There may have been a time when Republican ideology mattered, but that was when Republicans still cared about the integrity of their ideas. Now Republicans use ideas as smoke bombs, to impede and destroy and subvert discourse. They have no rational attachment to the ideas they espouse, they just toss them out to give cover to their true agenda, which is the unbridled pursuit of power and money.
As one small example, let's compare the supposedly defining Republican ideal of small gov't. with Republican policies under Bush. There is simply no correspondence between the idea and the policy. The Baer Stearns/Fanny-Freddie bailouts are not just poorly crafted policies but they run completely counter to the rationale Republicans mouth in sinking other policy initiatives. And the bailouts represent a tiny fraction of gov't. profligacy under Bush. Debating Republican ideology is like plotting a new course for the Titanic as it founders in the North Sea. Democracy doesn't work with only one party interested in a sincere debate about issues, and Republicans have abandoned all interest in sincere debate, in their ideals, in democracy itself. Before any new ideas can bring new life to the Republican enterprise, Republicans need to get a lesson in civics. They need to find the integrity of their principles, and as elitist and effete as it may seem to them, bring their ideas to the table and hammer out policies in good faith with (god forbid) Democrats and liberals. America will continue to suffer while we wait for Republicans to take responsibility for their role in making democracy work. TB