That would only be true if Republicans truly represented conservative values. They don't even pretend to do that anymore.
In their own way, the GOP is just as bad for conservatives as the Rats -- maybe even more so.
The only way to protect ourselves from the GOP and the Rats is to rotate the two parties in and out of the White House and Congress every four years. Hopefully, that will minimize the damage each party can do. Eight years of one party is just too long. Eight years of Dubya followed by four years of McCain would be a disaster.
Particularly, now that the Bushies have decided that their final gambit (or hot poker up our as*) will be "reform" of the regulation of the financial markets. That can only mean one thing. The Bushies want us to bend over again, and that won't be good for anyone. We definitely don't want one of the Keating 5 to finish up the damage that the Bushies don't finish.
The solution to bad government is never more government.
While McCain is a problem, the real problem would be four more years of the GOP as it's currently composed.
A potential problem is that if the Rats win the White House this year (which is likely), who will the GOP have in 2012 to win it back? Is there another "Bob Dole" waiting in the wings. Hope not.