Question for Conservative Republicans

This is a semi-serious question: Why are you still calling yourselves "Republicans?"

Republicans supposedly were the party of limited government, adherence to the Constitution, and fiscal discipline. Remember those days? Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

For eight years, you betrayed every principle you stood for. You backed a president whose administration doubled the Federal deficit without a single qualm.

You backed a president who championed widespread intrusions on the part of into the lives of all Americans. From collecting the telephone calls, faxes and e-mails of all Americans to using the power of the Federal government to directly interfere with the affairs of a single family, at every step along the way, you did not oppose the Bush Administration.

You backed a president whose conduct was antithetical to the Constitution. Bush and Cheney claimed the right to arrest and imprison anyone, at any time, and forever with no need to justify that imprisonment. By the statements of the Bush Administration's lawyers, President Bush could order the arrest and detention of anyone he chose, without giving the person detained a right to challenge that arrest and detention, if only the Administration muttered the magic words: "War on Terror."

Your sole objective seemed to be supporting that microcephalic president in whatever he did. That leads me to conclude that you had no principles other than a naked desire for power.

So: What do you stand for? And if you indeed stand for limited government, fiscal discipline, and the rule of law, how can you call yourselves "Republicans?"