Commentary On A Dying Party

Since the 2010 red tide, that allowed Republicans to capture the House of Representatives, and several state houses nationwide, there has been a definite sense of urgency driving these elected officials. Despite the claims that brought them to power regarding fiscal discipline, and job creation, what they have actually pursued is quite different. As if driven by the sound of a ticking clock, Republicans have concentrated their collective fire on the state and national level, on social issues. The very first thing they did when they took control of the House wasn't jobs legislation, it was abortion legislation. House Bills (HB)1, 2 and 3, all were attacks on abortion, and women's rights.


In states like Wisconsin, Ohio, and New Jersey Republican governors went after collective bargaining rights, and anti-union legislation. They pushed voter ID Laws meant to target students, the elderly, and the poor, not to correct voter fraud (which was their premise), but as an attempt to disenfranchise voters who overwhelmingly vote Democratic. In Virginia, a new bill was introduced that said women seeking an abortion, must be mandated to have a trans-vaginal ultra-sound. A procedure which is not only invasive, but medically unnecessary.

Presidential candidates have launched a full fledged attack on individual liberties, under the guise of protecting religious freedom. In debates, their audiences cheer letting people die if they don't have insurance, cheer touts of having executed 235 people, boo active duty soldiers who put their lives on the line for our country because they are gay, and boo questions that demand their views on contraception, when they are the ones making it an issue?

The one overwhelming constant in their messages is their inability to give any hope to Americans. It is always in terms of what will happen "If". It is consistently negative, consistently divisive, consistently fearful, consistently pitting one group against another. Whether it's immigrants, unions, the rich, the poor, minorities, gays, the elderly, and now even women. These are called wedge issues for most people, but for Republicans they ARE the issues. You can almost smell the panic of a party that has gone to far to the Right, and knows in a relatively short period of time, for most Americans, this kind of derisive politics isn't going to resonate much longer. The party has become to old, to white, to entrenched in the past, and hopelessly incapable of attracting new members in a rapidly changing and diverse America, that rejects their reactionary ideals outright. To Republicans I can only issue this warning, "That your party, your hate, and your fear, will die... with you.

Final Republican Debate Was A Dud

Well if you missed the 20th and, if there is a God, last Republican debate last night, you didn't miss a thing. The final four squared off in Arizona, with just five days to go until that states primary with Michigan next Tuesday. While there was no real winner, there was a loser, and that was Rick Santorum. Father Rick basically played dodge ball all night. He was off message most of the debate, and got hammered from all sides which put him on perpetual defense. His responses were basically long winded admissions that he did do things contrary to what he is now advocating, and to top it off, when asked for a one word description of himself he said "courage." Well, I'm not sure what type of courage he was referring to, but it certainly wasn't courage of conviction. In a nutshell, he proved himself to be the Washington insider Mitt Romney claims him to be. Add that to a hostile Arizona Republican audience, and Father Rick was probably thanking God when it was all over.

Mitt Romney probably scored highest on points, but still couldn't knock it out of the park. Ron Paul had what I thought was his best performance, and Newt Gingrich did his best to remain relevant. The two hours passed slowly, and really didn't provide any new insights into the minds of these four horseman of the apocalypse. It is a consistent theme put forward by these Republicans of negativity, fear, and gloom, and it has become stale and tiresome to listen to on its unending loop.

I found it interesting that it took 45 minutes for CNN's John King to get around to Father Ricks religious crusade, and even when the subject was broached, it was done by presenting it as a question from an online viewer. The question raised a chorus of boos from the conservative audience as expected, and centered solely on birth control. They all painted this horrifying vision of President Obama with his boot heal on the neck of religion across America. It was just more of the same old fear mongering for the rest of us, but red meat for the conservative base.

As for the number one issue in America, "Jobs", there wasn't a peep. If I was an independent and watched last night, I'd be asking myself, "This is what they have to offer?" As for the implications going into next Tuesday's big contests in Michigan and Arizona, I think it safe to say Romney has stopped the bleeding, at least for now. Santorum withered under fire last night, and may have given Romney a much needed boost in his home state. Recent polls have the Michigan contest in a statistical dead heat, but I would bet Romney's lead begins to widen in the next few days. The result of Father Rick's poor showing last night, coupled with a week of radical theological babble, that has establishment Republicans, Independents, and women all moving toward the isles. Yes I agree with the former Pennsylvania Senator, the devil has his eyes set on America, and his name is Rick Santorum.

A Commentary On A Rough Few Days

It would be remiss of me not to rise above all the bomb throwing that has been going on in the Republican nominating fight, and point out a few things. First, there is poor Mitt Romney. Who has turned into his own worst enemy, and frankly is so disheveled one cringes at what he might say next. His speech in Michigan last week is a perfect example, he said he liked the lakes, and cars, and that in Michigan all the trees are the right size. All the trees are the right size? Did he leave his prepared speech in the car that day? and if he did, is that the best he could come up with? Throw in a another one of his stirring off key renditions of America the Beautiful, and sideshow would be complete. Add to that fact, that one week out from his home state primary in Michigan, he is still trailing, yet closing the gap on Rick Santorum. Father Rick currently leads there by 4 points in the latest polling. Some would say Romney's ship hits the iceberg, should he lose Michigan. My take is, he has already hit the iceberg, Michigan will prove whether he can stay afloat, or starts going down by the head.

