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'Few believe that the Republican party will respond to another brutal election by following a path of moderation, but conservatives are deeply dispirited and anxious to reassert the core values they believe have not always been followed by Bush, congressional leaders and their party's presidential nominee . Many on the right, both elites and the rank-and-file, see a rudderless party that is in dire need of new blood and old principles: small government, a robust national security and unapologetic social conservatism.'
............
Pathetic.
Faced with defeat, Republican strategists seek to do more of exactly what they've done for decades. This demonstrates the triumph of ideology over rational considerations.
But then again, considering their perceptual constraints, what else can they possibly be expected to do?
The Democrats, in similar straits years ago, moved to the right (or rather, de-cloaked their party's already existing agreements with 'conservative' ideas -- such as a belligerent military posture). Coded as 'radically left', they had a somewhat larger field of un-realness on which to play.
But the Republicans, as currently configured, have nowhere to go but deeper into their own rabbit hole. We shouldn't celebrate however: their ideas are now mainstream (torture is debated as a viable tactic, the 'War on Terror' meme is accepted without question in polite liberal circles, the Dept. of Homeland Security's Circus Maximus existence goes unquestioned, Gitmo will probably remain open).
The Republicans have successfully changed the discourse; their active presence is not required to maintain it.
.d.