>>Voting-wise he left the party long ago. ;)
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>More likely the party left him. In this part of the country (middle Atlantic up to New England), there used to be plenty of moderate Republicans. But the right wing of the Republican party decided to attack those people, and drive them out, either out of office or out of the party. There are no longer any Republicans in the House from New England, not even in Connecticut, which, IIRC, is the wealthiest state. As of this year, two Senators, both moderates from Maine.
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>Personally, I'm happy to see the Republican party, as it now stands, continue to marginalize itself. When they start listening to thinkers again, they'll have a national role again.

I agree. I hear every now and then that the Republican party lost because it has been hijacked by moderates. That comment amazes me. In my eyes, the Republican party has been hijacked by right-wing extremists (not extremists as in violent people, but extremist in their political beliefs). McCain garnered a surprising number of votes given that he ran against Obama and had Palin as a running mate. If the candidate had been a far-righter, then the vote margin he lost by would have been HUGE.

I've been dissappointed in both parties since Bill Clinton's term ended.