"Much more lucrative to compromise with elected Democrats."
That's exactly what "Establishment Republicans" have been doing for years, hence the term RINO, Republican In Name Only.
But the phrase "Let the RINOs compromise
their values ... for a change." is simply shoving their own words back into their face.
We all know that the "Establishment Republicans" think they're twice as smart as the conservatives.
But let them be divorced from the base. Look at what Ronald Reagan did.
The conservatives don't need the "Establishment" and should spite them every chance we get.
Make the "Establishment" come begging to the conservative base. Take their power away from them. Wash them out.
We don't need them. They need us. They lose every time they lead.
Amen, Brother FReeper. Yet an element remains that's a real monkey wrench: Republicans who loath RINOs as much as we do but who nonetheless insist that "we must get behind whatever Republican wins the nomination" even if it is a died-in-the-wool big government statist RINO. The Establishment Republicans have counted on Republicans to do this for the past 30 years, and I have obliged for the past 30 years, though I have finally figured out that if I want to do my part to save this nation, I must REFUSE to vote for moderate statist Republicans. I will vote for someone else instead, even a sure loser -- because statist Republicans are VERY SURE LOSERS when it comes to protecting liberty and prosperity.
It's taken me a long time, but I have finally figured it out. I sure hope a LOT of other Republicans figure it out awful damned quick.
For me, if Romney (or possibly Perry ... haven't vetted him enough yet) gets the presidential nomination, my vote will go to a non-Dem and non-Rep candidate if only to do my part to make sure whichever party wins the election lacks a mandate.
Apparently, judging from what I read and hear in all kinds of places and in all kinds of media, I am most emphatically in the minority. Which tells me that the Establishment is a long way from being reduced to begging to the conservative base, because they can count on the fear making people vote stupidly -- that is, to vote for a RINO.
I love your sentiments, though, and agree with them.