Same ol' song... that was not the conclusion when Conservatives sunk GWHB, nor Dole, Nor the 2006 losses... Everyone knows what happened.
W Bush was much more liberal than Dole. Dole wanted to abolish 4 cabinet depts and he understood foreign affairs.
W advocated “compassionate conservatism”, expanded the size of govt and gave up on the balanced budget. The republican agenda shifted from the contract with america to giving pork to local districts to keep incumbents in power. The Chris Shays of the 90’s was more conservative than the Tom Delay of the 00’s