2012 U.S. Presidential Election

[Heald]

I just saw Santorum being videoed saying to British journalists that the NHS and other social programs are the reason the British lost their empire. I really hope someone as hopelessly misinformed as this man doesn't reach the road to the White House (aside from his homophobic and anti-scientific views as well). Not that I'm promoting Britain's social programs, but they really aren't the reason why we lost our empire.

[Roy Karrde]

I just saw Santorum being videoed saying to British journalists that the NHS and other social programs are the reason the British lost their empire. I really hope someone as hopelessly misinformed as this man doesn't reach the road to the White House (aside from his homophobic and anti-scientific views as well). Not that I'm promoting Britain's social programs, but they really aren't the reason why we lost our empire.

I will say this with more certainty than almost any other political analysis. He will not win the Republican nomination. Not just because he doesn't have the ground game to match with everyone else. But because conservatives are already starting to turn on him, take this post from Eric Erickson at Red State.

Rick Santorum has some pent up issues with Jim DeMint.

Just a few weeks before DeMint stood for re-election on South Carolina’s ballot, Rick Santorum showed up in DeMint’s neighborood to tell everyone Jim DeMint was wrong on earmarks. “Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said the Constitution gives Congress control of the purse strings and that he supported earmarks for port deepening while a senator – the opposite of the position that DeMint is taking. But former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia said DeMint has shown “moral courage” in refusing to support any earmarks, including one that the State Ports Authority says is needed to study the deepening of Charleston Harbor.”

Santorum went on John King USA on CNN tonight and again defended earmarks claiming “Jim DeMint did it too” without acknowledging DeMint repented and has since led the fight against earmarks. When asked about what he may or may not have said about black welfare recipients, Santorum defended himself by claiming he got earmarks for a black community in Pennsylvania.

Get ready for conservatives to have to refight this critical fight against the gateway drug to big government spending.

It’s not just Rick Santorum knocking Jim DeMint (!!!) when not hiding behind DeMint to claim tea party bona fides, Santorum is also going to have trouble in South Carolina because of his voting record. He opposed National Right to Work legislation.

In the 104th Congress Sen. Santorum joined all Democrats and a minority of Republicans in voting to filibuster the bill S. 1788, the National Right to Work Act of 1995. (“On the Cloture Motion (motion to invoke cloture on motion to proceed to consider S.1788),” Senate Bill Clerk, Vote Number: 188, www.senate.gov, 7/10/1996)

During that same congressional session, Santorum also voted to retain the 1930s-era Davis-Bacon Act that forces taxpayers to pay union wages in government-funded construction and gives Big Labor an unfair advantage over non-union companies and workers (“On the Motion to Table (motion to table Kennedy Amendment No. 4031 to S.Amdt. 4000 to S.Con.Res. 57),” Senate Bill Clerk, Vote Number: 134, www.senate.gov, 5/22/1996)

Santorum supported Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey in 2004 helping Specter secure the nomination. Specter went on to cast the 60th vote for Obamacare and then lost, in 2010, to Pat Toomey. Toomey, now in the Senate, is con-sponsoring Jim DeMint’s National Right to Work legislation — the very legislation Rick Santorum filibustered.

Santorum being on the wrong side of National Right to Work and Jim DeMint will do him no favors in South Carolina.

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/0...outh-carolina/

This wont help him with the Tea Party or the Republican electorate at large, after having 8 years of a "Compassionate Conservative" that tried to justify big spending, I doubt the Republican party is willing to have another go at it.

[Dark Sage]

Know what I think?

I think that Romney, the most likely nominee, is the same position now that he was last time. He got the same amount of votes as he did last time, and more than likely, the same people voted for him. His agenda is basically the same, except that he's a little more focused on opposing Obama. Other than that, he's the same as before.

The difference is overall, he's the frontrunner, because the GOP simply does not have someone with as much appeal as McCain did this time around. The GOP has the second-best candidate this time because the best they had is no longer running. And that does not make things look good for the GOP.

I may be speaking too soon. Anything can happen between now and November. But still...

[Roy Karrde]

Know what I think?

I think that Romney, the most likely nominee, is the same position now that he was last time. He got the same amount of votes as he did last time, and more than likely, the same people voted for him. His agenda is basically the same, except that he's a little more focused on opposing Obama. Other than that, he's the same as before.

The difference is overall, he's the frontrunner, because the GOP simply does not have someone with as much appeal as McCain did this time around. The GOP has the second-best candidate this time because the best they had is no longer running. And that does not make things look good for the GOP.

I may be speaking too soon. Anything can happen between now and November. But still...

I dont see how you could think McCain was the best candidate. He believed that being a moderate in terms of being moderate on Immigration reform and such would help him with Hispanics when it did not. He was not in anyway handsome like Mitt or Obama. And the military service aspect doesn't matter to voters, unlike Romney's success plan for companies and the Olympic committee.

[Dark Sage]

Maybe I misspoke. McCain wasn't the "best" candidate. After all, he did some pretty dumb things. But he was the one that the most registered Republicans liked. (He won the nomination, didn't he?) Romney may be the frontrunner now, but he doesn't have the same appeal that McCain did last time.

[Roy Karrde]

Maybe I misspoke. McCain wasn't the "best" candidate. After all, he did some pretty dumb things. But he was the one that the most registered Republicans liked. (He won the nomination, didn't he?) Romney may be the frontrunner now, but he doesn't have the same appeal that McCain did last time.

Registered Republicans did not really like McCain, infact most hated him. The only reason he was able to win and not Romney was because A: Romney dropped out pretty early in the race. and B: Huckabee was able to split alot of the anti McCain votes with Romney.

You have to remember Republicans were not enthusiastic at all about voting for McCain the only reason they ended up becoming enthusiastic is because he brought on Sarah Palin as VP.

[Dark Sage]

Eh?

Maybe you recall I said he did a lot of dumb things... Most would agree that Palin was one of the dumbest.

[Asilynne]

I dont see how you could think McCain was the best candidate. He believed that being a moderate in terms of being moderate on Immigration reform and such would help him with Hispanics when it did not. He was not in anyway handsome like Mitt or Obama. And the military service aspect doesn't matter to voters, unlike Romney's success plan for companies and the Olympic committee.

Mitt isn't very handsome I have to say, Santorum is better looking as is his wife, however I sure hope how good a pres looks isn't a major factor in whether they get voted into office or not! (Then again, an acquaintence from high school did say she voted for Kerry/Edwards just because she thought Edwards was sexy *rolls eyes*)