>>Except Spector was never a Republican. He was a NENO (not even in name only)
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>Wrong. He was part of a wing of the Republican party that has been essentially forced out of existence. Lowell Weicker was a Republican, Lincoln Chafee was a Republican, etc., etc. There used to be moderate Republicans who were fiscally more conservative and socially more liberal. The right wing of the Republican party has decided that if you're not socially conservative, they don't want you.
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>The fact that Christopher Buckley, the son of the founder of the modern Republican party (and a long-time editor of the National Review, the party's serious journal), publicly endorsed the Democratic presidential candidate, speaks volumes about what's happened to the Republicans.
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>Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt would not recognize today's Republican party.
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>Tamar

What I see as the Republican party's greatest downfall is its current attempt to have religion drive their policies. In Reagan's time, it was more of a religion friendly environment, not a religion only environment. There are many far-left policy makers in the Democratic party as well. The attempt to remove religion completely and almost prevent faith of any type is almost as extreme as the other. However, I don't see those extremists as controlling the party so it won't alienate their members as the Republican party is now doing. There have always been extremists on both sides, but I've never seen it take over a party before like it has done with the Republican party. You would think that the many new Republicans during Reagan's years would have taught them that lesson. I really think this is the party's downfall and it won't be until it goes through a complete overhaul (as both parties have done in the past) that it's members will return or new members will join.

In North Carolina, there is an actual 'Independent' political party which is not really 'independent' at all so in order to not be associated with any specific political party, you have to register as 'non-affiliated.'