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Happy New Year? (Sowell on Republicans)
Creators Syndicate ^ | January 1, 2012 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 12/31/2012 8:49:15 AM PST by jazusamo

The beginning of a new year is often a time to look forward and look back. The way the future looks, I prefer to look back — and depend on my advanced age to spare me from having to deal with too much of the future.

If there are any awards to be given to anyone for what they did in 2012, one of those rewards should be for prophecy, if only because prophecies that turn out to be right are rare.

With that in mind, my choice for the prediction of the year award goes to Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal for his column of January 24, 2012 titled: "The GOP Deserves to Lose."

Despite reciting a litany of reasons why President Obama deserved to be booted out of the White House, Stephens said, "Let's just say right now what voters will be saying in November, once Barack Obama has been re-elected: Republicans deserve to lose."

To me, the Republican establishment is the 8th wonder of the world. How they can keep repeating the same mistakes for decades on end is beyond my ability to explain.

Bret Stephens said, back at the beginning of 2012, that Mitt Romney was one of the "hollow men," and that voters "usually prefer the man who stands for something."

Yet this is not just about Mitt Romney. He is only the latest in a long series of presidential candidates backed by a Republican establishment that seems convinced that ad hoc "moderation" is where it's at — no matter how many of their ad hoc moderates get beaten by even vulnerable, unknown or discredited Democrats.

Back in 1948, when Democratic Party splintered into three parties, each one with its own competing presidential candidate, Republican candidate Thomas E. Dewey was considered a shoo-in.

(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; republicans; sowell; thomassowell
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1 posted on 12/31/2012 8:49:28 AM PST by jazusamo
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To: abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
Happy New Year!!

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Thomas Sowell

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2 posted on 12/31/2012 8:52:08 AM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: KC_Lion; KeatsforFirstDog; Keith Brown; kellynch; Ken H; kilowhskey; Kitten1; koraz; K-oneTexas; ...
Happy New Year!!

Thomas Sowell Ping

3 posted on 12/31/2012 8:54:07 AM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: jazusamo

As usual Sowell is spot-on.


4 posted on 12/31/2012 9:12:31 AM PST by kjo (+)
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To: jazusamo
Look at the list of the last GOP candidates?
"Mitt" Romney
John M Bob Dole ("I'm Bob Dole")
George Bush (I and II)
... all downhill since Reagan. And even he was not supported by the GOP at first (he had to fight like hell to get the nomination)
But then again ... he was REAGAN~!!! The GOP Leaders wanted George Bush

Republican Party Presidential Primaries, 1980
United States
1976 ←
1980
→ 1984

  Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981.jpg George H. W. Bush, President of the United States, 1989 official portrait.jpg John Bayard Anderson.jpg
Nominee Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush John B. Anderson
Party Republican Republican Republican
Home state California Texas Illinois
States carried 44 6
(D.C., PR)
0
Popular vote 7,709,793 3,070,033 1,572,174
Percentage 59.79% 23.81% 12.19%

Republican presidential primary results, 1980.svg

Shading indicates level of support; darker colors signify a win by 60% or more, lighter colors show a plurality or bare majority.

Republican presidential candidate before election

Gerald Ford

Republican presidential candidate-elect

Ronald Reagan


5 posted on 12/31/2012 9:25:50 AM PST by Mr. K (There are lies, dammed lies, statistics, and democrap talking points.)
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To: jazusamo

Thanks for that jaz. We need to replace the Republican Chihuahua’s with some Rottweilers named Smith & Wesson to lead our pack.


6 posted on 12/31/2012 9:33:57 AM PST by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: jazusamo

“To me, the Republican establishment is the 8th wonder of the world. How they can keep repeating the same mistakes for decades on end is beyond my ability to explain.”

Okay, I’ll try. The Republican establishment, like the Democrat establishment is controlled by the same single entity. Sounds like a conspiracy? Sure does. But how else DO you explain the pitiful list of characters put at the top of the ticket...or Boehner as Speaker...


7 posted on 12/31/2012 9:37:09 AM PST by MarDav
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To: jazusamo

Good article, jaz, although I don’t totally blame Romney. I also blame the voters. Romney did not win over the “low-information” voters (aka, the stupid voters). Sowell’s point about Boehner/Republs not being able to articulate why what obama/dems are proposing is wrong is spot on.

Boehner et al should not be afraid to call out obama and what he is doing. He WANTS to go over the cliff. He wants the chaos. He wants the outcry that will ensue once peoples’ taxes go up.

The Repubs and Boehner should also not be afraid to call out the public that think it’s okay to rob wealth from some to “give” to others. The reeducation has to start somewhere. It won’t start in the schools. It might as well start in the public square. The Repubs are getting blamed no matter what happens. They might as well stand on conservative principles.


8 posted on 12/31/2012 9:40:55 AM PST by Girlene
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To: rockinqsranch
You've got that right my FRiend. The Chihuahua’s have been making a lot of noise but Rottweilers get the job done.
9 posted on 12/31/2012 9:40:55 AM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: Girlene
You're correct, until the establishment bunch is replaced with Conservatives/Repubs that will stand on conservative principles these fiasco's will keep repeating themselves.
10 posted on 12/31/2012 9:49:26 AM PST by jazusamo ("Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." -- Adam Smith)
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To: jazusamo

We need a conservative version of TED talks where we can get many voices on our side giving compelling lectures on a range of topics from our POV.

We have to stop depending on this little circle of celebrity commentators that are great at just making money (not that that’s a bad thing), and are not really suited to connect with far too many low-info voters.


11 posted on 12/31/2012 10:03:19 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: jazusamo

Good article by Dr. Sowell, except for his positive words about Marco Rubio.

Rubio is already angling toward the 2016 nomination (remind me again, what has he done in the Senate?), but the last thing we need is another “Conservative” opportunist.

One who is afraid to convey his respect for and support of Bible-believing Americans should not seek conservative support for a 2016 candidacy.


12 posted on 12/31/2012 10:16:43 AM PST by Perkalong (GOP 2012 = Whigs 1856)
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To: Girlene
Romney did not win over the “low-information” voters (aka, the stupid voters).

Considering how stupefied the stupid voters have become, I'm at a loss to name a single Republican candidate who could have done better than Romney. The stupid are led by the enemedia who tell them how to think and how to vote. I had high hopes the information available on the internet and competing news sources would see the power of the enemedia wane. Instead, 2012 saw it wax with the dilution of voter rolls with more stupid voters, more fraudulent voters and more racist voters who are unwilling and unable to think for themselves.

While I was not surprised by the GOP losses, I was dumbfounded by the extent of those losses, including Senate seats we should have easily won in states like Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota and Montana.

This is no longer our American government. It is a hostile occupation regime imposed on us by foreign invaders, malcontents and puppets of the enemedia.

13 posted on 12/31/2012 12:10:03 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Vigilanteman

Agreed and well said. It’s only getting worse (with the stupid voters). I’m at a loss as to how to change things in any significant way.


14 posted on 12/31/2012 1:32:42 PM PST by Girlene
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