“But outlays [of the US government] also set a record at $US244.5 billion ($A260.19 billion), compared with $US205.9 billion ($A219.11 billion) in April last year. Outlays are due to swell in coming months as tax rebates of up to $US600 ($A638.50) for individuals and $US1,200 ($A1,277) for married couples that are part of the administration’s economic stimulus plan start flowing in earnest.” (http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080512/2/1qlzn.html)

This is the largest government we’ve ever had, under a Republican president. Consider the enormous negatives the party is carrying right now. Now think back to history and the Whig party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whig_Party_(United_States) What’s to say the future of conservative politics wouldn’t be best served with a re-branding, if you will.

I’ve historically voted for pro-business and small-government candidates, but I can’t follow that rational and vote Republican any longer. (Caveat: Paul offers some hope on those lines.)

As for change, it’s a generally ambiguous word, I agree. But we’re approaching positions so radically un-American right now that the public is craving anything different. Any reasonable change would be a welcome direction shift.

That last sentence, by the way: pure gold!

100%

also, you can do much better than that last line. come on, you’re better than that….

the hemorrhaging that threatens their very existence

Don’t you think that’s a bit of an overstatement? Neither party is on the verge of anything that has any remote possibility of a dramatic change in it’s own existence, for good or for bad.

And can we all stop using the word “change” as if it has an intrinsic value of goodness? It’s ambiguous as to it’s morality.