The laws are already on the books in the form of the certification they signed their name to. The GOP is just as guilty as the RATs. They didn't want this term and did everything they could to give it to the RATs. After all the Bush and Cheney hate and knowing the financial crisis was just around the corner, they paraded a dozen candidates out to confuse the public and settled on dingbat McLame and got Sarah on board knowing the msn would make mincemeat of her. What they didn't count on was so many falling in love with her so they had to shut her up. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if the GOP didn't help the msn slander her. They thought they'd be up against Hillary but that backfired and by that time it was too late to protest Hussein or they might do too much damage to the RATS. Then they saw not enough were drinking the koolaid so had McRino gush lovingly over Hussein and give us a nice little grandfather's knee speech that we didn't have to fear Hussein. At any time, especially after SR511, McBlame could have spoken up but he didn't. At any time Cheney could have spoken up but he didn't and conveniently didn't allow anyone else to speak up. So, yeah, there's more than enough blame to go around and I blame the GOP the most.
At the risk of being fitted for the mu-metal chapeau, I completely agree. The laws preventing usurpation are certainly already on the books of every state.
The elected officials of both parties did not complete due diligence, merely rubber-stamping the DNC's chosen candidate. 1 Governor speaking up would certainly have helped focus national attention on the problem.
As for your theory of the GOP wanting to "dodge the 2008 bullet" because of the economy: I am not so sure that, looking down the barrels of a a 10-year Depression, that they won't try and dodge it again in 2012!
My theory: The Modern GOP very much seems to prefer to be making accomodating deals as a strong minority party, rather than communicating with the nation, leading from a position in front. Sorry.