Boss
Take a Memo:
Who will it be? Who will it be?
The left has been wanting to know since about a week after the last election. Within a few months, they were saying the GOP is finished because there was total disarray and no clear frontrunner. Well, here we are just a few months from the mid-terms, and still, there is no frontrunner. Oh my... time to panic! (not)
The GOP is going through an identity crisis at the moment. Part of the party wants to continue with moderate conservative policies while attempting to appeal to special interest voters like they see the left doing with success. They are convinced this is the only rational approach and failure to follow this course will be disastrous. Another part of the party wants a return to core constitutional conservative values, like we had under Reagan. They are also convinced any deviation will be catastrophic for the party. Last but not least is the libertarian wing who want to basically hijack the party and have it represent the libertarian philosophy.
So it's like a three-way tug of war going on, and anyone who has ever been in one of those knows, they can get pretty ugly. It's difficult to tell who is winning at any given moment, the different factions seem to have moments in the sun but then fade away as the other factions bring it on. It's clear that no single faction is strong enough to prevail at this time, so we continue to see this power struggle for the heart and soul of the GOP. This is what primaries are for.
After the mid-terms, I think we will start to see the serious contenders emerge. By this time next year, there will be a much clearer picture as to who is looking good and who is not making the cut. It will still not be decided, but the picture will be getting clearer. Ultimately, it will be up to the voters to decide which direction the GOP takes for 2016 and beyond.
That said, I have decided to go ahead and give my personal picks for the nominee. The caveat being, I have never successfully picked a candidate this far in advance, with the exception of Reagan. Most of the time, the person I pick is not even still on the ballot by the time my state casts it's vote. They've already dropped out of the race. Still, I shall press on in hopes that eventually people will listen to my opinion and nominate another Reagan again.
1. Ted Cruz. --Of all the Republicans who are able to carry the water for core conservative principles, none are more capable than Cruz. He is a lightning rod, the left will relentlessly bash him, but he has the smarts and the voice to meet the challenge. I'm confident he could hold his own in any debate with any democrat. Downside: He will be stereotyped and labeled as a far-right extremist whacko.
2. Ben Carson. --Here is someone outside the beltway who is not a politician, yet has the ability to articulate the core conservative message in a compelling way. I like what he says, I think he could do very well against any democrat in a debate, but his political prowess is clearly untested. Downside: No experience in politics.
3. Sarah Palin. --Yep, I said it! I think Palin would make an outstanding president. I also think Palin would blow the minds of every political pundit in America by doing MUCH better in the primaries than they expected. This woman has a huge following of loyal supporters. Downside: She's Sarah Palin.
These are my top three, and there are several more I could name, like Allen West or Condi Rice, but I don't think they have the political mojo to make it happen. Now for the list of candidates who I don't think the GOP should nominate, but who will likely be considered:
1. Rand Paul. --Up until a few months ago, I actually would have included him in my elite list above, but he has been trending ever so slightly toward liberal ideas and policies. The GOP simply does not win by trying to out-liberal the Libs.
2. Jeb Bush. --I keep hearing his name but I honestly don't think this nation needs or wants another President Bush. Maybe next century, a great-great grandchild of Herbert Walker could run and that would be enough time that people will have forgotten all the bad stuff about the Bush presidencies, but not in 2016... too soon.
3. Mitt Romney. --At first, I thought this must be a joke, but nope... the establishment elite of the GOP is all hot for Mitt again. In 2012, he lost to a guy who clearly should not have been re-elected.
4. Marco Rubio. --Like Rand Paul, Rubio would have probably made my short list a few months ago, but he has chosen to take sides with the Democrats too many times for my taste.
5. Rick Perry. --I don't know what it is, I like Perry as governor of Texas, I think he is a well-spoken conservative, but there is something about him that I just don't like. Perhaps it's like how some conservatives just don't like Sarah Palin?
So there you have it. My insights on the potential 2016 nominees for the GOP. I'm sure there is a lot of disagreement out there, and mind you, I haven't totally made up my own mind just yet. It's still very early to be setting anything in stone. One thing I will say is this; The GOP needs to stop playing the Liberal's game. Stop chasing around behind the Liberals saying, "but we're for that too!" You've got to find yourself ideologically first, then you have to articulate why you are better. Until that happens, you will continue to lose and lose badly to people who can play that game better.
