Conservatives need to recognize that there is a major qualitative difference between RINOs and moderates. We need to welcome moderates, while purging RINOs. So what's the difference?
A moderate may not be willing to put his neck on the line for conservative issues, but he won't mind if someone else does. A moderate may not expect that conservatism can win, but he'll be happy if it does. A RINO, by contrast, regards conservatism as the enemy; if conservatism were to succeed, there would be no need for RINOs. Indeed, RINOs hatred for conservatives exceeds even that of moderate liberals.
Unfortunately, the GOP has become so thoroughly infested with RINOs that I'm not sure it will ever be possible to restore it as a conservative party. The RINOs would rather had the country over to the Democrats than lose their jobs to conservatives.
I believe we seek the same, or at least similar goals. I just want to be sure that we don’t become the “democrap lite” party. Victory in 2010 can happen, but there is nothing wrong with taking a little time to properly reorganize either. But we need to start now. Rinos can play a role, if they are interested; they can be double agents, and spy on the dims and spread misinformation to the dims while they are still trusted by them.