Tech_Esq
Sic Semper Tyrannis!
For people like Rush, and I would agree, it would be better if the "R" meant something. Now after the party rids itself of people who are really democrats, refocuses on what the party wants to represent at its core, then it expand from there. I think it will take a process of review, reflection and re-invigoration before the Repubs get where they need to be as a party and find a message, messenger and statement of core values.
So, being a republican means going along with the party at all times?
Sorry it took me a while to get back to this. I do want to answer the charge though.
Using "never" and "always" are distinctly unhelpful. Of course the standard is not "always" supporting the party.
However, if you look at party line voting by both parties over time, say 50 years, Senators and Representatives vote party line 85+% of the time. So, if you have a "member" of your party that is not even voting party line 50% of the time, that is not a useful member and, in fact, is probably being disingenuous about their party allegiance.
The additional point to be made, based on these numbers, is that if you are voting for someone because you "don't vote party, you vote based on the individual" you're sadly mistaken with the actual results. Those "individuals" vote party line 85% or more of the time. (Unless you voted for a weasily Republican like Spector, Snowe, Hagel or the like.)
Dems vote party line full time all the time. When they don't, you know about it. Like Lieberman on the Iraq war. You break ranks with the Dems at your peril. It needs to be at least that strong on the Repub. side.