its because of people like john mccain who are getting old and realize that if they don't pander to all the people robbing and destroying this country, they'll die before they get a chance to gain any real power or influence. they don't even care what that influence is anymore as long as they get a piece. they're going the way of the democrats, falling in line to gain power any way they can. they're motivated by purely selfish and personal reasons, aka popularity contest.    the republican party is mostly a joke because the liberal media has put the spotlight on the crazy ones, and by getting the spotlight, their 'fame' was elevated. it's all a ploy to keep the reasonable people out of office and public spotlight so that the democrats don't have to contend with them.    but what the republicans don't realize is they will still not be treated as equals, they'll just be treated as subordinates by democrats. they'll think they'll have a say but ultimately they'll have no teeth. the republican party is shifting to be just a party that says we need to spend less, while ignoring the problems that cause the spending problems. so they'll eventually find someone else to blame like the democrats did --- white america. next we'll be hearing that if we don't give immigrants health care or jobs, that we're the terrorists and the source of all of americas issues.