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Whatever the case, my prediction is the GOP can never recover, unless it re-embraces its conservative, largely Christian core. I figure they need us more than we need them.

Indeed. That is what I am saying, too.

They likely will not succeed in Massachusetts in the next decade, but I believe they can recover the states they lost in the last general election by 2012.

But only if they actually pay attention. And they must start proving they are listening for 2010.

Thank you for sharing your insights, dearest sister in Christ!

They likely will not succeed in Massachusetts in the next decade, but I believe they can recover the states they lost in the last general election by 2012.

I hope you do not think me a complete traitor to turn my back on my own, dear historical party, dearest sister in Christ! There's a method to my madness, coming under two heads:

(1) No way the GOP is entitled to depend on me, if I cannot depend on it.

(2) There is a certain electoral flexibility in Massachusetts to non-party types; i.e. people who are "unenrolled," or not affiliated with a particular political party.

It only comes into play in primary elections — whether for governor, senator, or congressman. In Massachusetts primaries, a registered Republican must vote the Republican ballot. A registered Democrat must vote the Democrat ballot. An unenrolled — independent — voter, however, may request whichever ballot he prefers to vote.

I can envision a primary situation where there's a strong Republican contender who, facing other Republican challengers, doesn't seem to need any particular help from me — in the primary, at least. The Democrat primary, however, may feature various candidates of different strengths. I might choose the Dem primary ballot to vote for the second-strongest candidate in the Dem field, thus to weaken the frontrunner of the Dem field — who must face the Republican primary winner in the general election.... Who I would most likely vote for then: There's only one ballot in the general election.

Probably the world cannot be saved by such a strategy. But at least I feel that I, as an American citizen and voter, have a little free "wiggle room" in doing my best to influence elections....

So, whether it be deemed good or ill by others, my change of voter registration to "no-party affiliation" seemed to increase the range of possibilities over which I might have some effect.

At least that is the reason why I did what I did.