The four Republicans most talked about for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016, and seen as Tea Party supported, all have made fatal errors that will destroy their Presidential bids!
Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan has called for cutting veterans medical benefits, at a time when there is a desperate need to spend more and do more for our dedicated veterans.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, already seen by many as not too bright upstairs, has changed his mind on voting restrictions laws in the states, first saying they were wrong (a sign of progress), and then reversing himself under attack from the Tea Party lunatics in his party.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio has become a climate change denier, and indicated religion wins over science, just as it becomes clear that Florida, and particularly his home city of Miami, is to become the biggest victim of climate change, and there are, already, signs of just that.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz caused the government shutdown that cost the government billions of dollars for absolutely nothing gained.
These men are all self destructive, and at the same time, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has self destructed because of scandal, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is doubtful about running.
While all these so called “front runners” are showing their warts, then we have former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman showing himself to look better and better, but the right wing of his party is totally ignoring him, because he has brains, intelligence, vision, experience, and all the other attributes needed in a future President.
Such is the disaster that is the 2014 GOP!
http://www.ontheissues.org/2012/Jon_Huntsman_Gun_Control.htm
After the interview, Huntsman’s campaign said the former governor “would absolutely” veto a weapons ban, and Huntsman immediately issued a statement to affirm it:
“Hugh, I clearly misunderstood your question regarding the assault weapons ban,” Huntsman wrote in an email to Hewitt. “I would absolutely veto the ban. I have always stood firmly for 2nd Amendment rights, and my record in Utah reflects it. With a name like ‘Huntsman’ it really goes without saying.”
Source: ABC News report on Hugh Hewitt interview , Jun 17, 2011
This news stuns me, as I thought Huntsman was wiser and would require some restrictions on assault weapons. So while he is still the only Republican I could consider, now the odds of my support of him are less, rather than more. But we must remember he is a Republican, not a Democrat! This is NOT good news in my mind!
Of course, competing in a GOP Presidential Primary will alter your beliefs.
I’m guessing Mr. Huntsman spoke his mind in the original interview and was later reminded that he was running in a Republican Primary where NO gun control legislation is acceptable.
That said, a Jon Huntsman presidency would be vastly different than a Joe Biden presidency; particularly considering the present ethos of the GOP.
Bob, please explain what you mean about the difference between a Joe Biden and Jon Huntsman Presidency! Thanks!
Good Morning Professor & Bob,
Was thinking this morning about the “hour long / one on one” conversation I had with Jack Kemp in 2005.
I was at a Bull Roast reelection fund raiser for then Congressman Wayne Gilchrest.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Gilchrest
I, and a couple of other good friends, quickly & handedly derailed the Conservative Republican primary challenger’s bid for moderate Republican Congressman Gilchrest’s seat that election year. For this, we were invited to this fund raiser and were at a seat of honor with Ex. Vice President Candidate Jack Kemp.
Long story short, I voiced my concerns and warnings back then to Jack Kemp of embracing the Reactionary Right segment and giving them the validafying voice of being welcomed within the Party. It was not what Jack wanted to hear, but I went on to tell him that the Republican Party had lost its way from what it once was.
The Republican Party once touted the “Golden Age of Freethought”.
This describes the socio-political movement promoting freethought that developed in the mid 19th-century United States.
“Freethought” is a philosophical position that holds that ideas and opinions should be based on science and reason, and not restricted by authority, tradition, or religion.
Instead voices representing the Republican Party, such as Rush Limbaugh and the clones, passing on the anti- intellectual, non-critical thinking, and “everyone must think alike” mandate. (If everybody is thinking alike….then somebody is not thinking. George S. Patton)
My prediction warning back then to Jack Kemp was that the Party will come to regret welcoming in the extreme segments that were the old Klansmen, John Birch Society, Extreme Religious Fanatics…in essence, what is known today as the “Tea Party”.
Jack’s mentality was that this segment was good to easily motivate and get active at election time. They were calling it, ” Whipping Up The Nut Jobs” among the Party Leaders. (Much like “Know Nothing Davy”)
Now latest news:
This current primary year, Karl Rove has spent 100’s of millions purging out the Tea Party members and challengers trying to bring back some semblance of mainstream conservatives being elected to Congress and Senate.
So in conclusion I could say, ” Told You So”.
Very interesting Engineer Of Knowledge. The GOP is now the polar opposite of Freethought.
~ As far as the differences in a Joe Biden or a Jon Huntsmen Presidency, my point was that in this age of extreme political polarization, (as Paul Krugman pointed out) we are now voting for a political party, not an individual, whether we know it or not.
John Boehner won’t bring up any legislation for vote unless the Tea Party membership goes along (with the rare exceptions where the GOP’s well-being is at stake, e.g., another government shutdown).
A newly elected Republican president would face enormous pressure not to raise taxes, place a true moderate on the Supreme Court or pass any gun control legislation.
The Tea Party hasn’t elected all of its chosen 2014 Senate candidates but it certainly has pushed the debate to the right. You just need to look at Thom Tillis’ victory in North Carolina to see that.
The 2016 GOP Presidential debate and eventually nominee will certainly be dominated by the Tea Party themes of anti-government, anti-science and tax cuts.
Hillary Clinton’s populist speech yesterday on inequality at the New America Foundation perhaps already shows how the increasing populism in the Democratic Party will affect its 2016 Presidential nominating debate.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-goes-populist
For a little humor.
If you like Bill Maher, this is pretty good.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-reads-some-steamy-soft-core-conservative-porn/
I also found this “Learn to Speak Benghazi” video to be rather fun.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/16/1299492/-Cartoon-Learn-to-Speak-Benghazi?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29#
Bob,
Thanks!! Loved both of them.
One more… Stephen Colbert on Karl Rove
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/16/1299757/-Stephen-Colbert-looks-at-Rove-s-smear-nbsp-against-nbsp-Hillary?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29#