As I’ve said on here more than a few times...
Democrats will coalesce around 70% agreement.
Conservatives will part ways over the last 10%.
So what is your personal red line to abandon the GOPe? Amnesty? A massive increase in legal immigration during a historic unemployment? Socialized Medicine? Let me guess, you don’t have one.
So you expect everyone else to just as be rudderless. Sorry, I won’t support those who won’t defend my Constitutional rights. Corpratists like McConnell care nothing about you or your rights. But go ahead and support them if you want. I won’t be.
I think you ask some excellent questions. On what major issue are we ready to fold and let Republican moderates join Democrats to fundamentally alter the country?
Moderate Republicans seem far more left today than they were 30 years ago. Democrats, too. We aren’t talking about minor tweaks to existing policies. These days, it seems the moderates and the Democrats want huge, comprehensive plans to move the country to the left.
In my opinion, the GOPe isn’t center right anymore. It always seems to vote for more government—not less. That places the GOPe somewhere left of middle on the liberty spectrum.
I’m actually a true moderate myself. I’m certainly ready to support candidates who want to compromise. You see, I want the Department of Education completely eliminated, but I’m willing to settle for just cutting it way back. I’m even willing to compromise a bit on the amount of legal immigration and Dreamer hard cases (ones brought here as infants who have completely or nearly grown up as Americans for example).
You see, I don’t think compromise means giving the Democrats 90% of what they want, and that’s exactly what the GOPe proposes! The GOPe, for example, doesn’t fundamentally oppose a monstrosity like Obamacare. They’re just upset that they didn’t get to tweak it a bit along the way.
Consider the recent EDNA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) passed by the Senate. The GOPe moderates joined with Democrats. In this case it wasn’t even a surrender. The Republican moderates WANTED the same things as the far left Democrats.
So before some FReepers start complaining that we conservatives are too purist, maybe they should ask what you asked. What fundamental transformation of America are we willing to give up next so that we can play kissy kissy with the moderate Republicans who oppose virtually everything we hold dear?
These moderate Republicans, BTW, don’t seem to be too concerned about compromising with US in the interest of party unity.