PatsFanInVa

We aren't even close to the general election, but I'm finding one aspect of the primaries fascinating.

The Republican "mainstream" has taken extreme enough positions in the last 3 years, that the process of finding a candidate has a whole new energy.

Primary candidates always take shots at each other to satisfy the base. But the velocity of departure from the old Republican "center" is so high that nobody can be pure enough to get the nomination. Only the truly batsh1t crazy candidates can survive that aspect of the primary, and those guys, well, they say and do batsh1t crazy things (which are easily sniffed out and exposed.)

There are just too many things that can be cardinal sins for these guys. They have to contend w/the usual things: did you say something racist? Did you sleep with the wrong women?

But then they also have a whole new way to be disqualified: Did you once say something reasonable about health care? Were you too "moderate"?

There's a very slim sliver of real life experience you can have lived and be "good enough" for the Republican base this year. And they're tearing each other limb from limb.

They could well pull it together and beat Obama, but thus far the GOP primary dynamic strikes me as sui generis in the races I've observed.

PFnV

PatsFanInVa

This week: proof that newts are related to crocodiles (at the tear ducts)... Ron explains and explains and explains... somehow continues to slide... and for the first time since people tried to google him, Rick Santorum "surges from behind." Bachmann defections to Paul ("I like his sinking ship better,") put it all together, and what do you get? Romney, and he knows it... unless Sarah Palin decides ooooh well yanno, with a field this weak, you betcha my country needs me... unless she decides to heroically quit in the middle of the campaign...

A lot can happen in a year. But I'm not sure enough can happen in a positive way for the GOP to take the white house.

Worse yet, they've got a clearer and clearer Hobson's choice in Congress: If they continue to obstruct, they won't escape in November. If they don't, the economy will improve at a better pace, screwing up their "Wahhhh the economy didn't get better" platform.

A year out... the economy is improving, economic confidence is improving, and this is your Republican party.

Wish they'd move the election up - it's looking pretty good right about now.

PFnV

PatriotsReign

Economic conditions are still too fragile to declare, "the economy is improving". On the surface, it may appear to be improving, but I don't believe it has. Our unemployment rate hasn't changed for one. Oh, I know, the official numbers say different, but that's only because they stopped counting people.

Foreclosures are increasing once again and it will take several years to clear that mess. I heard last night to expect home values to decline another 5-10% in 2012 on average. So more people aren't working and homes really aren't being built other than multiple family dwellings.

And since the US economy is not self-sustaining, the pending deep recessions in Europe, China and Australia in 2012 aren't going to help.

__________________
"No one walking this earth knows what is truly righteous"

patsfan13

Whistling past the graveyard....

__________________
"Some guys play in all-star games, some guys don't. I don't know who picks all those all-star teams. In all honesty, I don't know who picks the combine, for that matter," Belichick said. "How does (Miami-Ohio offensive lineman Brandon) Brooks not get invited to the combine? How did Vollmer not get invited to the combine? I don't know. We can't really worry about that. We just have to try to evaluate them the best we can."

mcgraw_wv

Paul gained in every poll which was released this past week.

The CNN poll, which showed Romney winning, still showed an increase for Paul and CNN doesn't ask independants or Democrats which Are allowed to caucus, so they are polling in reality.

Ron Paul also moved up 2 points in NH in nearly all polls.

I know its your opinion, but Paul is still building.

Also, check out the stories about Kelly clarckson. She came out FOR Ron Paul, recieved a lot of hate, then the Ron Paul Army swung into action, her new record is up 833% in sales and is now #1 or #3 on Amazon, can't remember.

That's powerful, that's an organized minority passionate about people who are passionate about liberty. This movement will live on!

chicowalker

kind of like you pretending any of these bozos but Romney has a chance of beating Obama?

or have you given up on that after having your convictions shown to be empty through your unwillingness to put anything behind them?

(btw, who's your man now, since Cain fell apart?)

scout

Talk about denial. It's kind of funny watching these chain of events. The last poll I saw was Romney leading Paul by 3%. This gives Paul supporters some ray of hope, while most people see it as "anybody but Romney".

Ilikehappyppl

Man, I sure hope he get's the nod! I love that people are starting to wake up and starting to look and Paul as a real candidate! Like i've said before I don't agree with everything he says but the stuff I do agree with he's spot on.

I think Romney is a right-wing version of Obama so I really hope he doesn't get the nod cause he'll lose and prob loose bad....Don't want another 4 years of lies and crappy politics....I swear its just like having a 3rd term of Bush atm....its sucks!

__________________
America's present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution but restoration.
Warren G. Harding









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PatsFanInVa

Our economy's nowhere near out of the woods in terms of employment, however our indicators have been on the rise all year, particularly recently.

The comical part is, this is in the face of huge reductions in the numbers of state and local employees -- the job growth is all happening in the private sector. Part of the goal of public sector cuts is to artificially depress the economy further. But it hasn't been enough to keep America down, where the GOP wants America for electoral (and cheap labor) purposes.

I don't expect -- nor may it be the wisest thing to even hope -- that we're going to zoom through the ceiling in '12. I do think that barring a major event like an 08-style collapse in Europe, or possibly an equivalent debacle in China (though I think it's unlikely that would actually have the same effect on our recovery,) we'll be well under 8% and stably so by November. If it goes under 7%, fuggedaboutit... 4 more years.

Vacant housing is the lowest it's been since before the crash, PR. I don't think we've nearly worked through it to the point that a lot of new construction is about to pop up, but it will come.

The winner of the next election will almost certainly preside over some very good news in housing, all doomsaying aside. The difficulty is winning the damn thing, of course.

PFnV

Gainzo

I have been looking to change jobs since January (2011). I have had a few phone interviews since then but my phone and email have blown up over the last couple of months. I'm getting calls/emails from recruiters and company's.

The economy is back on track and that scares the crap out of the GOP.