I disagree. I think that the rank and file of Republicans are fairly middle of the road, which is why I think Obama is pulling a Clinton and staking out the middle. You can talk a lot of this shit, but when it comes down these extremists starting to actually affect policies and agenda that hit close to home (not just the behind closed door machinations of Cheney's destruction of the Constitution), then people will start waking up. It's AFFECTING them now. Look at Wisconsin. This has completely energized labor. In the rural counties of Northern California that depend on national television getting their budget cuts is catastrophic. Our local PBS station will survive. Up in the north around Redding where their congressman voted to slash public television's funding, he's not so popular right now. In fact, it may cost him his seat. And their vote to kill funding for Planned Parenthood. KILLED the women's vote except for extremists like Bachmann. Planned Parenthood is NOT ALL about abortions. The Repubs wish it were, but it's not.