The electorate has changed since Reagan. They are more liberal now. Do you actually think they are not? We had a massive turnout this election and Kerry -- the more liberal candidate of the two -- got 48% of the vote. If GWB moved more to the right of Kerry then his current position, then Kerry would have done even better.
You can't attribute more to the voting public than what is evident. The are pathetic (generally speaking).
Reagan would have changed that. Let Reagan be Reagan. Let GWB BE Reagan. Stop being Karl Rove.