Bachmann pulls out of race

[jasignhagj]

I think Romney is going to end up winning the race. I don't see Rick Perry lasting much longer. He may stay through SC, but I think he knows his chances are slim. Huntsman is pretty much out too, unless he can pull something off in NH on Tuesday. Gingrich needs to win big in SC if he wants a chance, but I can see him staying in the race longer because he can. Paul also needs a big win if he wants to stay viable. That leaves only Romney and Santorum, and I honestly can't see Santorum staying in the lead because his views are just ridiculous, and he could never beat Obama because no moderate would support him.

 

I'm looking forward to the debate on Saturday. Watching Romney and Gingrich go at each other should be amusing.

[PoorLepRecon]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Romney gets the nomination. I just really hope Santorum falls off quickly. I will not vote for that man.

 

 

I'm looking forward to the debate on Saturday. Watching Romney and Gingrich go at each other should be amusing.

 

 

I imagine gingrich's thinking during this next debate will be "If I'm going down, I'm taking Romney with me". It's been funny to watch them fight thus far.

[LunaticSoul]

I've been following this race for a while now, and I've got to say that the Republican party seems to be in a shambles. They don't know who they want, just as long as it isn't Mitt Romney. Romney and Paul are the only ones who've had consistent backing it seems. But I honestly can't see Ron Paul getting through, and Romney would most likely lose out to Obama. Santorum, Perry and Huntsman have no chance. Santorum has no funds and would never be able to challenge Obama, Perry is... Perry and unless Huntsman does amazing in New Hampshire and then keeps up that momentum... Well, he's still too similar to Romney. A Mormon with moderate Conservative beliefs. The Republicans need a "Not Romney" to rally around, so I suppose Santorum might do better than I expect, but Ron Paul is generally seen as a bit mad.

EDIT: And I completely forgot about Gingrich, but there's no way that he is gonna get anywhere.

[sarg1010]

Since this seems to be the main "political" thread, I thought I'd post this, just for laughs, and it wouldn't surprise me if it were actually true.

 

Obama Openly Asks Nation Why On Earth He Would Want To Serve For Another Term

 

As well as this.

[Zillah]

I really have no idea who to vote for in the primary. I don't like any of the Republicans. Especially Romney though he will likely end up being the one with the nomination. He just strikes me as the same luke warm, middle of the road kind of guy who will do pretty much nothing in office. We need someone with new (or maybe old) ideas. I think the republican base really wants someone who is truly conservative and yet dynamic to get behind and there just isn't anyone like that out there right now.

 

Regardless, the mess we are in has taken decades to get this bad and it is truly delusional to think that Obama or any Republican is going to be able to fix it in one term or perhaps even two. It is a long, hard road we are on and only an exceptional president and congress, and more so American people, who are willing to work hard and sacrifice are going to be able to fix it.

[sees_all1]

I've been following this race for a while now, and I've got to say that the Republican party seems to be in a shambles. They don't know who they want, just as long as it isn't Mitt Romney. Romney and Paul are the only ones who've had consistent backing it seems. But I honestly can't see Ron Paul getting through, and Romney would most likely lose out to Obama. Santorum, Perry and Huntsman have no chance. Santorum has no funds and would never be able to challenge Obama, Perry is... Perry and unless Huntsman does amazing in New Hampshire and then keeps up that momentum... Well, he's still too similar to Romney. A Mormon with moderate Conservative beliefs. The Republicans need a "Not Romney" to rally around, so I suppose Santorum might do better than I expect, but Ron Paul is generally seen as a bit mad.

EDIT: And I completely forgot about Gingrich, but there's no way that he is gonna get anywhere.

The Republican base is made up of two main wings - The Tea Party, whose main ideology is to be small government and fiscally conservative, and the Evangelical Christians, whose main ideology is to be socially conservative. A mainstream/establishment Republican usually has a hodgepodge of those two beliefs (usually the small government is the first to go).

 

[hide=Romney]The group with the biggest problem with Romney are the Evangelical Christians. They don't like Romney because he was too moderate on issues like abortion and gun control. They're the ones "seeking" someone else. The Tea Party has a big problem with RomneyCare, tax increases in Massachusetts, along with supporting Gun Control.

To Romney's defense, he was the governor of the super liberal Massachusetts. His legislature was 90% democrat. Even if he wanted to be conservative, the legislature would've overturned him on anything he veto'd.

