I LOVE McCain. He has balls, which 99% of politicians lack. He is DEAD wrong on immigration but great on everything else, including McCain Feingold which doesnt go nearly far enough. Taking ALL the BIG money out of politics is THEE MOST democratic measure possible. Spending money is no more speech than is nude dancing or flipping someone the bird. They are all expressive forms. Publically financed elections, term limits, spending caps on congress are all things I could see McCain supporting. pLus he’s a hawk on defense and has been saying for OVER 3 years that we’ve NEVER gad enough boots on the ground in Iraq. Personally, I think we need a draft with NO deferments or exceptions for anyone who is physically and mentally qualified. 2 years and your out.

Most Conservatives will pander to the sex loathing bible belt crowd, as did Bush, but then govern as a capitalist and echo the lies about how improitant capital gains tax cuts are for the economy. No bright hoesnt person truly beleives that. As a policy matter we shoudl awlays FAVOR labor over capital. McCain is not as doctrinaire as some of the real wing nuts, like Mitch McConnell (the guy makes my skin crawl) and might actually support policies that make sense.

For me, one of the most significant aspects of the social conservative takeover is the way that the culture of fundamentalism has been imported into the GOP. People who hold contrary views aren’t just misguided, they’re sinners or enemies to be converted or destroyed. The Bible trumps science and the rights of non-Christians are to be disregarded. Criticism of your own side is treasonous. The pastor (or President in this case) is guided by God and it’s wrong to criticise or even question his judgment. The world is divided into saints and sinners, with no shades of grey.

Put simply, it’s a culture of authoritarianism combined with a Manichean worldview. We’ve all seen the consequences - the unquestioning support for the Iraq disaster, the degraded political discourse back home, the anti-evolution battles across the US, the refusal by the GOP Congress to scrutinise the Administration, and so on. It’s a very, very dangerous development, particularly if a future GOP president decided he would sincerely support the social conservative agenda rather than just giving it lip service as Bush did. Go look up “clerical fascism” to see where this can ultimately lead.

Many of these people, IMO, should go to the libertarian site or to Political Compass and take the quizzes. They may be suprised to learn that they are libertarians, not conservatives.

The attempt to make the GOP into a big-tent party is what’s responsible for the edeep divides in the Republican Party, IMO.

The ACU’s David Keene wrote that Ronald Reagan attracted Democrats who shared the his concerns about big government, high taxes, cultural degeneration and the need for strength in a dangerous world. They were attracted, Keene says, “by Reagan’s personality and, more importantly, by his ability to articulate shared values that convinced them that he and his new Republican Party were worth supporting.”

If we remove the concern for cultural degeneration from those Reagan attributes which attracted many to his cause, we are left with a forced coaltion of Republicans which is not what Reagan was about.

As a social and fiscal conservative, my ideal candidate for the GOP presidential nomination is Duncan Hunter, but I realize that the MSM will never allow him to gain the name recognition he neeeds to win both the nomination and the general election.

I’m sure Rudy is a fine fellow, as is Joe Lieberman. While I admire them both, I wouldn’t be comfortable with either one in the White House.

Perhaps Fred Thompson will take the advice of the many conservatives who are urging him to throw his hat in the ring.

On the ACU’s grading scale, Sen. Thompson earned a rating of 85%, just 5 points more conservative than John McCain’s rating. while the On The Issues website classifies Thompason as a “Moderate Populist Conservative,” he’s conservative enough for me. I’m even willing to let his stance on immigration pass, even though it’s a key issue for me.

Fred Thompson has “star power” and is a great communicator. He’s also an actor. Hmmm. Who do that remind me of…

A small, but recent, example: The concept of an enlightened political “vanguard” is as anti-conservative as you can get, and was an integral part of the political philosophy of Lenin that led directly to the mass executions under Soviet rule. Yet what is the name of the “rightwing answer to MoveOn.org”? Vanguard.org!

Sorry guys. The “vanguard” mentality, with it’s inherent rationalization for both ignoring & crushing all dissent, was more responsible for the horrors of the communist regimes than their economic ideas. Sure, their economic ideas were dumb, but it was the belief that the naysayers could, and should, be liquidated that led to the camps and firing squads.

Sadly, too many idiots have let themselves be impressed by the temporary success of the vanguard ideal and have fooled themselves into thinking that they can harness it without giving in to the temptations it brings. They are wrong and they prove it more and more each day.

Rick said it well “I am what I am and I believe what I believe” and I wont sellout my principles just to stay on some “team”. To paraphrase Tacitus “I am ruled by my party only insofar as I will ever let myself be ruled”, which is to say, hardly at all.

There may be points of disagreement between the various philosophies within the Republican Party - that is to be expected. However, I do not think (at least I hope I’m right about this) that Republicans are not as prone to shouting down opinions with which they disagree as are Democrats. I could be wrong; I hope I’m not.

I think what you and a lot of other people are experiencing is the increasing lack of civility within the political landscape and, even more troubling, the inability to LISTEN being seen on all sides of the political spectrum.

Perhaps all we can do is resolve to start LISTENING to each other and attempting to really HEAR what the other is saying. And you’re right - another political party is not the answer.

(My mischievous side really does hope that Ralph Nader runs though!)