Identity crisis

A number of GOP bigwigs seem to realize the insurgent campaign of Ron Paul, the recent declaration of Bob Barr for the Libertarian Party and the attention the Constitution Party is getting all add up to one thing: rejection of the Republican mainstream by what traditionally has been its strongest supporters.

But rather than ask forgiveness for abandoning the conservative, small government mentality, the party's "leading lights" seem to think moving FARTHER away from that mindset is the solution to what ails them:

The Republican "brand" - thanks to an unpopular president, a war, gas prices, foreclosures and deficit ((all of which are a result of abandoning traditional GOP viewpoints... -Jemison)) - has become such damaged goods that GOP Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia groused last week that "if we were dog food, they would take us off the shelf."

The answer for GOP presidential candidate John McCain: take a page out of the Schwarzenegger playbook and sell a product that is "counter" to the current GOP brand on issues like global warming, spending and even immigration reform.

"The Republican idea is a great idea, but we can't go and get stuck with just the right wing," Schwarzenegger said. "Let's let the party come all the way to the center. Let those people be heard as much as the right. Let it be the big tent we've talked about."

Yes, indeed... such a big tent that a California judicial system dominated by Republican nominees ruled AGAINST homeschooling and IN FAVOR of homosexual marriage. I'm sure such judicial "wisdom" by Republican appointees will go far to re-endear the GOP to its conservative base. Wait for it...

We live in interesting times. Those who favor traditional, conservative, small government can't seem to rally around a single candidate, thus diluting further their dwindling share of the electorate. Meanwhile, the GOP is completing its task of turning into Democrat-light. The best that can come out of that is maybe it'll split the authoritarian nanny-state vote. But I doubt it.

At any rate, since the Republicans seem determined to finish the last sips of the poison that's killing them, here's a little Monty Python in their honor: