What is a Republican?

If we look at Wikipedia and ask for a definition, being a Republican would probably mean being a fiscal conservative, social conservative, and an economic libertarian.

We would generally support lower taxes and limited government.

Former President Ronald Reagan summed up his belief in government:
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."

Republicans believe making law is in the province of the legislature and is against activist judges. They are also in favor of separation of powers to maintain equal power between the government branches. They believe in a robust version of federalism with greater limitations placed upon federal power and a larger role reserved for the States.

They are generally pro-life and pro-family, and would favor an amendment to define marriage exclusively between a man and a woman. They also favor a strong national defense and they tended to disapprove interventionist foreign policy actions.

So on and so forth...

* * * * * * * * * *

Of course, parts of the Republican platform has changed. It seems they now favor expanded government, the sacrifice of state rights to increase the power of the central government, a president making decisions based on the unitary executive theory where he or she can override or ignore laws passed by the legislature, limit civil liberties, unilateral military actions, and the doctrine of pre-emptive war.

Instead of supporting democratically elected government, we forge alliances with dictatorship-style governments in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

Should the Republican Party rename itself the American Empire Party? The Always at War Party? The Executive Party?

How can we still consider ourselves conservatives based on all these changes?