The American Spectator : Jeb Ex Machina?

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Jeb Ex Machina?

By David Catron on 12.20.11 @ 6:09AM

Without emergency intervention, the GOP will hand the President a second term.

In a recent 60 Minutes interview, Barack Obama assessed his own Presidency in the following delusional terms: “I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln.” Fortunately, the voters have a firmer grasp on reality. More than half of the respondents to last week’s AP-GfK surveysaid the President should be voted out next November. Nonetheless, he may well win a second term. How? Obama obviously can’t run on his record, so his consiglieres will have to base his reelection campaign on a combination of demagoguery, personal vilification, and race-baiting. And it’s difficult to imagine a group of candidates more vulnerable to this line of attack than the top contenders for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

Newt Gingrich is, of course, the most vulnerable target. He has been on every side of every issue and has taken many positions that cannot be differentiated from those of the president. On health care alone he has publicly agreed with Obama on the individual mandate and government-subsidized end-of-life counseling. And, though Gingrich’s messy love life has little to do with his ability to lead, there isn’t the slightest possibility that Obama’s minions or the “news” media will allow the voters to forget about it. Finally, if he gets on the stage next to Obama during a debate, the voters will see an old, rich, white southerner with a condescending expression speaking in patronizing tones to the country’s first black president. It will be child’s play for Axelrod & Co. to portray Gingrich as an unprincipled, morally dubious racist.

Mitt Romney won’t fare any better. Like Gingrich, he has been all over the place on the issues and many of his positions mirror those of Obama. His biggest liability is Romneycare, of course, which will render him unable to credibly debate the president on one of the most important issues of the campaign. As to his personal life, Romney seems OK, but Obama’s media toadies will make much of his Mormonism. They will, as Ann Coulter has predicted, insinuate that he belongs to a bizarre and un-American cult. And, if Romney ends up on the debate stage beside Obama, the viewers will see a rich, white, Wall Street plutocrat lecturing the African-American son of a single mother about the virtues of capitalism and creative destruction. Obama’s minions will easily transform him into a combination of Jim Jones and Gordon Gekko.

Ron Paul is even more vulnerable than Gingrich and Romney. His claim to be the campaign’s man of principle notwithstanding, he has been no more consistent on the issues than they. He claims the mantle of libertarianism, but has supported government price fixing. He pronounces himself the sworn enemy of overspending, but never fails to line up with his fellow congressmen at the earmark trough. The credibility gap caused by such hypocrisy is exacerbated by occasional bouts with insanity. “Dr. No” has, among other things, compared Ronald Reagan to Josef Stalin and associated with 9-11 “truthers.” And then there are those mysteriousracist newsletters. On a debate stage with the President, he will look and behave like everyone’s crazy old uncle. Obama’s henchmen won’t need to anything but watch and rub their hands together.

The rest of the GOP field will never get the chance to face the attacks of Obama’s Chicago sleaze merchants. The best of this lot is Michele Bachmann. She’s far better on foreign policy than most expected and she’s been remarkably consistent on most domestic issues, including Obamacare. Moreover, as demonstrated during her recent debate performance, she’s not afraid to go after an opponent when he says something crazy (Ron Paul) or factually inaccurate (Newt Gingrich). For whatever reason, however, she can’t gain any real traction. Perry is also a good candidate, but has an uncanny knack for looking like a doofus. As to Rick Santorum, his irritating solipsism and incessant whining are lethal. And it’s hard to see the eyebrow-waggling study in pomposity known as Jon Huntsman surviving the cold Iowa caucuses.

All of this leaves us with a Republican nomination race featuring three front runners, none of whom has the slightest prayer of beating Obama in the general election, and a group of second-tier candidates who will soon be gone. It would seem, then, that the GOP’s only hope lies with some as yet undeclared candidate. And there are a few potential entrants who could theoretically enter the race this late and still have at least some hope of winning the nomination and beating Obama in the general election. This is, however, a very exclusive club. Its members do not include Gary Johnson, Sarah Palin or Donald Trump. Its only card-carrying members are Paul Ryan, Bobby Jindal, Marco Rubio, and Jeb Bush. In fact, if we’re going to be realistic about this thing, only the last would have any real chance of going the distance.

