Hi. This being the second time I've done this, so I guess we might as well go ahead and call it a tradition. I'm planning on writing something soon about my own personal political philosophy, but I've kinda been doing that right along. What this is about, is me trying to figure out who I'm going to vote for in the NH Primary. A quick disclosure; I'm registered as an Independent, and would have no problem with taking a Democratic ballot if someone on it sufficiently moved me. But since I lean conservative, I'm going to do my usual and take a Republican one.
I've also been giving serious thought about setting up a group of categories and tying them to a ten-point system. That would make me vote for the person with the highest score, which might or might not be a good thing to do. Maybe I can work that out for 2016. Consider yourself warned. In the meantime, I'll toss around the prototype version.
MITT ROMNEY
I've already written about him, so go back and look it up. Don't be lazy, now. I don't actually think he'd make a bad president, he just wouldn't make a particularly good one. He's running on the hope that the Un-Mitt-of-the-month will keep rotating and he'll outlast them.
Remember that points system? The two most important catagories, to my way of thinking, are Competence and Ideas. In the first, I'd have to give him 8 out of 10. He's probably one of the smartest, most capable candidates in the whole race. But on ideas, I'd have to give him probably 3, and that's being generous. His big plan for the future of the country is, "No, really, I AM a conservative." That is, unless he gets the nomination, then he'll be whatever else anyone wants.
He said in a recent debate that his plan will create 11.5 million jobs. He never did say which jobs, or where they'd be, or how much they'd pay. I earnestly believe he was just making up a number. The way to create jobs, as any Conservative will tell you, is a combination of tax cuts and easement of regulation. This will stimulate business and there come the jobs. But there's a lot of things that need to be done, and a lot of the Obama agenda that needs to be dismantled, and I just don't believe he'll do it.
I think he's the one Obama wants to run against. He's the one Barack will have the best chance of beating, and if he loses, there's a good chance he can make a comeback in '16, saying "See, he didn't do anything, I'm the one with the vision."
NEWT GINGRICH
The Un-Mitt of the month, and maybe the last one. Again, competence 8. He could walk in the door and do the job well, without question. He's very smart, very articulate, and a total policy wonk who knows what he thinks and how to explain it to the people in fly-over country. He's flawed, but doesn't waste a lot of time backpedalling away from it. Yeah, he's screwed up a few times, but if the choices become him and Obama, who ya gonna pick?
On the other side, I give him a 4 on ideas. Once again, not a guy for big sweeping changes. He is more likely to dismantle Obamacare, though. Obama's campaign will be all about character, and it will have to be, because he has to keep his real ideas secret and Newt doesn't.
RON PAUL
I believe the Republican party ignores this man at its own peril. It would be wise to focus the bright light on him and his ideas, and air them out for the public. I think many of his supporters, if not most, back him because the party hates him without really knowing what he stands for.
First of all, he's a Libertarian, and a former Presidental candidate for the Libertarian party. Libertarianism looks good on paper, but in reality it's borderline anarchy. It's fine, if you feel comfortable blindly trusting big business. One thing for sure, the economy will boom, until one or two of them decide they can make a big killing by kicking off another depression. Remember, a super-friendly business climate was what led the Harding-Coolidge boom years into the crash 1929. And also remember that every sudden downturn manages to somehow benefit a small handful of people. Just like the people who are going to cash in long-term on the bursting of the housing bubble.
Secondly, his foreign policy strongly resembles that of John Foster Dulles, Dwight D. Eisenhower's Secretary of State. His concept was called "Fortress America." He thought we should pull completely out of Europe, Asia and Africa and concentrate on North and South America. Let the Commies and whoever take over their half, we'll handle our half.
I know there are subtle differences, but that's essentially what Paul is suggesting. Let the Taliban and Al Queida and whoever have Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever. That's what will happen if we pull everybody out and "stop playing the world's policeman." If you're cool with that, vote Paul.
Points? Oh, yeah. 7 for competence, but minus two because he'll never get anything through congress. And 7 for ideas, because at least he's got some. But again, minus two, same reason.
RICK PERRY
I wish I could make a TV ad for Rick Perry. I'd have him sitting at a big desk, talking on the phone. Then looking in a file folder. Then talking with a staffer that comes dashing in. Another phone call, along with a quick but steady glance at a computer monitor on the desk. All the while, a voice-over is reading from the US Constitution regarding the duties of the President. It would end with something like;
"Okay, he's not the smoothest on TV." And then, tying in to ads he's already running; "We've already got someone like that. This is the part that guy's not good at."
He's desperate, and he's throwing out anything that pops into his head in hopes something will stick. It's not a good sign. If he were to behave like that as President, it would be bad for the whole country. Especially considering that some of his ideas are totally bananas. I actually like the idea of a part-time congress, but what congressman will vote for it?
I would give him a 6, maybe 7, for competence, because he's already running a very big state and apparently doing a pretty solid job. And another 6 for ideas, because again, he's actually got some. I have no doubt he'd take Obamacare apart as quick as he can, and bend heaven and earth to cut taxes and ease regs.
But that's not enough!
