re: #192 looking closely

Charles, again, I do see the problem, but realistically, what do you think will happen to the Republican minority (or Democrat majority) if the Republicans jettison the social conservatives, as you suggest?

The republicans lose when fiscal conservatives are marginalized. See the presidential elections of the 90s, and the loss of power when fiscal issues were abandoned as proof.

I’m all for ideological purity, but where the rubber meets the road, so to speak, its all about numbers, and numbers require a functional coalition. Further fracturing the Republican party isn’t going to help.

I think it’s the religious right that’s fracturing the party, making us less appealing to independents and right-leaning democrats.