I think conservatives shoot themselves in the foot by foreswearing the concept of government welfare. The problem is not state help, it is the misuse of welfare funds to further the Liberal agenda. Look at how California managed to simultaneously vote for Obama and Proposition 8. If Republicans could endorse a program of Christian welfare, they could possibly destroy the Democratic Party in all future elections. (It is not enough to rely on faith-based initiatives. These simply do not have the critical mass to take on problems at a greater than neighbourhood level.)As it is, libertarians are making a push to eliminate the only Christian element that exists in Republicanism – the pro-life movement.

There is a disconnect between conservative economic and moral thinking. While it is understood that the problem of evil in the world is down to man's free-will, conservatives extol the “virtues” of the free market, which is itself the product of unfettered free-will. Laws are required to prevent not only the abuse of “caveat emptor” (Latin for “tough luck, sucker”) but also the practice of cronyism and, dare I say it, racism – against any race, Europeans obviously included (I'm talking to you, Robert Reich). It's not as if, in an advanced industrial economy people who are shut out from employment can go back to their apartments and grow their own produce.

Mark, conservatives wanted to believe that George Bush was also a conservative. Many of us were lulled into this false assumption in 2000 and then either sat out the election of '04 or voted 'other'. {Fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice…shame on me.} George Bush was a moderate liberal. We understand this now. Most of us will not be fooled again. Our misspent loyalty was detrimental to this country.

We want a conservative who understands the sanctity of life and the dignity of work, one who lives, breathes, talks our talk, walks our walk, one standing with the rest of of who are commited to do whatever it takes to reclaim this republic.

all of a sudden the republicans are fiscal conservatives. too bad everyone knows they created the largest government and budgets in the history of our country. you really lost that go to card thanks to the bush administration. remember the election campaign? the ol' tax and spend doesn't even work as a boogeyman anymore. first thing's first, work on your credibility.