There are some observers with a great deal of hands-on political experience who have argued that the voters are just not ready “to return to the Bush leagues.” This may well be the “smart” position, and it may even be correct. But it ignores a growing desire among the electorate to find any plausible replacement for Obama and, more importantly, the purely pragmatic question of money. Jeb Bush is probably the only Republican in the country with the name recognition and connections required to raise the kind of cash it will take to compete with an incumbent whose 2012 war chest will likely contain $1 billion, not including union money. Ryan, Jindal, and Rubio are good men. But, even if they could be talked into running, they wouldn’t have a hope of raising such sums after entering the race this late.

There is no guarantee, of course, that Bush would suffer himself to be lowered onto the political stage in order to resolve the ridiculous plot dilemma the Republicans have written for themselves. He is well-endowed with good sense, and might run for the hills upon learning that a “draft Jeb” movement was afoot. On the other hand, his column in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal has the tone of a man who might listen if the idea were pitched in the right way by the right people. And he may well be the GOP’s only hope. Thus, the wisdom of political veterans andHorace notwithstanding, the Republican Party would be wise to get busy attaching him to the block and tackle.

About the Author

David Catron is a health care revenue cycle expert who has spent more than twenty years working for and consulting with hospitals and medical practices. He has an MBA from the University of Georgia and blogs at Health Care BS.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (171) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

c. j. acworth| 12.20.11 @ 6:41AM

Jeb Bush has name recognition, alright. Can we get him to change his last name to Smith?

Timothy L. Pennell| 12.20.11 @ 9:15AM

Why does everybody wanna think bad thoughts? Do you really think that this guy is gonna be a problem? I'm talking about OBAMA. Read the Tea Leaves.

Barney Frank ABANDONED SHIP, like the Rat that he is. Why? Because of "Redistricting"? If you believe that, I've got a Gay Wh*re House in Barney Franks D.C. Apartment for sale.

Tell me what he's done, that ANYONE wants 4 More Years of. Anything. People get tired of not working. They get tired, then they get bored, then they get frustrated, then they buy Guns.

We're not stupid. We look in our Kids' faces and we see our Greatest Possessions. We want them to be Happy, and Healthy, and to do better than we did. Then, we look at this Alien Creature, and we realize that they are losing their Futures, right before our eyes, as this THING, jets off on ANOTHER $4Million Vacation to Hawaii, unaffected by our uncertainties concerning the Money for Heating Oil. He and his Wife, jet off in TWO JUMBO JETS, for 17 Days on the Sun Drenched Beaches of Hawaii, while letting it be known that, the rest of us, better start getting used to SACRIFICING, in the name of THE STATE.

Record Unemployment, Record Foreclosures, Record Number of Homes Under Water, Record Number of Bankruptcies, Bank Failures, Homelessness, Suicides, people living at, or BELOW, the Poverty Line, a Record Number of Americans on Food Stamps, and a DOWNGRADE of our Credit Rating, for the 1st time in our History. And want us all to pull our hair out, because we don't have JESUS, to run against him?

I've got a CRAP STAIN, in my Underwear, that could beat him in NOVEMBER. And so does everybody else.

We have nothing to Fear, but Fear itself.
Spoken by a Progressive Dirtbag, but Today? The Shoe Fits.

You my advice?

Santorum/Bachmann. They're the only two CONSERVATIVES in the Bunch. No Baggage. Two Good Americans. Pennsylvania. Minnesota.

"Don't be afraid. You can do it."
STEVE JOBS

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:02AM

Santorum/Bachmann....No Baggage.

Huh?

Santorum would be mashed in a historic rout and Bachmann would likely be stashed away in some undisclosed location for the balance of the campaign to save her from her mouth.
I'll grant Santorum has a thin con record, but Bachmann has zero, just jingoisms from the TP fantasy book series. As a sitting rep, where is her POV on the current GOP-conjured impasse?
If you prefer cheap shots from the nosebleeds as your chosen candidate, then we will be left with another BHO.

