Republicans of the 90's and later remind me of democrats before they went full monty marxist. Because of their eclectic make up one was challenged to simply identify what a democrat believed. I think that is the problem republicans face today. They mouth a good game of free enterprise (WTHTM), conservatism (again, WTHTM), fondness of apple pie and fuzzy kittens, but when push comes to shove they are statists just like democrats though not as virulent. TEA party types breathed life into national republicans only to be compromised. Meanwhile back at the ranch a sizable and growing electorate ain't buyin' none of the elitist republicans nonsense. There is a lesson to be learned by watching Alan West and compare his fortunes against a TEA party sellout like Nikki Haley.
We have the same over here, for much the same reason - there isnt any reason for a politician to change his or her platform in order to get re-elected, all thats usually needed is to avoid falling out with the party (its worse over here because parties have a much greater power in terms of local candidate selection) and to not have any kind of public scandal.
How to fix it though? Personally, and at least over here, I would ban all national party fundraising and allow people / companies to only donate to individual candidates, with no limit on donations but everything to be recorded and made publically (and easily) available. Candidates would have to spend all their campaign money on their own campaign.
