[paudio]

Yes, I agree 100% that without Palin, McCain perhaps would have lost by 30pts. But my point is this: Republican needs to be a 'big tent' where different kind of conservatives can be united again. There are two possibilities to unite them: conservative idea that encompasses various factions, or strong leader who can bring people together despite their various views of conservatism.

The trend that concerns me is that various faction really started to point finger to each others, and accuse the other one of being 'impure'.

[CitizenUSA]

There is only one view that is truly conservative. That view encompasses small government, individual liberty and social morality. You can’t go about eliminating one of these without destroying the rest. For example, a society without social conservatism (individual morality) cannot long maintain small government or individual liberty. An immoral population will eventually demand largess from the government to insure against the results of their sins. By the same token, social conservatives won’t have social conservatism for long if they create big government. Why? Because large bureaucracies are always inefficient and corrupt, and the division of spoils encourages immorality. And, of course, individual liberty doesn’t last if people cannot resist their own selfish/immoral temptations.

Bottom line: Social conservatism, small government, and individual liberty. All are required for those who realistically want to achieve any one of them.