I would add a couple of observations to it.
1) There is the possibility that the Republican party has been corrupted by Democrats crossing over to vote for Republicans in the primary in order to accomplish just what we see happening.
True, but there is more going on. There is also the reality that, the socialists having taken over the democrat party, the JFK type democrats ( pro America, support the military, lower taxes but big government programs types) have fled to the republican party. They are not small government, constitutionalists. The result is that the republican party, at present, is really the democrat party of the 1950's and early 1960's repackaged.
Excluding the libertarian, who is not a republican either, the four remaining candidates are all either 1960's democrats or old liberal republicans. They are not conservatives.
2) The delegate procedure needs to be changed to closed party member or registered republican only voting (registered well in advance not the last minute) with no cross over. it also needs to be set up so as to favor no specific group or region.
The only solution is either a renewal of the Republican party on principles or a third party. What the republican party really needs is a leader who is committed to conservatism and who is young and vibrant and who can also overcome the MSN. The latter element is no small battle. Hunter and Thompson fit some of these criteria, but neither could get any traction.
When even some of the alternative media (radio, print, Internet, and blogs) are willing to compromise principle to "beat Hillary," we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Hillary lite, which is what the top four remaining candidates approach, + a democrat controlled congress = a virtual Hillary. We need a candidate who will stand up to the MSN + the democrat socialists. Otherwise the net result will be the functional equivalent to electing her. It is one of the reasons Rush Limbaugh, who has not compromised principle, has said that with some of the candidates (not all) he might not be able to support the nominee.
I have no idea what I will do in the primary or in November, living in a blue state my vote hardly counts, though I always vote. Since my representative in the House, a republican who campaigned as a conservative, twice voted to override the president's veto and voted for the socialist - Hillary care - version of SCHIP, I also have no one to vote for on more than one level.
I do know one thing, my real influence is with my wallet. It is shut, since Thompson dropped out, and it is staying that way.
The gradual erosion of the two-party system into a "compromise" de facto one-party system is upon us. The Republican Party that believed in small government is gone because TRUE Republicans would be out there saying "We shouldn't be involved in this--vote for me, and I'll cut things, vote for them, they'll give you things."
When the debate is no longer about "SHOULD the government be so involved in people's lives?" but "HOW MUCH should the government be spending for you?" then conservatism is done.
I would say we need to reconstitute the party and return to basics but that is just silly, and a denial of reality.
Reality is that the average American believes that big government is there, so we might as well get OUR share. And that spells the death of conservative government.
I'll await the stupid attack posts from those who want to live in fantasy land.