[[ The GOP is either a conservative, free-market individualist party, or it is nothing. ]]
How have the Republicans actually behaved as a party in recent years, particularly since G.W. Bush left office?
Would you best characterize their behavior as being that of:
1. a "conservative, free-market individualist party", or...
2. something else?
[[ They don't think anything is worth fighting for. Except their own jobs, of course.
So let them walk. Or boot 'em. ]]
The "GOP elite" branch of the Republican party isn't going anywhere voluntarily. There's too much money and established power backing them. But more importantly, their "backs" are covered by the democrats AND the "mainstream media".
Look at it this way. If you're a 'rat politician like Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi, who better to have around than guys like Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Boehner to serve as your personal knock-down clowns?
So you fight against them in public "for show", but you sure as heck don't want 'em actually goin' anywhere!
All this talk about how "the Republican party must change"...
Well, it sure _does_ seem to be changing, of late.
Changing into irrelevance.
Much talk, on this forum (and on others) from establishment types who claim that there's no chance the Pubbies could ever fall by the wayside as a new party emerges onto the scene. A historical impossibility, they'll tell you. Yet all we have to do is look back to the 1850's to see what happens to a party that no longer offers a compelling reason for its existence, and is unwilling to mount an effective opposition in defense of its philosophies.
Nope, that can't happen here, they'll once more assert.
What did George Santayana say?