Conservativism is by it's very definition bankrupt of new ideas. They have a very valid place in the political universe - they are the ones who point backwards "see? it was better then" is their refrain but by doing this they demonstrate that they cannot be expected to do anything different, they can only go back to Reagan or the signing of the Constitution or before income taxes or before welfare or before social security.
Republicans, however are by nature inclusive of most divisive minorities. They embrace those who would impose strict social order upon the rest of us. The list of things Republicans hate is so long that they cannot find good people to serve as their leaders because any individual that actually exposes what holds republicans together - hatred, illuminates for all those to see - just how crazy that individual and consequently his party really is. The problem is compartmentalization - Republicans compartmentalize and as long as their leaders don't actually attempt to unwind and explain all this compartmentalization, all is well, if they do, you get a cain or a perry or a bachmann or a romney.
