Somebody asked me if I were a Republican in another post? Wanted to list few things that Republicans stood for ….( at least that is what I think they did a decade ago?)

1. Personal Freedom  - used to be biggest difference between republicans & dems.   If we say that this is key issue… the republican nominee came up with ”Romneycare” & made sure “Catholics” had to provide for contraception!  Romney is the Republican nominee….I guess this doe not matter anymore!  Also, we hear from many different quarters in the house & senate that some provisions of Obamacare will be reatined (many are talking about a improved version of obamacare) —- are they republicans?

2. Limited government -  GW Bush was the second worst (other than the current incumbent) president in history in increasing the size of the government  & he was considered not only a Republican & people sold him to unsuspecting public as a “conservative” (will come to this issue later)

3. Fiscal Discipline  (goes with above point) – Boehner, McConnell, Cantor – they do not have any pretense about curbing the spending.  They pull the fast one on the public – using the word “cut” in spending when in reality it is “reduction in % increase”.   Are they republicans?

4. Low Taxes & 5. Less Regulations -  many Republicans in the house & senate or  have pushed for higher taxes directly or indirectly (by increasing the regulatory burden on businesses).

Other issues (for some republicans they are important) - strong military, 2nd amendment, staunch support for Life (against abortion – a divisive issue), strong proponent of federalism, etc.  Please add other issues that I have missed out.

All the listed items above used to be Republican issues & mainstream but now considered in the realm of “conservatives” & considered to be extreme by mainstream media, dems & “republicans”.    I guess, that puts most of the RS posters (including me) in the category of troublesome minority who has to be managed by the republican party people!  These “right wing extremists” choose the republican party as the lesser of the two evils & hoping one day, the Republican party will be transformed to stand for the right principles due to the great work of the Tea Party patriots & many other conservative voices in the media.