If that isn't fringe thinking, I don't know what is.
Truth be told, "conservatism" is a big tent, or at least has to be if we expect to ever win any elections. If the pure paleos were to expunge those of us they think are squishy, those who are left would amount to about 15% of the electorate. To "win" doesn't mean getting 100% of what you may want, but in reality, getting perhaps a bit more than 50% of what you want. I'll take it, because the alternative represents about 99% of what I DON'T want. Unfortunately, some people would rather be "right" than to ever win elections.
Not me, I want to WIN!!!! They seem to forget that we have States that two Senators like mine in Oklahoma -- Senators Nickles and Inhofe -- could never get elected in. The State of Maine comes to mind. I would rather have those two seats Republican even if they don't vote like I would want them to 100% of the time.
When the chips are down, both women usually come through -- especially Susan Collins. Sen Snowe gave a really good interview yesterday about the Intelligence briefings they had been getting and what a good job the Intelligence community was doing in Afghanistan and Iraq. Sure wouldn't know that from the DemocRATs!