Where did we change?

The embrace of the Christian Conservatives.

So they should be something different than a true Republican I would think.

The Republican party also used to believe in small government.  Today it continues to make that claim, all while every one of their actions flies in the face of it.  The party simply does not represent me or my beliefs any longer, and I'm Ok with that. I am not bound to some party line.  

Today, I identify with the beliefs of the Libertarians far more than the Republicans.  They began to lose me in the '08 election, and completely lost me in this last one.  I don't even recognize them as anything I ever used to identify with.

I imagine it changed when they figured out they could "buy" votes. Back in the day the country was overwhelming "Christian" so what better way to get votes than to pander to the largest group.

They have fallen behind in which group to pander too, but that is obviously changing as we now get to see McCain telling us all about immigration and how it should work. Funny, I don't see him doing that 4 years ago, and I don't see it happening if Romney had won. 

I've given up telling people how they should practice their religion.

Pat Robertson got the ball rolling.

The Bush presidency and the following 2008 election was the tipping point.  They then spent four years moving so far away from anything that had even a whiff of President Obama's fingerprints.  They tried to make him some evil, socialist, America hating, Christian values eradicating demon.  In doing so, they ignored the changing demographics and attitudes of the country and actually fled so far right that people just got fed up and saw the ridiculousness of it all.  They had four years to take their medicine and come up with a better platform and candidate.  Instead, they're still whining in the corner like a petulant 8 year old.

If it were up to Republicans:

A high school girl could not be taught birth control in school > If she became pregnant she could not have an abortion > her child would be forced to endure christian prayers in school even though she is of another religion > if the child is homosexual, she/he would not have the same civil rights as "straight" people.....and Republicans wonder why they couldn't defeat one of the worst presidents in US history.

I would agree with this.

I just don't see how anyone who says they are for small government could actively rally for government control.

This is a touchy issue but to me it is black and white but I feel the same for all civil liberties across the board including same sex marriage, civil rights, 2nd amendment, women’s rights, freedom of religion, 1st amendment and so on. I want the government out of my home that includes my bedroom and my gun cabinet. While I know the 2^nd amendment is a conational right because the founders knew that people in power like to disarm the populace but to me it’s the same issue as same sex marriage. Either I want the government controlling my liberties or I don’t. I personally do not want them in control of any of my liberties.

I was a solid republican through Bush I. I did vote for Clinton his second term, and was fairly happy, except after his impeachment felt it was time to go back to the Republican Party and voted for Bush II. After 9/11 I think the guy could have done anything and the world would have cheered him and America, and I can never forgive him or the Republican Party for squandering such an incredible opportunity to lead.

I see the direction they have chosen, as Big Appa points out so clearly, and I wonder if I can ever go back. I'm sure given my social beliefs they wouldn't want me back. I'd be a RINO.

Bingo. Winner

Not a Republican here but I really take issue when I see someone making a generization of R's being judgemental.  Truth is, there is plenty of judging going on both sides of the isle.  Just listen to Bill Maher. or hell, the mainstream media for that matter.  It's not just republicans passing judgement because they believe differently than others.

pretty much in agreement here.  The R's never should have lost this last election...never!  But the party, (not all voting R's) is so far out of touch they couldn't win an election against a guy that basically failed during his first term.  The future does not look bright for the Republican party, imo.

Republican and Conservative are two very distinct things.

There are Conservatives in the Republican party but not all Republicans are Conservatives.

As to you question as to what happened to the party of Lincoln and MLK?

Here is my simple and slightly crass answer as I see it.

the Republican are opposed to federally approving and paying for an individual's bedroom behavior. You can put you private parts wherever the heck want to, Republicans just don't want to pay for it. That's the black mark against them when it comes to civil liberties because in every thing else they advocate for government to get out of your life.

The Democrats, on the other hand, are all for federally giving a stamp of approval and paying for what every you want to do bedroom and your private parts, yet they want government to control and regulate every other aspect of you life.

So as a Conservative, which is lessor of two evils when it comes to advocating for civil liberties? I'll take my chances with the Republicans.

I mean people that call them self’s republicans. I have a large majority of friends who are minority and both male and female who are republican but are now feeling like the party has let them down and looking for a change. As a party the Democrats are just as dysfunctional and spread out as the Republicans so both parties have no attraction to me and I vote for the person.

Against what some people think you can be a gay/minority/women/non religious and still want small government and be a fiscal conservative (and like firearms  )

Both the Republican and Democratic parties are veering away from the center where most American reside.

I would love to see a "New Republican Party" that believes in states rights, a smaller federal government, a strong yet measured defense department, does not oppose gay marriage, does not have an opinion on abortion, will work to cut spending in major ways to get our spending under control before looking at raising taxes, strong support of the constitution (including the 2nd amendment).

Not quite Libertarian (there are a lot of people who just can't handle them) but a lot closer to the Libs than the current GOP.

I think the argument there is the government is not telling anyone what they can and can't do in the bedroom. The government is actually practicing smaller government by not issuing government certificates to gay couples.

The problem is the built in benefits to marriage that the government provides that they never should have. If there was no difference between a "married" couple and a "non-married" couple in their treatment by the government, there would be no debate on the issue. Gay organizations could issue same sex marriage certificates and churches could refuse to do so.

So I think there is an argument that the government is acting in a smaller fashion by not issuing certs to same sex couples, the problem is it is unfair because of the governmental perks to being married. Unwind the perks in the tax code and the debate would go away all together IMO.

I agree but what can be done for us who want to get back to the roots? For the bedroom I don't see how marriage is the government paying for anything but that’s just me.