Don Vito Corleone
Elite
Originally posted by: csf
Well, in fairness I think the Republican party as a whole is getting to the point where it's more accomodating for a wider range of viewpoints than the Democratic party, which has been moving further and further towards the radical left as of late. Pataki, Schwarzenegger, Giuliani, etc (I'm not counting Zell here) may not be considered "traditional" Republicans, but their major roles in the convention certainly indicated that they are respected and prominent figures in the party regardless of their differences from the stereotypical conservative Republican. I don't agree with all the tenets of the Republican party, but despite popular impressions, they really do seem to be moving closer to the center.
The impression I get with most leftists/Democrats is that they really seem to be more hostile towards deviations from their party lines, and with the growing leftist shift, it's hard for a moderate to sympathize with them. The moderates who will vote for Kerry are more interested in removing Bush than they are in supporting Kerry's (not especially clear) agenda or that of the party as a whole.
I agree with you to a point, but it's important not to lose sight of the fact that this White House has been the most secretive, most inclined toward unilateral, offensive military action, and among the most fiscally profligate and inclined to intrude on individual freedoms and states' rights in history.
If this is what it means to be a Republican (and it clearly is, at the highest levels), then the Republican party has drifted far, far away from its traditional concepts of fiscal responsibility and a small federal government.