Posted on 12/30/2011 6:12:25 PM PST by Neoavatara
My choice for President is Mitt Romney.
I just shuddered at that statement.
But there it is. There is the reality that 13 debates, months of bickering and intrigue, and countless discussions with conservative brethren have brought me.
It is kind of a sad reality. Is this the best conservatives could do?
So here has been my calculation for who I would support, from the beginning. First, the candidate must be electable and able to defeat Barack Obama, both electorally and intellectually. Second, they must broaden the base of the Republican Party, both on the conservative and moderate sides. Third, they must be economically intelligent and have a pro-growth plan that will overturn the Obama economic disaster. And fourth, because of the Obama experiment, they must show some executive level experience.
If you look at our current crop of candidates, the Congressional candidates (Paul, Bachmann, Santorum) all lack significant executive experience. Newt Gingrich could be argued to have some executive experience as Speaker of the House, but that is stretching the definition to the breaking point.
I think all of our candidates have more of a pro-growth plan than Barack Obama.
As for broadening the base, this is the one I had the hardest time with. For example, Mitt Romney. He would definitely appeal to independents and moderates who like a milquetoast candidate. Could he broaden his conservative wing? I think he could, but that is a hard slog for him. Could Newt Gingrich, who has years of baggage and is relatively well known, broaden his likability among moderates? Doubtful. Can Rick Perry overcome his stumbles and convince non-conservatives that he is intelligent? Unlikely. In short, I am not sure any of our candidates significantly broaden the party.
As for electability, as time has gone on, it is clear that Paul, Bachmann, Santorum, and Cain would have great difficulty defeating Obama, both electorally and intellectually.
So after all of that angst, you are basically left with potential candidates Romney, Perry, and Gingrich.
But after Perry's stumble after stumble in the debates, I can see him getting torn apart by Barack Obama in debates, in a style reminiscent of what Reagan did to Mondale. I really wanted to like Perry, but he has never risen to the occasion. His brightest moment was when he presented his tax plan, and he never showed another policy initiative as grand. And he still appears more a caricature than the man that longtime supporters of him describe.
The best qualified candidate of the remaining opposition to Romney is Newt Gingrich. All things being equal, Gingrich would get my vote. But all things are not equal. Every time I think Gingrich can leave his past behind, something comes up. He cannot seem to keep his mouth out of the way of his campaign. And he has been on top for about a month, and I am already fatigued trying to defend every new story about him. I can't imagine what another year of this would feel like. Gingrich, ultimately, is a paper tiger. He is the most well spoken of the group, bar none. But is he really a conservative? Is he, for that matter, even more conservative than Mitt Romney? I am far from convinced of this. And ultimately, he was the decisive argument for me between the two: while Gingrich's sacrifice of conservative principles largely came while he was in his own think tank with no outside pressures whatsoever, Romney's betrayal came while surround by a horde of liberals looking to take a piece of him at every turn in the most liberal state government in the Union. It is not an excuse for sacrificing his conservative ideals, so much as an explanation that makes far more sense than Newt sitting on a bench with Nancy Pelosi.
It comes down to this. I have been waiting for the better part of 4 years for someone, anyone, to show me to be the standard bearer of the Conservative revolution initially started by Ronald Reagan 3 decades ago...and these group of candidates have failed. I was waiting for a Mike Pence, John Thune, even a Jeb Bush to step forward and take the helm. They all took a pass, for one reason or another. And so we are left with the current crop of candidates, despite all of our objections.
The last debate in December was a sort of epiphany. That epiphany was that none of the non-Romney candidates was going to turn into Ronald Reagan. Ever. Maybe this wasn't an epiphany so mach as facing up to the reality. Oh, sure, there are a few Perry fanatics and Bachmann lovers still out there. They will probably hold on until the California primary. But both have stumbled too many times, and too consistently, to be considered serious any more. Bachmann's Politifact nonsense from the last debate was the last string for me. As for Perry, if he was this good in debates in August and September, he would be the leader. But it just seems to be too little, too late. Too many missed opportunities, with too much of his buffoonery now baked into the social consciousness. Santorum has never made the sale. And Ron Paul is...Ron Paul. Fascinating on pure market economics and libertarian views, but he lives in an alternate universe on foreign affairs. Jon Huntsman is a non-entity.
Almost makes you wonder if Tim Pawlenty, who was my early leader, left the race way too early, no?
So we are left with Willard Mitt Romney.