Timothy L. Pennell| 12.20.11 @ 10:05AM

Really? By whom, exactly? HIS RECORD will be the end of him. We've already seen his CHANGE. And it has left us with NO HOPE for the future.

Now, run along. Time for your Kool-Aide.

Quartermaster| 12.20.11 @ 6:25PM

If only that were the case.

Reading the raving comments from the leftist faux-conservatives I've seen on this site for the last few weeks tells me very bad things. Frankly, I'm looking for the GOP to pull defeat from the jaws of victory again. There are simply too many idiots, here and elsewhere, to ever elect anyone with half a brain.

Sorry for you fever swamp "Conservatives" but you'd better prepare for another 4 for the Obummer, and you will richly deserve him.

Becka James| 12.20.11 @ 6:55PM

Thanks for your high and mighty last sentence, but let me remind you - WE aren't only going to get Obama. So are the rest of you. And people like YOU are the reason. You putz.

emo| 12.20.11 @ 8:38PM

Mark my words Obama WILL win and win big.

My prediction 54-43. Romney does worse than McCain. Obama adds GA, AZ, MO and MT for a total of 399 EVs and crushes GOP when he wins IN and NC for a second time.

Not only that, the Dems will win 40-50 House seats and 1 Senate seat. The GOP will lose seats in MA, AZ and NV and will pick up ND and NE. VA, MT, FL, MO will be won by the Dems.

2012 wont be 1996. 1996 was a status quo election, 2012 isnt. Millions of Clinton voters voted for GOP congressional candidates. Anyone think that Obama minions will vote GOP for congress. The national congressional popular vote will fall within 1% of the Presidential popular vote.

When the GOP loses big, the Establishment will once again blame the Tea Party and proclaim that in 2016, the GOP candidate must move further to the center. Pundits will agree.

Come Jan 2013, the Dem Senate with a 55-45 majority, will repeal the filibuster making way for:
1. Card Check
2. Amnesty
3. Cap and Trade
4. 45% top marginal tax rate on those earning over 250k
5. $1.5 trillion in new stimulus to lower the unemployment to 5% and ongoing stimulus until it gets there.

By Dec 2013, the USA will be transformed into a European socialist welfare state, from which it will never return. Any GOP victory in 2014 or 2016 will be moot.

emo| 12.20.11 @ 8:41PM

PS Romney and Ted Cruz will win TX, but the margin will be much much closer than anyone predicted giving the RATs great hope in 2016 of carrying the state and permanently shutting the GOP out of the White House

James Douglass | 12.22.11 @ 2:04PM

EMO - That is about a scary a picture as could be painted. However, I have liberal democrat family all over the country that drank the kool-aid last time that are NOT voting at all in 2012. They know that anyone other than BHO will be better for them and their families.
Hell, I would change my party affiliation to vote for Hillary in a primary against BHO
James Douglass
Garden City, Kansas

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:24PM

Bachmann, G-d Bless her, is better on foreign policy than the other Republicans because she knows first hand the dangers of militant Islam---she worked on a kibbutz as a teen.

She also is a tax lawyer and a firebrand on the budget. Love that woman.

russel| 12.20.11 @ 10:59AM

I agree about the author - another one looking for something to pen . Poll this , poll that . Bah #1 . So many skeletons to drag out . Bah # 2 . If anyone would know , Dick Morris said yest . that thanks to these scrutinous debates and a media that has done its dirty work , nothing much has gone unsaid i,e, , no Oct. surprise . Yes , Tim , we're not stupid , even the independents . Nothing to see here , move on .

SpiralArchitect| 12.20.11 @ 5:19PM

Christ Bush would not win a POTUS election. The nation is bushed. Me, well, I would vote for a ham sandwich over Zero's marh to a totalitarian regeim.

