Just some more idle speculation. If the Republican party goes down in a crushing defeat, will divisions within the party finally lead to a split resulting in the formation of a viable third party? It’s no secret that the blame game has already begun between moderate Republicans and the far right religio-conservative wing of the party. But does the leadership and vision exist to create a complete split?
Some have argued that the current two party system is too limiting for the kind of dynamic government that the U.S. needs in the 21st century. A major 3rd party could be just the lubrication needed to keep us moving forward. I for one would like to see moderate Republicans who believe in classic Republican values of limited government and personal freedom, freed of the religious and rightist elements that have highjacked the Republican party. In the past, John McCain would have been the most likely to lead this revolt, but if he does go down in a crushing defeat, it is unlikely that he could lead the split. It seems far more likely that the religious conservative faction will split off on their own with people like Huckabee and Palin leading the way. If that happens, perhaps the moderates will join up with the Libertarians.