Then we have Rick Santorum who must be exhausted from carrying that huge cross on his back all weekend. He challenged the Presidents religion, compared him to Hitler, inferred Obama is a Muslim, made a general indictment of the American public school system, said birth control is bad for women and the country, and asserted women shouldn't be in combat situations because of all the emotions involved. Whew! I'm tired just listing it. That is a lot of shit shovelling for one weekend, even for Father Rick.

There was one other thing he mentioned that I wanted to focus on, and that is prenatal testing. Here is what Father Rick had to say, "One of the mandates is they require free prenatal testing in every insurance policy in America," Santorum, a conservative Roman Catholic, told a Christian Alliance luncheon in Columbus. "Why? Because it saves money in health care. Why? Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and therefore less care that has to be done, because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society." He added that the requirement was "another hidden message as to what President Obama thinks of those who are less able."

Now I don't know if that's true or not, the fact is I don't care. Obviously Father Rick is pro-life, anti-abortion, but here again he oversteps the mark to the point of being offensive. Again, if he wants to feed this kind of ardent pablum to the evangelical masses in his party, while independents and moderates run screaming from the building, I say go for it. Because for every 10 voters he fires up on the right, he loses 100 voters in the middle, and that is not a recipe for victory in November. Speaking directly to the issue itself, I can think of a no more difficult situation, or greater hardship for parents, than learning their child may have a defect inutero that would prove life altering. However, the last time I checked, despite countless attempts by the Right to undermine it, abortion is still legal in this country. What if those parents don't have the means to properly care for a special needs child? What if the pregnancy may endanger the mother in some way? What if for any number of reasons continuing that pregnancy was not an option? Is Rick Santorum going to pay the bills associated with such a child, or make the sacrifices needed to provide proper care? Of course not! But that's not even enough for him, he has to continue by linking the President to this most incredibly difficult decision, by saying this is what President Obama "...thinks of those who are less able." As if the President is making the decision for all those who find themselves in this wrenching position. It is despicable on its face, not just to raise the issue in this light, but to link it directly to President Obama. It is contemptible, presumptuous, and just one more, of a growing number of reasons why Father Rick should not become President.

Can Gingrich's Southern Strategy Hold Against Santorums Surge?

There hasn't been much talk about the most hated man in American politics, of course I speak of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The fact is since his big upset in South Carolina, Gingrich has had to settle for the bronze is most of the contests that have followed. So the question is can he capture the South, or as I affectionately call it, "The Bumpkin Belt", to remain a viable candidate in the ever changing Republican primary process? His first opportunity at some of these states won't happen until Super Tuesday March the 6th. His home state of Georgia is in play, as well as, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia. He stated over the weekend, any candidate who loses their home state would be put into a very compromised position. The reference was more about Mitt Romney's upcoming battle against Father Rick in Michigan, but made the overall point about him in Georgia, Santorum in Pennsylvania, and Ron Paul in Texas. So lets look at some numbers, and see how Gingrich's would be strategy is looking at the moment.



In Georgia:

Gingrich - 41%
Romney - 26%
Santorum - 16%
Paul - 6%

So it looks like, for the moment, Gingrich has a comfortable lead in his home state. Georgia is also the biggest delegate prize on Super Tuesday with 76, and would probably give Gingrich the will to fight another day. Mike Huckabee won the state in 2008.






In Oklahoma:

Santorum - 39%
Romney - 23%
Gingrich - 18%
Paul - 8%

It would appear here, Newt is headed for another bronze, trailing Father Rick by 21 points. John McCain won the state in 2008.






In Tennessee:

Santorum - 34%
Romney - 27%
Gingrich - 16%
Paul - 13%

Once more Newt looks headed for a third place finish, but there is still plenty of time for these numbers to change. In a race as fluid as this one, and with Father Rick doubling down on crazy this last weekend, anything is possible. Mike Huckabee won the state in 2008.







In Virginia:

Romney - 68%
Paul - 19%

Virginia is going to be a shoe in for Mitt Romney as neither Newt Gingrich, or Father Rick, got their paperwork in on time to make the ballot. So Romney can count on at least one state win Super Tuesday. I wonder if the trees are the right height in Virginia, like they are in Michigan? I guess we'll find out later. John McCain won here in 2008.

So looks like Gingrich is holding in Georgia, but faltering in the other southern states where he hoped to make a play. So the beat goes on, the next big event on the horizon is yet another Republican debate in Arizona, this coming Wednesday night at 8pm on CNN. So take a Xanex, or three, and settle in for a night of laughs and lies. Newt lost his debate mojo in Florida, we'll see if he can recapture the magic come Wednesday.