Re: A comment from the article:

“This looks like another move the party to the center idea that will only drive conservatives further away from the GOP and ensure long term minority status.”

In reality, it’s the catering to the hard-right in recent years that is turning the GOP into a long-term and possibly irrelevant minority.

As much as I might be an “old-fashioned” social and cultural “conservative” – - the vast majority of the population today is NOT so – - and will never be so.  AND – - there’s obviously no way to “legislate” social mores and cultural values – - expecially when there’s obviously NO majority support to do so.

The “traditionalist” good old days are – GONE!

I am an arizonan and anything john mccain is involved with is suspicious. It is time for him and all the other career politicians to get thrown out of office. Freedom, liberty, and individual rights need to be reborn in the District of CORRUPTION. I love my Country but I fear my government.

T.K. is an “old fashioned and cultural conservative” about as much as an alcoholic is a social drinker. Bush, McCain and the other dish-water Republicans have totally disillusioned the conservative base. I don’t know what qualifies T.K. to speak for the “vast majority” of Americans, but it certainly isn’t any kind of connection with reality.

Re: Post 3;

EVERY survey of “political preference” repeatedly shows the same thing: that a MAJORITY of American people consider themselves “politically moderate” – and only small minorities in both cases willingly self-describe as “conservative” or “liberal”.

Additionally, and currently, only 21% of voters are registered as “Republicans”; 35% are registered as Democrats; 38% are registered as “Independents” and 6% as “other” – - that means some 44% are NEITHER Republican nor Democrat – and are somewhere in-between the two – - and among those actually registered to the two major parties, it’s estimated only small minorities in the range of 15%-20% (in each party) are actually self-described as extremely “conservative” or extremely “liberal”.  And, following, the majority of those registered in both parties, in survey-after-survey, normally self-describe as a “moderate Republican” or “moderate Democrat”.

So, re-check YOUR version of “reality”.

Referencing his many beloved (but unidentified) surveys, T.K. grandly concludes that the “traditionalist” good old days are gone. And this, of couse, is due to catering to the “hard right”. Oh? Nominating the likes of John McCain is catering to the “hard right”? Failing to secure our borders and enforce current immigration laws is catering to the “hard right”? Likewise, ignoring Social Security reform and Medicare reform and corporate tax reform, etc.?

C’mon, T.K., what one actually is, and what one tells a pollster is rarely the same thing thing. It is RINO Republicans, NOT the evil-doers of the “hard right” that are ruining the party and discouraging conservatives.

Re: Post 5;

Your comment:

“…And this, of couse, is due to catering to the “hard right…”

I SAID that “catering to the hard right” is a factor in the GOP losing members and wider support.

And, in my opinion, the “traditionalist good old days” ARE gone! AND – to a great degree, I think they’re gone because the “hard LEFT” of the Democratic Party has been pushing for years for greater-and-greater “libertinism” throughout politics and society – while continually watering down traditional political – as well as social and cultural – mores and values.

My objection is to the extremists – who, I believe, have damaged BOTH parties equally.

And, from my perspective, JFK Democrats were probably way MORE ‘conservative’ back in the day than are many self-styled GOP ‘conservatives’ of today.

But, regardless of what I might prefer – the majority of registered voters in this country are “moderate” in their political perspectives – and, in my opinion, they are not about to return to those “traditional” good old days that I prefer.  Socially and culturally, the country has clearly moved leftward over the last 50 years.