I don’t think I’ve witnessed anything quite like it. The collapse of the Republican Party on fundamental issues is astonishing. And all under the assumption that it’s going to garner them more votes.

In recent weeks we’ve seen the Republicans cave on such fundamentals as raising taxes. In order to get along with their Democrat colleagues and try to appeal to the mushy middle they threw a basic conservative tenet out the window. Conservatives don’t raise taxes. It’s not because they’re mean. It’s because true conservatives understand that raising taxes—on anyone—has a negative effect on economic growth. If you really want to grow the tax base you have to first grow the economy and raising taxes stifles the economy.

Besides, until you get control of runaway spending you’re never going to get our financial house in order. Case in point was the recent Hurricane Sandy relief. Congress just passed a $60 billion relief bill in which only $17 billion actually goes to anything remotely related to Hurricane Sandy. The rest is pork piled on by congressmen and senators who knew that no one would dare vote against something called The Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill. Some Republicans who still have a sliver of a spine and a cupful of principles left did, in fact, vote against it but they were too few in numbers to stop it.

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) offered up an amendment that would offset the new spending with spending cuts down the road. His amendment was defeated. Which brought this response from one liberal senator: “We’re never going to cut our way to a balanced budget,” said Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). Of course we’re not, Mary. Not if people like you are in charge.

And here’s the kicker. The $60 billion price tag wiped out every cent of new revenue the liberals were hoping to get from the recent tax increase on the rich in the fiscal cliff deal. Yep. Estimates are the tax increase on those filthy, stinkin’ rich folks who don’t deserve any of their money amounted to $57 billion a year. Congress spent that and then some in one fell swoop with a pork-laden “relief” bill.

So, now we’re on to the next cave-in. Amnesty. Congress is now discussing a so-called compromise immigration bill with the usual Republican suspects like Senators Lindsey Graham (better known as Lindsey Grahamnesty), Marco Rubio and John McCain. Graham says there will be no pathway to citizenship without border security but this is the same crowd that said there would be no fiscal cliff deal with a tax increase.

Here’s why this so-called “pathway to citizenship,” better known as amnesty, is a bad idea. We know the Democrats will never hold up their end of the bargain in securing the border. We went through all of this in 1986 when they convinced Reagan to grant amnesty to about 2 million illegal aliens. They didn’t secure the border then and 2 million turned into 12 to 20 million. Reagan said it was one of his biggest regrets as president.

Amnesty merely rewards people who have broken into the country. Remember, two-thirds of the people coming up from Mexico come here legally. There’s a reason the other third come illegally. Too many times it’s because of criminal backgrounds, gang affiliation, disease or any number of reasons that would prevent legal immigration.

But now even some conservative commentators are embracing amnesty. Why? Because they think Republicans can’t win elections without it. Do they really think Hispanics will vote for Republicans just because they finally caved in?

I know I won’t.