Iowa

[spence]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Isn't it more likely that different "Republican" candidates, as well as different Republican voters, have different views and are not all going to insist that candidates must "sign on the dotted line" for all the correct views?

I think this is the crux of the article.

Hell. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are running for the same slot!

The identity of the "conservative" is a much bigger tent than the identity of the "liberal" in American politics. Usually less than 20 percent of Americans would even self describe themselves as "liberals".

Compare the USA to other successful nations like Australia and most of our Democrats are to the "right" of their Right Wing!

Icons like Reagan wouldn't even be on the GOP primary ballot given the politics of today, yet he led in many ways (not all certainly) as a pragmatist.

There's ideology and there's leadership. The joke that is the Republican primary is all the proof necessary that the party doesn't seem to understand what it really wants.

Ultimately they'll settle on what the enthusiastic crowd sees as the least worst. Fortunately for all of us he's not a terrible choice...

I have confidence in the end we'll have a good race for the next POTUS.

-spence

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by spence

I think this is the crux of the article.

Hell. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are running for the same slot!

The identity of the "conservative" is a much bigger tent than the identity of the "liberal" in American politics. Usually less than 20 percent of Americans would even self describe themselves as "liberals".

Compare the USA to other successful nations like Australia and most of our Democrats are to the "right" of their Right Wing!

Icons like Reagan wouldn't even be on the GOP primary ballot given the politics of today, yet he led in many ways (not all certainly) as a pragmatist.

There's ideology and there's leadership. The joke that is the Republican primary is all the proof necessary that the party doesn't seem to understand what it really wants.

Ultimately they'll settle on what the enthusiastic crowd sees as the least worst. Fortunately for all of us he's not a terrible choice...

I have confidence in the end we'll have a good race for the next POTUS.

-spence

Sounds like you're confidently in the bag for status quo. But nobody seems to be satisfied with how it is. Down the same road regardless who, eh? If the election depends on the middle, the middle must be satisfied with the status quo (i guess that's sort of a definitionf of middle--status quo). Yet everybody bitches about the results--they keep on voting for the same middle and keep getting the same crappy results. Ain't that somebody's definition for insanity?

[spence]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Sounds like you're confidently in the bag for status quo. But nobody seems to be satisfied with how it is. Down the same road regardless who, eh? If the election depends on the middle, the middle must be satisfied with the status quo (i guess that's sort of a definitionf of middle--status quo). Yet everybody bitches about the results--they keep on voting for the same middle and keep getting the same crappy results. Ain't that somebody's definition for insanity?

No, we certainly need to address our structural issues. Both parties are in denial here IMHO.

Some real time stats just for you guys...My father just returned (minutes ago) from the Republican Caucus at the elementary school I attended. I'd note it's a mixed but relatively professional community.

Undecided 1
Huntsman 2
Bachmann 7
Perry 12
Gingrich 25
Paul 29
Santorum 39
Romney 84

-spence

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by spence

No, we certainly need to address our structural issues. Both parties are in denial here IMHO.

Some real time stats just for you guys...My father just returned (minutes ago) from the Republican Caucus at the elementary school I attended. I'd note it's a mixed but relatively professional community.

Undecided 1
Huntsman 2
Bachmann 7
Perry 12
Gingrich 25
Paul 29
Santorum 39
Romney 84

-spence

Seems like latest results have Romney and Santorum tied at 24% and Santorum is rising.

Structural issues . . . both parties in denial . . . duh, ain't that . . .like, the status quo?