Mainstream Republicans tend not to have any problem with Romney.[/hide]

 

[hide=Santorum]Right now, Santorum's biggest problem is that he doesn't have a very big establishment behind him. Until about two weeks ago, he polled about 1% nationally. Nobody knew who the heck he is, and many still don't. Of the three corners of the Republican party, the two groups that aren't behind him are the Tea Party and the establishment. The Tea Party's biggest problem with Santorum is that his history indicates that he doesn't support a strong border. The establishment doesn't think Santorum appears presidential, but otherwise wouldn't have much of a problem with his policies.

[/hide]

 

[hide=Gingrich]Gingrich's biggest problem is with the Tea Party. He appears to be a Washington insider, having "not-lobbied" Congress for ten years after he left Congress. The only thing more damning for him for appearing to be an insider is his global warming commercial he made with Nancy Pelosi.

Gingrich's second biggest problem is with the establishment Republicans. When he was voted out of his position as Speaker of the House, he burned too many bridges.

 

Also, for all groups, there were absolutely no Republicans that appreciated when Gingrich called Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare reform plan "right-wing social engineering".

[/hide]

 

I honestly don't think there are any more serious contenders for Republican Nominee. Ron Paul might appeal to the die-hard tea partier and libertarians everywhere, along with liberals, but his positions on foreign policy (what the Commander in Chief has most control over) alienate the establishment Republicans, while his positions on social issues (the ones that get so much support from college aged liberals everywhere) alienate the Evangelicals.

 

My best guess is that very soon it'll be Santorum versus Romney. As the "not Romney" candidates begin pulling out of the race, they'll be able to rally behind just one. Regardless, as "weak" as the Republican field appears to be right now, once Republicans have their candidate they will rally behind them. The best thing that can happen is a very long, drawn out race, with focus pointed squarely on Obama. That way Obama will be put between a rock and a hard place - tons of focus on his failings as president, while not being able to attack any primary contender for fear of losing his Presidential look.

[The Dark Lord]

His failings were because of the Republican Party.

[Furah]

Of course I'm very upset. However, us concerned citizens are the minority in the sea of ignorant [wagon]es.

 

It I had my own way, I would be living somewhere outside of the United States.

 

Wait, you're not going to vote, and then [bleep] about how the majority is a sea of ignorant [wagon]es? Clearly you know enough about the various candidates to decide you don't want to vote. Pick the one least likely to [bleep] up and vote for them. If nothing else, it shows that you won't stand for the ignorant to decide because they're the only ones to vote.

 

Always irritates me when people have freedom and won't even stand up for it because they don't think they'll win this fight.

[obfuscator]

Of course I'm very upset. However, us concerned citizens are the minority in the sea of ignorant [wagon]es.

 

It I had my own way, I would be living somewhere outside of the United States.

 

Wait, you're not going to vote, and then [bleep] about how the majority is a sea of ignorant [wagon]es? Clearly you know enough about the various candidates to decide you don't want to vote. Pick the one least likely to [bleep] up and vote for them. If nothing else, it shows that you won't stand for the ignorant to decide because they're the only ones to vote.

 

Always irritates me when people have freedom and won't even stand up for it because they don't think they'll win this fight.

Or you can spoil your ballot if you really feel all the candidates are that awful.

[Furah]

Of course I'm very upset. However, us concerned citizens are the minority in the sea of ignorant [wagon]es.

 

It I had my own way, I would be living somewhere outside of the United States.

 

Wait, you're not going to vote, and then [bleep] about how the majority is a sea of ignorant [wagon]es? Clearly you know enough about the various candidates to decide you don't want to vote. Pick the one least likely to [bleep] up and vote for them. If nothing else, it shows that you won't stand for the ignorant to decide because they're the only ones to vote.

 

Always irritates me when people have freedom and won't even stand up for it because they don't think they'll win this fight.

Or you can spoil your ballot if you really feel all the candidates are that awful.

 

It's why I love preferential voting second only to proportional representation (in which if 35% of votes are for Party A then Party A gets roughly 35% of the seats.) With preferential voting no matter what the outcome is then your vote has a say.

[The Dark Lord]

I like Ron Paul, but I doubt he'll be nominated.

 

Also, apparently ignoramuses are vital for the function of democracy, so a better definition of democracy should be:

 

Democracy noun di-ˈmä-krə-sē

 

1 a : government by idiots; especially : rule of the majority

b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in morons and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections