Californisation.
The situation in California is now mirrored nationally.
California is socially liberal but fisaclly conservative. They love sex n drugs n rock n roll. But hate taxes and crime.
There used to be a 50/50 chance of the republicans gaining control of the state. All thay had to do was shout lower taxes, tougher penalties and keep quiet about abortion and gay rights.
Unfortunately for them ( and probably fortunately its citizens ) the party has been controlled by a clique of unevolved bible bashing right wingers who refuse to put up candidates that most californains feel comfortable voting for.
Arni's bid for the governorship was largly independant of this clique and only proves how succesful a moderate republican can be.
This pattern is now being repeated nationally. An active but comparativly small clique of fundimentalist christian anti-everythings will block any move the party makes to align itself with Mr. Average American. This situation is made worse by the ugly beheaviour of the christian right during there years of glory. Wherease in the accepted opinion on fundimentalists was "they are entitled to there beliefs and surely christianity is a good thing" now its more "pompous, overbearing, f*ckwits trying to tell me how to run my life".
Bye Bye republicna pie.