What's going on right now with the GOP is why I am suspicious and have trepidations about a conservative leadership taking over the White House. Instead of getting fully behind a candidate ( Romney ) that could actually have a chance to win the presidency the party is allowing the far right to run the ship when the far right has no chance to win the general election. http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20120222/US.AP.Poll.Republicans.vs.Obama/?cid=hero_media And the troubling aspect of this is that the far right is so full of itself and of it's ideology it doesn't give a crap about compromise and good government. These national elections in modern times are decided by the very slimmest plurality of votes which means that a great many millions of people do not subscribe to the winner's ideology. The far right doesn't care about this divergent aspect of today's American politics and just wants to cram it's limited autocratic agenda down everyone's throat if given the chance. If they keep this up they will doom themselves to another 4 years of just stewing about Obama and will ensure another Democrat in the White House in Jan. 2017.
Politiics is messy and not for the faint hearted. If the people view the Republicans like you do then Obama will be re-elected.
So far it does show that the people do feel that way and I think the recent surge by Santorum is hurting Romney as well vs. Obama: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html And these results exist when Obama has barely even dipped into his election arsenal as yet.
Can someone remind me of all the compromising that Obama, Ried, and Pelosi did. I can't for instance remember Republicans having any input on the Health Care bill. IN FACT I DON'T RECALL THEM HAVING A CHANCE TO READ IT BEFORE THE VOTE. Does anyone else recall "we'll have to pass the bill to read it?" What audacity for Liberals to cry about compromise. What audacity about "cramming an agenda" after passing the health care bill against the wishes of a majority of Americans. We're on a runaway train heading for a cliff and economic ruin. The same folks who went through a spending orgy that is the greatest in the history of the world want a moderate who will take his foot off the accelerator. For some reason some crazy radicals actually want someone to hit the brakes!!! Can you believe the nerve of these people. If the same unemployed pathetic assholes who voted for Obama 4 yrs. ago want 4 more years of misery, let them have it. He can't tax without the House and they aren't going to give him a thing. No compromise with those that never compromise.
I'm not here to debate the healthcare bill. Heathcare staus quo if allowed to continue will break all of us.....that's a certainty. Maybe Romney would have a good alternate plan but we may never get the chance to see it if the far right continues down it's stubborn path of self-righteousness. By the way I for one became unemployed after 23 years with the same firm while Mr. Bush was in office......and then re-employed 4 months after Obama took office. I've lived it pal.....you can't preach to me about who was more responsible for my unemployment between Obama and Bush.
I don' t care who the nominee is. If pump prices continue rising through the year somebody is going to pay at the polls.
....but you did start a topic on "bullheaded disharmony". Gip was quite right to suggest that this administration and congressional lib/dems - before they got booted out of power - had more than their fair share of cram-downs. The a$$ kicking they received in the interims was not coincidental imo...
The job I had Gipper was nice.....but it went away like so many in Detroit. My former company is content to pay a guy 75% less for 50% of the business that I booked. Good math for them I guess with regard to exposure and commitment. This one I now have is at least a steady job with some cool travel and nice people to work for located in Florida......and not located in that snowy industrial pit I lived in for 31 years so it could be worse for sure. BT I think all incumbents will be in trouble during the next round of interim elections. Obama would probably be in trouble if the GOP conservatives had any better sense.
For what it's worth I had lunch with my crew of about 10 people today. As we watched the noon time news today one of employees mentioned that it looks as if there is no way Obama is going to lose because the republican candidates are all over the board with no clear choice. Now these folks are hard working guys who are white, work no less than 50 hours per week, mainly conservative, over fifty years old, not very interested in the schematics of how politicians manipulate the public and are currently pissed about how much it is going to cost them in gas to get to work everyday. But these folks want to vote and do not have a clue on who they really trust when it comes to republican candidates, do not particularly care for Obama but do not see a clear choice of of a better replacement. So the current attitude is that most will not vote and are tired of continually voting for a person that is not their first choice but the lesser of two evils... So with this being said I currently have to agree with Dave in the fact that the republican party is out of step with a great majority of voters who want to vote in their direction but see the party as more of an outsider than something they can collaborate with...
The Republicans never learn. They tee it up for the Dems every election by bringing social issues to the forefront. This year is the worst ever.... gay rights, gay marriage, birth control. How about the real problems?
The Republicans don't bring those social issues to the forefront, the media does. Stophanopoulos out of the blue asks Romney a question on birth control during the Maine debates. This is the current plan with the left media make an issue out of something that doesn't belong in the presidential campaign. 31 states don't have gay marriage. You'd think that not supporting it was a radical minority view. Hell, even Californians voted it down. But what can the left do, argue the economy, gas prices, a balanced budget? So somehow ******** social issues get injected into the Republican debates when the ONLY issue should be whether we've had competent leadership for the past 3+ years.
The the GOP candidates can answer that, while they have their own strong beliefs and convictions, they would not seek to legislate those beliefs on others. End of story. Santorum came close to that last night but cannot resist getting back into it.
I have to agree with both Gip and George. What is happening is that the Republican candidates are allowing the media to shape the "issues" brought forth. Why? Are they really that dumb (as Dave seems to think)? Could be but I think that they have convinced themselves that they can't win the primary without pandering to the social issue folks. Are they right? I don't know. But it is going to take a lot of work for the eventual winner to repair the damage that they are doing to this campaign.
Speaking about "better sense", how can returning this man to office after he has evidenced his inability to lead, incompetence at administration and unwillingness to address the meaningful issues of the day in this country be good sense? On the merits of his record and the ability to address our nation's problems he clearly is in trouble. If the fratricide that is the GOP primary season does not destroy all of the candidates, after the convention we will be able to focus on the real issues and expose the record of this administration...
'they would not seek to legislate those beliefs on others' A bunch of girl scouts in Indiana sure hope you're right: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/indiana-lawmaker-girl-scouts-promote-abortion-15765542#.T0Y5F_WO45U
Let's face it Dave, you are a dyed in the wool card carrying far left liberal and nothing the Republicans say or do will convince you to vote for them.
I thought Gingrich did as well as anyone last night. Lots of good comments without appearing nasty. Kind of rose above the fray. While the others were pilloring Santorum, he correctly identified Obama as having voted in favor of later term abortion and asked why the press never held his feet to the fire for that. Anyone notice that CNN did not ask one question about rising gas prices at the pump? Don't tell me the media is not biased left.
Voted for Nixon and Bush Sr. I will vote for them if they present a more competent albeit moderate alternative. Lately the right has decided that far right is the only way to go so as an alternative choice the GOP is inadequate.