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They may be in some cases. But most people are not really ideological. Most people have a collection of not very well sorted out beliefs--some driven by thought, some emotion. The point where one--if such a point ever comes--actually sorts out the inherent conflicts in personal beliefs is a very important one. But that point never comes for most people.

True - but then what do we call them? We could just keep saying Republicans, and work to make it clear that not all Republicans are Conservative, but that could lead to many Conservatives leaving the party, and I worry that it would lead to the GOP becoming very religious-oriented. I've been to countries where the people/parties in power were focused completly on religion, and to say it was disturbing is an understatement.

The key is certainly not to select a myopic spokesman of any sort, religious or secular, but a genuine Conservative, who can articulate the enduring values of America with balance and perspective (but no apology), in a manner which makes sense to most people, and does not suggest the suppression of anyone's pursuit of knowledge or truth.

There are plenty of intelligent Conservatives, who could be trained to represent us. It is not hopeless. But the pursuit is being hampered by the inside the "Beltway" mentality, which is terrified by any fresh approach, which might break people out of the neat little ideological boxes, that the established "brain trusts" (not to be confused with actually intelligent people) in each party, feel they understand and can control.