Has anyone noticed that there are more and more.... "Independent Conservatives" or conservatives that don't align themselves with the republican party now than ever?
Bro, where have you been?
It's been like this since before the 2006 senatorial/congressional races! This is why you see an all-Democratic house and senate. True conservatives let Washington know what they thought of them during the 2006 elections. Don't you remember hearing the term RINO (Republicans In Name Only). There are few true conservatives left right now because of the decisions not to back President Bush when they should have, or more importantly, when they should have fought the president on some of his decisions.
So, no. It's not recent. But welcome to the present time period.