I know. My friends that read here will say this is a sellout. Maybe it is. But logically, without any knee jerk reactions, I don't see any way around this. I have for months begged others and myself to come to a conclusion that is different. But I simply can't.
But here is, ultimately my logic.
I don't think many people will rationally argue that Romney is unelectable. He certainly is. His record as governor is admirable for one of the bluest states in the union, and he has been in politics long enough to be adequately vetted.
Romney would likely pull a lot of independent voters. My really concern is, would he broaden the conservative bloc? I am far from sure about this. My conservative brethren have a deep and well developed distaste for Romney, and I am unsure if Romney can overcome it. But I think ultimately, our hatred of Mr. Obama's liberal policies will unify the right.
Romneycare is the biggest hurdle. Will Romney really stand for states rights? I honestly believe he will. I don't think he will ever be the opponent to government health care we want, so don't even propose such a thought. But our goal is to end the mandate on a federal scale. I believe Romney will be an ally in this small, marginal victory.
Economically speaking, Romney actually is the most well spoken and practical of the bunch. Although he does not support more radical reforms in D.C. such as Paul Ryan's Medicare plan, he also has a more traditional approach put forward, which would do a lot of good in rolling back Obamanomics. Romney likely would support a more radical conservative agenda for the economy if we can show there are votes in Congress for such a plan.
Furthermore, Romney has really show increased maturity on the campaign trail over the past few months. What was a wooden caricature earlier in the year now shows some humor, fraility, and joviality. His recent Fox News Sunday interview with Chris Wallace showed a comfortable, relaxed, and human Mitt.
Last, and certainly not least, we found under George W. Bush that even a relatively well intentioned President needs to be reigned in by Congress. A Republican Congress failed to do that for Bush...it needs to learn its lesson, and keep Romney on a tight leash. Without that, no man sitting in the Oval Office can be trusted completely.
So, after all that explanation, I endorse Mitt Romney. I am not happy about it, and can't believe it has come to this. And I am sure a lot of my friends on the internet will wonder if I have lost my senses completely. But Romney is a good man, a better man than the one sitting in the Oval Office by far. And if he wins the nomination, it is time for Republicans unify, even if it is for this flawed candidate.
I’ve seen the Romney kind in parliamentary debate. You could ask him to take the opposite position, and he will do so without flinching. Good in a tournament, bad in a president.
You say you have been waiting for an alternative. Many of them have been chased out for the last four and one half years by Romney folk, starting with those picked up by the McCain campaign who started on Sarah Palin.
Supporting Romney at this time helps insure that these tactics will be used repeatedly, and then we can look forward to nothing except Romneys and worse in the future.
I know you have probably considered these points, as you are a thoughtful and valued poster here, but you finally forgot one crucial point that undoes all of the points you made:
Willard Mitt Romney is a bastard.
Let’s see...aside from Paul...who is a nut...any are acceptable.
Romney is the only one who developed a socialized healthcare plan, enacted it, and still supports it. There is no daylight between him and Zero. At least Zero knows what party he belongs in.
I have more respect for Zero voter than a Romney voter. At least they come by it honest. Most Romney supports are just closet liberals.
someone set us up the bomb
Romney is Obama in a different suit.
So I'll go with Extremely Disappointed...
Oh hell, why wait....
A reading from the Book of ZOT!
Far had I wandered across the vast realms of Midguard, my faith shaken, my will rent asunder. For all around me the fell plague of Stupidicus had infected a great swath of the chosen.
With each rising of the sun over Midgardian skies, another, then another once firm fellow Freeper flushed his and yes, her, Freepdom into the Great Porcelain Receptacle hidden in the dankest corner of the depths of Trollhenge.
Lo brethren, my faith had indeed flown yon furthest coop, for the minds of many false Freepers had so obviously overflown with Poop! And there seemed to be no end...It seemed that the fell plague of Stupidicus would wreak political genocide on us all. But then....
...Then the time long prophesied in the Book of ZOT!... the time of Zotnarok! was at hand!
And lo didith yon darkened clouds part and lo did the Rainbow Bridge appear in the ever-darkening skies! And upon his mighty eight-legged steed sat the Great Cat, his righteous anger inflamed!
And behind him stood the armies of the Lord thy Mod, like wisps of ethereal fire against the dark skies, largely unseen, yet omnipresent in their terrible and fearsome glory!
And behind them, the cutest and most loveable of all fuzzy forms of fearsome death, the Viking Kitties of legend! Mighty had their number grown! But with such awesome might did come a fearsome appetite for trollean flesh and the fetid guts of false Freepith!
