[Rokke]

Yes. I've heard so much about "the base" lately. The only problem is, "the base" seems to be a little hard to define. In fact, "the base" seems to be whatever group the person who uses the term belongs to. The simple fact of the matter is, hard core conservatives did not put George Bush in office. That is because, unfortunately, there just aren't enough hard core conservatives in this country to do that. The real Republican base is that vast number of moderately conservative Americans who live in the small towns covered in red on those red/blue election maps. They are good, strong people whose lives don't necessarily revolve around politics. A little discussed fact on this site is that public approval numbers for the conservative Alito nomination are about the same as the public approval numbers for Miers. Yet the difference in support on sites like this one is night and day. Similarly, George Bush's approval numbers among Republicans has hardly waivered. Yet a few weeks ago, many conservatives were calling Bush an "idiot", a "traitor" and a "sellout". Strong conservatives need to realize that they are not "the base" of the Republican party (as much as we wish we were). We can be part of the rudder, but we ain't driving the ship. And when the ship doesn't always go in the direction we want it too, we need to realize that if we jump off, we will probably get tossed a life preserver and be left with nothing to do but fight off the sharks.

[HitmanLV]

Thanks for the clarity. I have said numerous times on FR that the average American is not nearly as conservative as the average Freeper. I think more people than not instinctively lean conservative on most issues.

The idea is to build consensus and move the status quo in positive directions.