Where now for the GOP?

[JSojourner]

The argument from social conservatives will be as follows...

"Everytime the GOP has run a moderate (even if they are mainstream conservatives perceived by the right to be moderates)...the GOP has lost.  Everytime they have run a staunch social conservative, they have won."

And there is merit to this.

Gerald Ford, moderate, loses to Carter.
Ronald Reagan, social conservative, defeats Carter and Mondale.
George H.W. Bush (who RAN as a social conservative) defeats Dukakis.
George H.W. Bush (who governed as a moderate) loses to Bill Clinton.
Bob Dole, fiscally conservative but not an arch social conservative, loses to Clinton.
George W. Bush, extremely socially conservative and religious, defeats Gore.
GWB, using hot button issues appealing to the RR, defeats Kerry.
John McCain, perceived by the right to be "moderate", loses to Obama.

No matter how much I would love to see the GOP become the party of Eisenhower, Rockefeller, Landon and Houghton once again...(because I really like having a choice)...I don't think it will.  Undoubtedly, the few moderates remaining will argue for this.  But are there enough of them left?  

One other possibility -- and this one could gain traction.  Extreme fiscal conservatives, basically Libertarians when it comes to money, could come to the fore...and simply try to dramatically downplay their social conservatism.  Mike Pence may be one of these.  He's every bit as far right as Jim DeMint or Jim Inhofe on social issues.  But he doesn't talk about them.  He just votes.  He TALKS about money, cutting spending, reducing taxes on the wealthy and on the corporate sector...but you don't hear Pence say much about wanting to criminalize abortion or restrict gay rights, unless he's at a prayer breakfast.  

This is the tack I think the party will take.  Because as much as I like moderate and liberal Republicans, the fact that I -- basically a liberal Democrat -- like them, is seen as an indictment of them in the minds of conservatives.  And probably rightly so.