And with a howl of might and fury did the Great Cat unleash the vengeful wrath of the Lord thy Mod! And in turn, didith he so command that the fuzzy force of fear and fortitude sail their longboats to the corners of the realm and wage war upon those who would support and follow the foolishness of those who had gathered under the twin false flags of the man of Myth and the Localized Leader of an invented people!
Brethren, as I sat atop my Pillar of Sorrow and looked down upon the unfolding carnage, my lost faith began to undergo a restoration, for I saw that many of the faithful had had verily just about as much false frothing of liberal lunacy as their well-burdened backs could bear. For so over-run had the realm become with fairweather flake ‘conservatives’ and outright liberal liars that the good people could take no more.
And lo, as predicted in the pages of the ancient tome so very long ago, the prophesied days had come! And as spakeith in leathery pages of yon tome, so too did the Great Cat hear the cries of his people!
JOY! Brethren! Joy had come upon us!
And so Zotnarok! began....
A lightning storm of biblical proportions rained down the Holy Amperage upon trollean heads, blasting BBQ’d bits and bytes of belligerent Paulite and Romneybot bottom to the beat of Thunder God’s song.
And lo brethren did they fit, fart, fume and fuss as great and mighty justice descend upon their bellicose bloviations! But there was no mercy to be had as the Kittith did gorge themselves on foul flesh, without the benefit of added salt or other condiments!
And the battle did rage for days! No sooner hadith the Lord thy Mod blessed one Mittbot with a high-voltage therapeutic treatment for the rectal-crainal inversion that has befallen them, would a Paulistia rise up to meet the sharpened claw and saber-tooth of a Viking Kitty!
And high upon an abattoir piled of besotted and broken bodies did stand the Great Cat himself, unbowed and unwilling to hear the mournful wails of those fallen fiends who had bitten at the paw of friendship and fortitude once offered them!
Verily my brethren, It would be my sheer joy to bring a close to this tale of might and woe right here and right now. But in truth, I cannot. For the tale remains ongoing. Even now, as the Great Cat leads his armies into the fell and drooling maw of liberalism on the homefront, do more and more once-fellow Freepith remove their scant cover of conservatism and come out of the political closet to expose fully their true orientation to us all!
And it is not pretty a thing to see.
Brethren, as the time of Zotnarok! transpires, be ever mindful, ever wary. For the end to this great battle is a vision too far along the horizon to see. Know ye’ one and all that despite the hordes of liberal filth laid bare and broken by the sword and staff of thine Kittith Kin, many more a troll remains hidden in the closet amongst us, not yet ready to openly flaunt his ‘Liberality’, but plotting evil, evermore to cause much dissension and strife among the faithful. Stand strong and wary, for they who hide in shadow await the time to strike back.
They are liberals. They lie. It’s what they do.
Book of ZOT!
Tales of the Time of Zotnarok!, Chapter 1, Verse 1-20
Normie – Wandering Druid of Trollhenge
Cult of Palin
Who’s gonna ping Jim? This guy dropped a huge stinking one, he’s roadkill.
LOL. So very true.
This Dole/McCain/Romney idea of “broadening the base” by moving to the Left never works. The Left will vote for Obama. We need to turn out the conservative majority. You are correct that Newt is under constant attack from the Left, but Romney will be also, if he becomes the nominee.
Man you have been busy ping. Got a dead one here!
The time to unite is AFTER the convention - especially when there isn’t a clear front-runner until then.
Let’s not forget that THE PEOPLE have yet to VOTE! Whatever the media and their talking heads say, they do NOT rule over us nor choose our public officials.
IBTZ!!
Lots of nasty responses here...
Understood though, I don’t care who the nominee is, they all stink, I’m going to vote for whomever the R is running against OhomO, don’t care if I have to hold my nose or not.
Your post reveals your intellect is about as shallow as a dry river.
And you demand a thoughtful response ?
I give children room to scream and be ....well, children.
I don’t engage them in reasoned and thoughtful conversation. They, you, are not capable of cogent thought.
Friggin Simians are not sentient beings.
Be off, like a dirty shirt ....
Your post reveals your intellect is about as shallow as a dry river.
And you demand a thoughtful response ?
I give children room to scream and be ....well, children.
I don’t engage them in reasoned and thoughtful conversation. They, you, are not capable of cogent thought.
Friggin Simians are not sentient beings.
Be off, like a dirty shirt ....
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