The Bruce| 12.21.11 @ 1:28AM

Ya gotta love Bachmann. She's part of the "vaccines make you mentally retarded" and/or "vaccines give you cancer/ADD/ADHD/Autism" camp. She bases these "facts" on some anecdotal "evidence" she heard from some mother or something she read on the Internet.

And people wonder why she's accused by her opponents of "making stuff up?"

She's solid in the morals department, but I can't help but think of her as a loon in every other department.

mcr| 12.20.11 @ 6:50AM

You're kidding right? I can see it now Obama vs. Bush.....yeah that will work out real well.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:04AM

They're not kidding. They are panicking, as usual.

When the Koch's cynically trotted out Cain as their antidote for the white-guilt of Reagan dems, the game was over before it started.

Now they are going to the trough again.

Vern Crisler | 12.20.11 @ 5:55PM

The problem with a Jeb Bush candidacy is his last name. There's more baggage with that name than anything Newt would have going up against Obama.

And why so glum about Newt's chances in defeating Obama? I think people have Obama fatigue right now, and want to see a new face running the country for a while.

Pevensie| 12.20.11 @ 6:52AM

I just want to point out that Ron Paul's earmarks are not hypocrisy. He believes that Congress has responsibility to earmark; otherwise it leaves the decsions on spending the money allocated by the bill up to the Executive branch. He doesn't vote for the wasteful bills even though they are earmarked. It's like this: You and your friends have someone that is need of help and so you pool money together to help them. Your friends decide they want to buy a gift, but you just want to give them the cash because that is what will help them the best. You are overruled by your friends, so the next best thing is to help pick what gift they buy with the money.

L. Ross| 12.20.11 @ 7:05AM

Dr. Paul has the most enthusiastic supporters. The backers of any candidate are willing to forgive much, but Paul supporters appear to believe that Dr. Paul, like Christ, is without sin and has no need of forgiveness.

Pevensie| 12.20.11 @ 8:23AM

He has faults, like all of the candidates; but the consistency is a major strong point for Ron Paul. The earmark thing has been referenced as a possible inconsistency many times, and it is often misunderstood. Since earmarks are a way to direct how money is spent, and not a request for additional spending, it's not inconsistent with his anti overspending stance.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:11AM

Not at all. He's been in congress for 24 odd years. He should be the chairman of the budget committee if he truly believed in more than potshots from the fringe. His own party has discarded him as another Kucinich. He has zero interest in governing, and his protest campaign has the makings of another Perot that will hand a marginal candidate like BHO another term.

His grenades about the Fed and Gold are interesting academic ideas, but their ships sailed a long time ago. I want to know what he would do to govern the next four years without the windmill tilts. He won't articulate it, so we need to move on.

Pevensie| 12.20.11 @ 1:33PM

I think we need a little less governing at the Federal level. “I would be a different kind of president. I wouldn’t be looking for more power. Everybody wants to be a powerful executive and run things. I as president wouldn’t want to run the world. I don’t want to police individual activities and their lifestyle. I don’t want to run the economy.” - Ron Paul

Ron Paul has a much stronger organization and grassroots support than Ross Perot. Ron Paul's campaign is funded almost entirely by his supporters. He has more experience running than Ross Perot did, as well. He would have a great shot of picking up Electoral Votes as a third party candidate, and it would probably at least prevent Obama from getting 270 Electoral Votes. If the election is decided in the House, it would probably go to the Republican candidate. Then again, Ron Paul could win it outright.

Nunya| 12.20.11 @ 3:59PM

What are Ron Paul's accomplishments after being in the House for 27 years? I don't know of a single piece of significant legislation that he initiated or sponsored, but he's not my Congresscritter.
That being said, I've said before that I will never vote for another Bush, ever. I thought Bush was a conservative and I voted for him. I was wrong. I thought W was a conservative, and I was wrong again (shame on me). The Bush family are a bunch of big government globalists, and I won't vote for another one in my lifetime.

