[Wallace T.]

The RINO establishment is not unlike the Borg of the 1990s Star Trek TV series. Many of the politicians and pundits mentioned here were actually conservative in their earlier career, but once they come to Washington or become mainstream analysts, the tendency to "get along" increases as they become further embedded into the political, social, and cultural arenas.

Those that don't play the game are eventually forced from office (e.g. James Watt, Reagan's Interior Secretary), are removed from mainstream commentary (Glenn Beck, Pat Buchanan) or are marginalized as "kooks" (Michelle Bachmann, Ron Paul).

[Graewoulf]

I believe that you are making my point: “Thus, a Conservative IS the Middle-of-the-Road political position in America.” when you describe how very isolated people are within the Beltway: “ - - - the tendency to “get along” increases as they become further embedded into the political, social, and cultural arenas. - - - “