Your also right that I do take shots at party loyalty. Because I have found that most of the time it’s an arguement used against conservatives to keep them in line when a liberal Republican is running. It seems to me that when conservatives use the same logic, they are told to quiet down. Either is applies to both, or it doesn’t apply at all - since I’m tired of being told that I just “have to” support people like Perzel and Specter because they have an R after their name, without any other legitimate reasons, I’m not buying it anymore - which, understandably makes me a poor Party member. I’m too independent-minded and don’t like to be told what to do.

Your comment is a welcome reminder though to help me be consistant in my thinking - what’s good for the goose is good for the gander - either I support people being independent-minded and not always fitting the mold, or I support people falling in line.  Ultimately, being labeled in a party carries with it expectations.  I think people get upset when people with a party don’t follow those expectations, i.e. when Republicans pass legislation that most people would associate with Democrats, like larger budgets, tax increases, etc.  It doesn’t fit the expectations on a consistant basis.

And as much as I hate to admit it, I agree with the other comment about Big Tent politics. Its almost laughable when I hear “Republicans” who chastize Democrats for being selfish egoists and then in the same breath, complain about Republican candidates who don’t fit the mold 100%. This site spends a lot of time taking jabs at party loyalty, but perhaps if we had a little more party loyalty we’d have a little more Rick Santorum and a lot less Chris Carney.

But we lost even more votes in the Center, particularly with female voters who care little for public policy.

We have to be more appealing to the superficial voter as well; the one who votes on looks, Hollywood connections, celebrity and such.

Eric at www.mainstreamlibertarian.com