How did the Republican party get away from its traditional conservative principles?

Question

The party has been hijacked by globalist neo-conservatives who are more like UN loving leftists. What went wrong?

Answer 1

The 40 year reign of the Democrats in the House led to the rise of Newt Gingrich.  He along with Grover Norquist and others took the party to a tool of Wall Street and the Christian Right.  Reagan's two terms accomplished nothing except making deficit spending ok for the GOP.  The rise of the neocons in the current administration took foreign policy into a perversion of Wilsonian idealistic interventionism.  Add to this that most people wouldn't know what Barry Goldwater stood for.

Answer 2

The party hasn't gotten away, we just don't have any candidates.

Answer 3

They elected Bush.

edit: and Bush appointed Cheney President, who in turn brought along all of his neocon buddies. The rest is history.

Answer 4

In an effort to appeal to independents and Democrats they moved to the center... What you have now are Democrats without the increased taxation..

True conservatives  have been beaten down by the Liberal arguments... Its time to take Barry Goldwaters advice and start being a little more literate and concise about "why" we believe in small government.

But it will never gain traction with some of the boat anchors the party has adopted in the last 30 years.

Answer 5

There followers have been brainwashed by Rush and Hannity!

Answer 6

Wish the far left (Code Pink, Moveon,org, George Soro's) take over never happened, you would see the Dems way more ahead in the polls instead of falling behind once again.....