EDITORIAL: The new electorate

It seems to me that with this election, it marks the end of the GOP as we know it. Immdiately, the party will remain fractured. In years to come, it will eventually become slightly more than an inconsequential party. This has been coming for years now. "Republicans" will be marginalized as an ultra-right neo-con, bigoted, religious-fanatic party. Case in point: When the talk becomes of how Sarah Palin is the future of the party, well then it's time to cue the chirping crickets. Last one out, please turn off the lights. This party is over (pun intended). However, from their ashes will rise another party (perhaps with the same name) that is more middle of the road with a mantra of fiscal conservatism and Libertarian values. The good news is the neo-cons and religious fanatics that had major influence in the GOP will be pushed further to the fringe and will wield no real power.