“…they lost their base when they strayed from their ideas and principles and started acting like Democrats [Progressives and Socialists] making them indistinguishable from their opponents…”

That started happening with Theodore Rex, Roosevelt the First. Both Democrats and Republicans have adopted the philosophy of statism and abandoned individualism.

The “system” has been rigged so anyone wishing to run for office must “join” one party or the other to have any possibility of getting elected. It is that system, not the parties that need to be changed.

The strategy will go over like a lead balloon.

Democrats are socialist fascists. Republicans are neo-liberal fascists. i.e., both are high on the vertical axis (fascist/authoritarian – anarchist/libertarian axis) of the political compass.

If the election system were open to all comers and offer more than just token nods to third parties and independent/non-partisans, I’m sure the focus of political power would move downwards on that axis toward libertarianism: i.e., towards the Classical Liberalism of the founding fathers.

People keep talking about moderate centrists as if that described the frustration displayed in the recent tea parties—what they don’t understand (and in likelihood those moderate centrists themselves don’t understand) is the difference isn’t just left/right, but up/down.

This is STUPID!!!! We keep getting RINOs and we will leep losing elections….THESE folks REALLY NEED TO LISTEN TO THEIR GRASSROOTS SUPPOTERS…WE ARE THE ONES THAT GET OUT OF OURS HOUSES AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND STAND AT PRECINCTS AND TALK TO FRIENDS AND FAMILIES ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR THEM!!!

We only stood behind McCain because of:
1) We knew he wouldn’t fast track us into Socialism
2) Sarah Palin

THEY AREN’T LISTENING!!!  Does everyone else keep getting these surveys asking us what the priorities for the Republican party should be.  Common sense would tell you how stupid this is…they should know, don’t you think?  Even when we tell them it makes no difference.  You’re right Melony…this IS STUPID!  And boy am I tired of every single one of them…

When the right-wingers realize that those they derisively call “RINOs” are actually the MAJORITY of the party – probably including lots of voters registered as Independents – when they expand their tent, so to speak – they might then begin to build an actual political party instead of a minority protest group.

Among registered voters, GOP membership has slipped to just 21%.  To win a national election, then, the GOPs have to attract some 70% of those registered as Independents and other parties.  No way.

BOTH parties will become irrelevant if their respective extremists continue to be the tails wagging the dog.

Third parties don’t have a chance. In Nebraska, you can register to vote as Republican, Democrat, or non-partisan. If you register non-partisan you are not allowed to vote in primaries.

The National Republican Party and Committee
still do not, I repeat, do not get the message that liberal Republicans are what lost the last presidential election. Just look at the liberal advisors the Republicans used in last fall’s election campaign. All ultra-liberals pertending to be something they never were.
It is long overdue that the Republican Party return to social conservatism at last.
Most Americans are social conservatives not fair weather, sissy “moderates” or should I say liberals. The media want the Republicans to move to the left unlike the American people who want the Republican Party to finally stand up for them.

Bottom line is we have one party with two names in Washington. I couldn’t vote for McCain any more then I would vote for obama.  They are both pathetic liars and only say what the people they are talking to want to hear.  If real conservatives would quite voting for the lesser of two evils then, and only then will we stop this downward spiral.  Does America really know what the Constitution allows the feds to do? Do they even care? If you look at the goons in power, evidentially not……

Re: Post 9;

Your comment:

” …Bottom line is we have one party with two names in Washington…”

Probably pretty close to “Right on!”.

Look at the issues of earmarks; illegal immigration; securing the borders; campaign finance reform; Supreme Court decisions; Iraq/Afghanistan; crime; education; even tghose found guilty of corruption … and probably a lot of other issues … where there’s very little to no discernible “real” difference between the relative positions of the parties.

Ed Meyer – post 9 – “Does America really know what the Constitution allows the feds to do? Do they even care?”

They’ve taken their freedoms (relative to the rest of the world) for granted, and remain blissfully ignorant, or staunchly committed to their particular party for the sake of ‘tradition’ or for other infantile reasons.

This herd-like mentality leads to “people getting the government they deserve”.

Unfortunately, you and I, must suffer along with them.

I had one “liberal” tell me she “DO[es] NOT NEED A CIVICS LESSON!!” and then went on to state: “…our government and Constitution give us rights…”

What a maroon!