Principles matter

From the Politico, the People magazine of politics:

Only 36 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the GOP "does an excellent or good job" of "standing up for traditional GOP positions" on issues like reducing the size of government, cutting taxes, and promoting conservative social issues.

That's a decline of 25 points since July 2004. In fact, it's the lowest Republican rating for the GOP since Pew began tracking the issue in 2000.

If it turns out to be a subway race between Giuliani and Clinton, Pew further found that two-thirds of Republicans say their vote for the Republican would be more accurately described as a vote "against Clinton" and "not for Giuliani."

Principles matter. Poll after poll after poll - for three years now - is telling the Republican party leadership they need to fix their tune on solid conservative principles and yet they continue to defy that. If they don't get with it, why shouldn't they get their clocks cleaned next year?