a chance...(Santorum a perfect example of that, as well as the poular Casey bloodline...)