MICHELLE BACHMAN
Another former Un-Mitt fave. A few months ago she was a shoo-in to take the Iowa caucus. Now, she's third or fourth. She's toast. Rolling Stone ran a savage piece on her right after the Iowa straw poll she won a couple months back, and it's worth a read. Not that I buy most of it, because Rolling Stone is aimed directly at the most sold-out corners of the left. The piece was not there to convince any Republicans, it was there to scare people who would never vote for her in a million years into thinking she had an outside chance. And she may have, back then, but it's gone.
She's Sarah Palin light. She's a conservative true believer, all the way. But now, with the pressure on, her cracks are showing. I'm finding it instructive to see how some of these people are acting on the roller coaster. Her "Hey! Me! Me!" act is one of the most distasteful. 3 for competence, because I think she'd be in way over her head in the oval office. But 5 for ideas. Might be a good VP choice, and the on-the-job training would be good for her. Definitely better on TV than Dan Quayle.
RICK SANTORUM
Why is this guy still here? He was a good Senator, but lost his seat in the '06 purge. Another guy who could use the VP experience. He's one of the few left that hasn't had a turn being the Un-Mitt of the hour. His official nickname should be, "oh, him." Competence, 5 (maybe), ideas, probably 6. Too bad he doesn't stand a chance. Sorry, but losing a senate seat does not qualify you for the White House.
JOHN HUNTSMAN
The answer to the musical question, "Does Mitt have a younger brother?" Or maybe, "Whatever happened to Tim Pawlenty?" Mitt in a cheaper suit. Same moderate credentials, less credibility. Governor of Utah. If him, why not a governor of Alaska? Competence, 4; ideas, 2.
PEOPLE I WISH WOULD RUN
There are a few people I would seriously consider voting for if I knew anybody else that would, too. See if any of these names ring any chimes for you:
Herman Cain
That's right. I was on the verge of voting for him, and still might. Not that I think he's the most capable man in the world to do the job, but because of the message he'd send. I'd vote for him for that message, and if he won the whole ball of wax I wouldn't have a problem with it. Competence, 6, ideas, 6.
Then we come to the sexual harrassment charges. If they're true, all bets are off; he would deserve to not only be eliminated from consideration for President, he'd deserve to be strung up by his vital parts. But if not, then he's proof of how easy it is for lies to destroy somebody. In the media, there is no such thing as "innocent until proven guilty." I think it's telling that, now that he's out, all that seems to have gone away. Funny, huh?
I would agree that the 9-9-9 plan has holes, but at least it's an idea. He's another one I'd like to do an ad for, and it would be mostly like the one I'd do for Perry. I think he could do the job, and do it pretty well.
Sarah Palin
Yeah, I know, but I believe she'd actually do the job quite well. I think it would have been better for her to remain in the governor's mansion in Juneau, but oh, well.
Condoleeza Rice
Who? Are you serious? Most definitely, pilgrim. Brilliant person. Read her book, or any number of books about her. Check out a book I found in a dollar store called "Hillary and Condi." Back in '05, pundit and former Clinton staffer Dick Morris wrote a book about what he thought was going to be the '08 race. He gives a lot of background on Condi, and I'm sold. I was anyway. She's very accomplished, cool as a cucumber under pressure, and is three steps ahead of everybody. She also seems to have to ability to see things from more possible angles than anyone out there. I'd vote for her in a heartbeat.
Her record as the head of Stanford University is most telling. She took it over when it was deeply in debt. When she left eight years later, they were well into their biggest expansion ever AND had $14 million in the bank. Also, she has an interesting attitude toward affirmative action. She's for it as far as taking someone on, but against it in regards to tenure. That means, being a minority or a woman can get you a job, but you advance completely on merit. A good, pragmatic solution, and one I agree with.
On the whole, it's a pretty uninspiring field considering how much is at stake and how easy it should be to beat Obama. Oh, yes, before I forget . . .
BARACK OBAMA
His name will also be on the ballot. Not on the Republican primary ballot, but definitely on the one in the fall of '12. He should be considered in all this.
You've probably gotten the impression that I'm not going to vote for him. My wife, who happens to be very well informed and quite brilliant, disagrees with my assessment of him, so you might want to take it with a grain of salt. She thinks, for the most part, that he's just in over his head and doesn't really know what he's doing.
As mentioned, I disagree. I look at Obamacare, the national debt, the bowing to other world leaders, the fire sale to China, and I see the groundwork being laid for a unified world government. In that world, our debt would be shared with China and everybody else. We would be one of the movers and shakers in that world, but not the biggest one. I think he sees it as inevitable, and he's betting everything on it.
I think he has a vision, and is building for the long haul. It's something to think about. I know some of you reading this would be cool with that.
I have to say, his election makes me proud of my country. Having lived for 56 years, I've seen a lot of changes, and it truly blesses me that we could elect an African-American. But I knew at the time he was a far-leftie, and he's done nothing to prove me wrong. His ideas are fatally flawed, and he's a lousy president, just like I knew he'd be. If he wins re-election, he'll have to do it with fear. Either he has no ideas, or his ideas are so extreme he doesn't dare say them out loud.
If it's the former, then I'd have to give him a 2/2. If the latter, 8/0. I can't wait to read the book he writes after he returns to civilian life.
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