THE MODERATE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE
There are some attributes that are standard equipment in the vehicle of GOP politics. Historically, no candidate from the Right has ever had a chance at the nomination, much less an election without embracing these concepts. They are the stock in trade of today’s Republicans too. Here’s a short list of the most obvious:
Strong Defense
If the military wants it, they get it. The defense industry gets first crack on the formation of our foreign policy.
Unbridled Capitalism
Any law that hinders or reins in commerce or banking is taboo.
Anti-Environment
There can be no legislation or movement towards regulating a clean environment.
Banking Butt Buddies
A GOP candidate has to be in bed with the FED and the major banks.
Tough on Drugs and Crime
Any drug that causes its user enjoyment must be made illegal. Criminals must be punished severely.
Capital Punishment
The “right to life” ends at birth.
Illegal Aliens
After all, it is illegal isn’t it? Immigration laws should be strictly enforced.
Big Brother Surveillance
American citizens are distrusted so much that the Bill of Rights and Constitution need to be thrown out with the baby’s bath water. We can only be safe when protected by an all-seeing surveillance state.
No Gun Control
The 2nd Amendment is sacred and weapons of any sort and quantity should be available to all of the American public regardless of religion, color, creed, mental state, or individuals on the terrorist watch list.
Although there are other issues floating about, the list above contains most of the major planks of a solid GOP platform. The big problem that the Republicans face this year is that the politician who has most embraced and executed these platform planks is Barrack Obama.
Defense
The 2012 $925 billion defense budget (not including any debt service on our previous exploits) is the largest ever and looks pretty generous to me. Obama didn’t want to leave Iraq. He was forced to pull the troops by the end of 2011 because of a treaty. A treaty signed by George Bush. Obama being forced from Iraq by a George Bush treaty contains no small amount of comic irony. Since taking office, this administration has added conflicts in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Obama’s Defense Dept. can’t wait to “shock and awe” Tehran. Not bad for a president who, “hates Israel.”
Capitalism
There has been no major legislation put forward by the Obama administration attempting to end corporate welfare and subsidies nor any laws restricting capital fleeing to tax-friendlier shores nor any push to penalize those companies who export jobs. Nor a single prosecution for bail-out fraud. Not bad for a “socialist.”
Anti-Environment
There has been no major legislation put forward to strengthen environmental laws. Less than two years after the BP ELECTION 2012 WTF?
Deep Horizon debacle, we are “drill baby drillin’” all over the gulf with new drilling permits issued almost daily. On a brighter note for consumers, the energy industry might be cutting their own throats with this fracking stuff. If permitted to do enough of it, people will be able to fill their gas tanks with their now-combustable tap water. Take that Exxon!
Banking
Just take one look at Obama’s cabinet officers and FED Chairman and ask how much more GOP can you get?
Drugs & Crime
Obama is shutting down pot clinics that were mandated legal by the states that passed laws. Another Tommy Chong bust would not be surprising. We have more folks going to jail than ever. The high-growth incarceration industry is doing it’s patriotic best to keep you safe from pot heads for only $27,000 a pop this year. This is Obama job creation at work.
Immigration
Obama has deported considerably more illegal aliens in each year of his presidency than any president in history. So far, each year breaks the previous year’s record.
Big Brother
With “strong reservations” the White House recently signed off on legislation that makes it legal to render or disappear U.S. citizens in the U.S. I’m sleeping better already.
Gun Control
No legislation has been put forward by Obama to curtail any gun rights. The BATF has been working fast and furiously by using tax payer dollars to help the gun industry arm the drug cartels. With End Times upon us, gun sales should set records this year.
Can you see the problem? Anyone looking for a moderate Republican won’t find one in the GOP – Obama has already staked out that turf and claimed it; leaving the Republicans with no maneuvering room – except further to the right and out of the mainstream.
It is almost seems like Obama and his minions/masters are running the GOP campaign. Or at least cheering them on. With primaries and caucuses well under way, it looks like we are down to three possible GOP candidates.
Mega multi-millionaire Mitt Romney, who, in 2010, paid a smaller percentage of his $21 million earnings than a dishwasher – a true American capitalist whose holdings are stashed away in the Caymans and numbered Swiss accounts is now the fore runner. Romney, as Bain Capital CEO, had a great record of creating jobs – in China. The Christian Right also has good reason to worry about his Mormon cult membership and un-Jesuslike magic underwear.
Next up is Newt Gingrich who cries, “foul!” when the press asks him about his marital infidelities. This is the same guy who spent two years, a $60 million investigation and his every waking hour pointing at Bill Clinton’s penis. It must be horribly painful for the Religious Right to pull the voting booth lever for this confessed serial adulterer who boasts of his “family values.” But don’t feel too bad, it will hurt just as much for a liberal to pull the Obama lever.
Ron Paul has the fatal political flaw of speaking to the truth repeatedly. He is consistent in his message and much of it has a common sense and populist ring to it. Although I label myself an independent, Dr. Paul is a candidate I would vote for – as would many more independents. Certainly not for his positions on social issues but his take on ending the FED and his foreign policy ideas offer real solutions to getting at the root of big problems. Ron Paul will be demonized and laughed off the stage any day now. The last thing either party or their controllers wants is a candidate who is honest and consistent.
WTF? (What The Frack)
Fracking is the practice of injecting a cocktail of trade-secret chemicals into geologic strata containing natural gas or oil. As this concoction is pumped into the ground under pressure, it “fractures” surrounding rock to free the natural gas.
Could there be any correlation between the 4.8 Richter scale earthquake in Karnes county last fall and the gas industry’s fracking? The epicenter of the quake was the Fashing Field, which has been worked since the 1950s, with minor earthquakes appearing since that time and this one breaking all records. South Texas has been fracked.
In some communities where fracking has been deployed recently, clean pure tap water has been transformed into a stinky and flammable liquid – unsafe for man or beast. The EPA is trucking water into some communities to provide potable water. This is a great example of corporate welfare. The energy industry fracks us, and the tax payers get to pick up the bill for cleaning up the mess.