What Do I Look For In A GOP Candidate

By Semperpapa

Not that it really matters, but after watching some of the debates and reading and listening, I have formulated in my mind what I am really looking for in a GOP candidate to put my support behind.

None of the current candidates really excites me to the point to contribute my very limited financial resources to and even my time investment, so I am just sitting back and paying attention.

Eliminating the obvious candidates, like the Huntsman and Johnson and whoever else, those who are stealing the headlines these days are Romney, Perry, Backmann and Cain. Removing the obvious Ron Paul (please, we already have a delusional asshole in the White House, we don't need another!) I am really sorry that someone like Sen. Santorum is not mustering enough support from Conservatives. Is he the perfect candidate? Of course not, but I sort of respect his conservative stance on most issues. I really don't see that the Senator will be able to hang in there or that there could be a turnaround among American conservatives. Hope I am wrong, after all I was at the early stages of the 2008 campaign when I thought McCain was a goner and yet we were stuck with him as a candidate.

Mitt Romney, as polished as he can be, reminds me too much of someone like Mass. Sen. Scot Brown: a compromising-searching Republican who is way too compromising.
I am all for compromising as long as things get done. These days, unfortunately, compromising really means bowing to the demands of a liberal progressive establishment that has taken our Nation to the brink of destruction.

Rick Perry is a real disappointment, especially when it comes to his views on illegal aliens and, as a believer in the absolute necessity to get a hold on the illegal immigration issue, his stance is not much different than that of Bush. We have tried it their way and it has blown off right in our faces.

Michelle Bachmann has some potential good ideas, but I believe that she is not electable. Not sure that I can pinpoint the reason why, but the way I see it, she not only faces resistance from liberals, but it appears that the Republican establishment is rejecting her.

Herman Cain. I really want to like him. I think his story is somewhat representing the American Dream, but at the same time, as much as I can recognize his potential ability in the economic arena, I think that his lack of knowledge of international policy is a non starter.

I also would like to support Newt Gingrich, for the sole reason that he has a deep knowledge of history and of the ways the government works (or doesn't work), but I cannot remove from my head the vision of Newt sitting on the couch with Nancy Pelosi advertising the global warming bullshit.

So here I am, just as I was in 2008 only worst, terrified for my country. The re-election of the Thug-in-Chief Obama would be the end of our country as we know it. At the same time electing someone that would just perpetuate the mistakes of the past would not be a real improvement after all, just a slow down in the digging of our national grave.
A lot of hoopla is being made regarding the possibility of N.J. Gov. Chris Christie getting in the contest. I used to like the man. I liked the way he got in the union faces and did not let them bully him into submission. But that was just in New Jersey.
And his opposition to the 2nd Amendment is a definite non-starter for me. While progressives have accused Christie of being in the pockets of the NRA, the N.J. governor has extensively campaigned and supported the assault weapon ban and opposed the right of NJ citizens to obtain CCWs. Hardly a supporter of the Constitution.
New Jersey is way too close to New York, and the idiocy of someone like mayor Bloomberg has obviously spilled into the next-door state.
Besides the 2nd Amendment issue, there is also Christie's rejection of any measure having to be taken on illegal immigration. He opposed the Arizona immigration law and stated he does not consider illegal aliens as "illegal" but undocumented...WTH?
And what about Christie's refusal to have New Jersey join the law suit against Obamacare that many states have brought forward? So much for fiscal responsibility!

Ultimately, whoever will be selected by the people to oppose Obama in 2012 will get my vote, but I am once again frightened for our future as a constitutional republic. My hope had been for Amb. John Bolton, but it is not going to happen. And even Sarah Palin, if she is as smart as it appears, will sit this one out.

What I look for in a candidate is very simple.

• push to balance the budget by cutting spending,
• return to the Constitution in regard to government intrusion into our lives,
• remove strangling regulations upon American small businesses,
• end crony capitalism,
• shut democrats out of government,
• eliminate at least 50% of all government agencies,
• eliminate most entitlement programs,
• WIN the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by allowing the field commanders to actually do their jobs.
  

I know it's a tall order in the power crazy environment of Washington, but I still hold hope.

Just my thoughts!