That being said, the problem we, as Republicans have, is that we elect conservative representatives, and they go to DC, get swept up in power and DC political circles, and leave behind their principles.
The significant difference between elected Republicans, and 99% of elected Democrats is that they DO have principles (even if they abandoned them), and that they DO have consciences (even if they have ignored them), so that when the majority of their consituents tell them to BE a conservative, and when they see the power and numbers in the Tea Party movement, many of them will respond.
That's what the goal of conservative Republicans is, dools. Reforming our own party from within.
And whether or not you, as an anti-Republican, believe it will happen really doesn't matter. In fact, it already is.
Yo ohioWfan, I do appreciate your point of view. But, even more, I appreciate your willingness to discuss without resort to name calling or just shutting off what you may not want to hear.
To set the record straight I’m not, in principle, anti- Republcan. I am anti-RINO Republicans and they control the NRC. Certainly you would agree on the point that RINOs control the NRC.
In my best of all worlds I would love it if the NRC/GOP were to change course with conservative leadership. That, afterall, is what got Reagan, and every Pubbie Pres. after him, elected. The Bushes turned out to be tepid conservatives at best, even though their claim to be that got the conservative vote.
IMHO people like myself, a grass roots Tea Partier, have succeeded in nudging that along. Cases in point: NY Dist. 23 and the NRC Chair’s rant to conservatives to stop complaining or fire me. Conservatives do not have the clout to do that and Steele knows it.
Again, IMHO the GOP has been coopted by the demrats. The RINOs leading the GOP owe their allegiance to the demrats. They will lose the crumbs the dems deign to throw their way if they do not follow demrat marching orders.
It is heartening that Dodd and two three other Congressional dems have announced retirement or their desire to not run again. If there is more of this, perhaps some number of RINOs will desert the demrat ship. This could lead to conservative control of the GOP. I view this as a long shot at this time.
As to your comment about conservatives going to Washington and losing their principles. That is a spcious argument. Conservatives, by definition, are principled. Principled people do not lose their principles for political expediancy.
Finally, in the absense of a second opposition party to the demrats a vacuum has formed. Just as the world turns on its axis, some opposition entity will coalesce to fill that vacuum. Whether that is a reinvented GOP or some other entity is unknown. That the void will be filled is inevitable.