I think there is a difference between a moderate Republican and a RINO.
For example, here in CT we have Nancy Johnson and Chris Shays. They both have the same liberal voting record. Johnson is a moderate Republican, that's what she believes, it is what she always has beleived, and it is what she was elected on. Although her votes annoy me sometimes, she support the leadership and the party. She does not go to the press to blast the party. She is welcome in the party in my opinion.
Shays, on the other hand, is a RINO. He hates the party, he hates the leadership. He feeds off of the press he gets from the NY Times when he bucks the party. He is a RINO who harms our party and should not be welcome in it.
When it comes to some social issues, I am not with the Republican mainstream. But the fact remains the GOP is the one major party in the U.S. that supports the free market. Therefore, I am supporter of the GOP.
Maybe some would classify me as RINO, but I sure as Hell am not a Democrat.