Replies

"I agree with part of what you say but if both parties are heading in the same wrong direction, the only
difference being how fast they will arrive at their destination, then what do you do?"

Get on board with the slowest and do what you can to apply the brakes. That's what primaries are for. Support the candidates in your party that most agree with you. Make sure they have enough people of their party in power so that they can get their own legislation passed. Be vocal - verbally, or in writing. Hold their feet to the fire by supporting same party challengers in the next primary.
That's the way it used to be done before the days of open primaries, when parties had an actual agreed on platform at the national level that everyone expected to be followed. That is one of the reasons the "contract with America" pledge was so successful. The pary came out, said what it believed in, and pledged en-masse to get it done.

I have a problem in my area in that the local GOP is incompetent and unable to run a successful campaign. I tried to volunteer several times last election to support a Republican to replace my socialist congresscritter and they couldn't even be bothered to respond until months latter on the weekend before the election. They sent me an e-mail asking if I would stand on a local street-corner with a political sign, by that time I had already arranged to be out with a Bush for President sign. About the only thing I can do locally is to attend my congresscritters townhall meetings and embarrass him with questions; but the people who show up are already committed and unlikely to change their vote no matter how incompetent, lacking in principles and hypocritical the Congresscritter appears. Also with an unorganized incompetent local party it is difficult to influence their positions and makes no difference to government action.