>>>>>Maybe ‘you’ should have to get out of the tent? And KP?<<<<
I disagree with most of your post except the above. If Religionism is to be the rejuvenated GOP, and conservatism is to become synonymous with the Protestant Christian Bible, it is time for many of us to bail out.
BTW, I’m a plain old conservative, and not a FiCon or a SoCon or a DefCon or any of the other stupid hyphenated divisions that have done so much to destroy the GOP and the meaning of “conservative”.
I buy the whole ball of wax and not these cheap little refinements.
In an attempt to find some common ground, I would suggest that Ronald Maximus Reagan put together the three components (SoCon, FiCon and DefCon and those who want their very own MeCon) rather well by articulating the movement (small government, individual liberty, peace through strength, Golden Rule) very well and valued the varying perspectives of each group. He never would alienate any one group.
My theory is that we need each other or we will never defeat the Democratic Socialists again. I promise never to attempt to convert you to (or require your affirmation of) my religion as long as you promise not to begrudge or prohibit my free exercise thereof to stay in the party?
But you are the one who is claiming that one cannot be ‘protestant christian’ and be in the conservative party. You want that branch eliminated. You’ve spent most of your posts putting across that point. I note you leave out Catholics. Jews.
And my point is who are you or Kathleen Parker to say WHO is allowed under the big tent of conservatism? KP where do you get off suggesting that Evangelicals must leave because they are the reason conservatives can’t win elections. They are the cause. They and their scarey religion you’re mocking.
You may not be hypenated angkor, but thinking like this causes hypenation. Putting yourself in the seat of judging, even though they may agree with you on conservative principles, that a certain group must be the cause of all that ails the conservative movement is not anyone’s place. Not yours and not KP’s. Who does she think she is?
If anything some of these country clubbers or vichy or whatever you want to call them may be in part responsible because they want the party purged of the ‘religious right’. And they are cutting their noses off to spite their face. Causing hyphenation. You may not be hyphenated, but you’re the one saying,”You people. Get out you’re ruining the party.”.