Has the GOP been engaged in ideological cleansing?

Look at this photo of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Remember how articulate, how persuasive these two people were? Remember some of their famous speeches?

Why is it that almost no one currently in the GOP can articulate a good conservative message? Remember how poorly Romney did in explaining conservatism? RINOs are only pretend conservatives, phony conservatives. It is understandable that if they don’t really believe in conservative principles they are not very good at explaining conservatism.

But what has happened to those who can argue conservatism? Among all leading GOP members I see very few of them. Is this because the party leadership has engaged in ideological cleansing?

If the GOP cannot attract articulate and persuasive conservatives then it probably is the end of the GOP.