The left has been wanting to know since about a week after the last election. Within a few months, they were saying the GOP is finished because there was total disarray and no clear frontrunner. Well, here we are just a few months from the mid-terms, and still, there is no frontrunner. Oh my... time to panic! (not)
The GOP is going through an identity crisis at the moment. Part of the party wants to continue with moderate conservative policies while attempting to appeal to special interest voters like they see the left doing with success. They are convinced this is the only rational approach and failure to follow this course will be disastrous. Another part of the party wants a return to core constitutional conservative values, like we had under Reagan. They are also convinced any deviation will be catastrophic for the party. Last but not least is the libertarian wing who want to basically hijack the party and have it represent the libertarian philosophy.
So it's like a three-way tug of war going on, and anyone who has ever been in one of those knows, they can get pretty ugly. It's difficult to tell who is winning at any given moment, the different factions seem to have moments in the sun but then fade away as the other factions bring it on. It's clear that no single faction is strong enough to prevail at this time, so we continue to see this power struggle for the heart and soul of the GOP. This is what primaries are for.
After the mid-terms, I think we will start to see the serious contenders emerge. By this time next year, there will be a much clearer picture as to who is looking good and who is not making the cut. It will still not be decided, but the picture will be getting clearer. Ultimately, it will be up to the voters to decide which direction the GOP takes for 2016 and beyond.
That said, I have decided to go ahead and give my personal picks for the nominee. The caveat being, I have never successfully picked a candidate this far in advance, with the exception of Reagan. Most of the time, the person I pick is not even still on the ballot by the time my state casts it's vote. They've already dropped out of the race. Still, I shall press on in hopes that eventually people will listen to my opinion and nominate another Reagan again.
1. Ted Cruz. --Of all the Republicans who are able to carry the water for core conservative principles, none are more capable than Cruz. He is a lightning rod, the left will relentlessly bash him, but he has the smarts and the voice to meet the challenge. I'm confident he could hold his own in any debate with any democrat. Downside: He will be stereotyped and labeled as a far-right extremist whacko.
2. Ben Carson. --Here is someone outside the beltway who is not a politician, yet has the ability to articulate the core conservative message in a compelling way. I like what he says, I think he could do very well against any democrat in a debate, but his political prowess is clearly untested. Downside: No experience in politics.
3. Sarah Palin. --Yep, I said it! I think Palin would make an outstanding president. I also think Palin would blow the minds of every political pundit in America by doing MUCH better in the primaries than they expected. This woman has a huge following of loyal supporters. Downside: She's Sarah Palin.
These are my top three, and there are several more I could name, like Allen West or Condi Rice, but I don't think they have the political mojo to make it happen. Now for the list of candidates who I don't think the GOP should nominate, but who will likely be considered:
1. Rand Paul. --Up until a few months ago, I actually would have included him in my elite list above, but he has been trending ever so slightly toward liberal ideas and policies. The GOP simply does not win by trying to out-liberal the Libs.
2. Jeb Bush. --I keep hearing his name but I honestly don't think this nation needs or wants another President Bush. Maybe next century, a great-great grandchild of Herbert Walker could run and that would be enough time that people will have forgotten all the bad stuff about the Bush presidencies, but not in 2016... too soon.
3. Mitt Romney. --At first, I thought this must be a joke, but nope... the establishment elite of the GOP is all hot for Mitt again. In 2012, he lost to a guy who clearly should not have been re-elected.
4. Marco Rubio. --Like Rand Paul, Rubio would have probably made my short list a few months ago, but he has chosen to take sides with the Democrats too many times for my taste.
5. Rick Perry. --I don't know what it is, I like Perry as governor of Texas, I think he is a well-spoken conservative, but there is something about him that I just don't like. Perhaps it's like how some conservatives just don't like Sarah Palin?
So there you have it. My insights on the potential 2016 nominees for the GOP. I'm sure there is a lot of disagreement out there, and mind you, I haven't totally made up my own mind just yet. It's still very early to be setting anything in stone. One thing I will say is this; The GOP needs to stop playing the Liberal's game. Stop chasing around behind the Liberals saying, "but we're for that too!" You've got to find yourself ideologically first, then you have to articulate why you are better. Until that happens, you will continue to lose and lose badly to people who can play that game better.
