Do reasonable GOP fiscal conservatives have the courage, the INITIATIVE

[Supersedeas]

to splinter from the general direction take by the Republican Party that has created a poisonous atmosphere of hate, fear, and rigid partisan bickering driven by the old guard leadership in the House, Senate, and at Party Headquarters in the Beltway.

Reasonable Republicans that I know espouse personal responsibility and self-initiative, above all else. But, this so-called fundamental belief is betrayed by the Republican Leadership which demands blind loyalty to moneyed-interests and openly caters to Christian Fundamentalists and Right Wing Radicals who openly engage in disruptive, disrespectful discourse and sometimes advocate violence against those with whom they disagree. When will Reasonable Republicans distinguish themselves?

When will Reasonable Republicans have the courage to look critically at the moneyed interest that dominate the motivations of GOP leadership and take the initiative to step away from and off of this angry/cynical trend that is building momentum in the Party rank and file.

Are there any Republicans left who have the courage, the initiative, the self-respect to engage in a little political self-reflection? Or has the fundamental belief in personal responsibility and self-initiative become just another phony campaign slogan disseminated by Party bosses as yet another propoganda device used to sway a naive public and to regulate and control otherwise reasonable elected Republican officials.

When will reasonable Republicans distinguish themselves? Tom Coburn has made a somewhat muted effort to push back against FOX News and the RW lunatic fringe. But when will other Republicans join him and when will they further display their courage, not only in sound bytes at small town hall meetings, but with their votes in the local, state, and federal legislatures?

Have rank and file Republicans given up hope of rational political discourse and will they continue instead to engage in childish (McCain-like) obstruction for the sake of appearing 'uncooperative' in an attempt to satisfy the collective interests of others. When will Republicans stands as individuals in the face of these angry corporate/collective entities? Standing as an individual -- wasn't that a Republican mantra, or again another propoganda device?

Where did the self-respect, self-initiative, and courage of reasonable Republicans go? And can they get 'it' back in an effort to engage both their constituents and Democrats in practical political discourse aimed at solving the growing problems of this country?

Note: I am giving Republicans the benefit assuming that they had "it" in the first place.

[Ozymanithrax]

1. It is more likely that the right wing fringe and the religious right would leave...

The "reasonable GOP fiscal conservatives" know they can not win an election without the other factions in the Republican Party and that it would take a few election cycles to rebuild. They have been happy in the past to get elected and then throw a bone or two to the fringe and the religious right. They want that energy they get from those groups. They also know that creating a new party from scratch is very difficult. They can take the time to polish up the Republican Brand name (Americans forget their past almost faster than the speed of light). Building a new Brand Name by creating 50 parities in each of the 50 states is a daunting and expensive process.

[Supersedeas]

2. Well put, Ozy...but there must be some threshold for which integrity trumps policial expediency

To me, we are coming dangerously close to that point.