Burkian conservatism hasn't changed between 1780 and 1980, but the muddy middle "Reagan Coalition" has splintered dramatically due to single-issue purity tests.
And on the other side, there really were "conservative democrats." (There aren't anymore.)
And in the 1980s, there was hardly such overt communist crazies as the Kos Kiddies represent.
Santorum and Allen have given the GOP the idea that in some places, the 11th commandment should rule. And so we end up with wimpy RINOs instead of radical leftist Dems.
Conservatives still love Reagan, of course! But he would not have beaten Obama in 2008 with the idiots who populate the voting booths now on the other side...
"Yeah, true. And I'm concerned that we'll never make that "mistake" again. Even if Ronald Reagan was resurrected and read his comback speech from a burning bush the conservative base of the 21st century would reject him for cutting an running from Lebanon, or for signing Amnesty, or for allowing 12 million abortions during his two terms, etc etc."
We don't have to theorize, he won his two elections and the overwhelming support of conservatives. George Washington won too and after his two terms were finished we can all look at history and cherry pick the decisions that a two term president has to make, just like we can with Reagan, and we still love them both.
Don't confuse a candidate running for office and whether conservatives like and support that candidate, with a historical study of his administration once it is in the history books and he has moved on to private life.
Conservatives loved Reagan and they still love Reagan, sam_paine's pulling out a straw dog attack, looking for a new angle to attack conservatism.