Pevensie| 12.20.11 @ 4:31PM

There is plenty as far as legislation goes. This is from Wikipedia:

Paul authors more bills than the average representative, such as those that impose term limits, or abolish the income tax[86] or the Federal Reserve; many do not escape committee review. He has written successful legislation to prevent eminent domain seizure of a church in New York, and a bill transferring ownership of the Lake Texana dam project from the federal government to Texas. By amending other legislation, he has helped prohibit funding for national identification numbers, funding for federal teacher certification,[17] International Criminal Court jurisdiction over the U.S. military, American participation with any U.N. global tax, and surveillance of peaceful First Amendment activities by citizens.[87]

During March 2001, Paul introduced a bill to repeal the 1973 War Powers Resolution (WPR) and reinstate the process of formal declaration of war by Congress.[88] Later during 2001, Paul voted to authorize the president, pursuant to WPR, to respond to those responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks.[89] He also introduced "Sunlight Rule" legislation, which requires lawmakers to take enough time to read bills before voting on them,[90] after the Patriot Act was passed within 24 hours of its introduction. Paul was one of six Republicans to vote against the Iraq War Resolution, and (with Oregon representative Peter DeFazio) sponsored a resolution to repeal the war authorization during February 2003. Paul's speech, 35 "Questions That Won't Be Asked About Iraq,"[91] was translated and published in German, French, Russian, Italian, and Swiss periodicals before the Iraq War began.[82]

Paul says his fellow members of Congress have increased government spending by 75 percent during the presidency of George W. Bush.[92] After a 2005 bill was touted as "slashing" government waste, Paul wrote that it decreased spending by a fraction of one percent and that "Congress couldn't slash spending if the members' lives depended on it."[93] He said that during three years he had voted against more than 700 bills intended to expand government.[94]

Paul has introduced several bills to apply tax credits to education, including credits for parental spending on public, private, or homeschool students (Family Education Freedom Act); for salaries for all K–12 teachers, librarians, counselors, and other school personnel; and for donations to scholarships or to benefit academics (Education Improvement Tax Cut Act).[95] In accord with his political opinions, he has also introduced the Sanctity of Life Act, the We the People Act, and the American Freedom Agenda Act.[96]

During June 2011, Paul co-sponsored a bill with U.S. Representative Barney Frank that is intended to end the federal prohibition of marijuana.[97

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:27PM

Canuck: I don't normally agree with you on a lot of things, but Paul's legislative accomplishments have been zip. I don't think he has ever written a bill that passed. On foreign policy, he usually is on the wrong side of the 400-6 votes.

A problem with not wanting to use power is that the world would be a much more savage and vicious place without America. The vacuum will be filled, and in a very bad way. Paul will make life on Earth dramatically worse.

Brubaker| 12.20.11 @ 3:33PM

There is abundant reason to believe that many Ron Paul "supporters" are not Republicans and would not vote for him in a general election. Personally, I just cannot imagine him being elected.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 9:55AM

Pevensie,

I'm no Paul supporter (for President - I like him otherwise), but I agree with him on this issue.

There are two flavours of earmarks: the pork being larded onto pet projects and directed spending on programs (defense projects, e.g). Unfortunately, they are almost uniformly viewed as the former.

An earmark is nothing more than Congress telling the Executive how the money is to spent. Congress is responsible for the purse. In principle, EVERYTHING should be earmarked. The alternative is for the Executive to reallocate budgets to suit his preferences.

It's a lot of work for Congress so they delegate. It's much easier just to dip your fingers into the cash box and move a little cash to a crony.

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 12.20.11 @ 7:14AM

The concept of Romney and cults won't work against Romney because it didn't work against Obama who belonged to an anti-White anti-American cult. Most people do not hold one's religion against them.

As far as Romney care it's a state, not a federal program. It's still working and has many differences from the federal program, the greateset of which is that health insurance companies are not told that they have to spend 85% of the premiums on health care. That figure will bankrupt insurance companies and insure single payer.

As far as the candidates being white, the public is sick of the race card and Obama will be judged on his merits.

What are his merits? He's a wacko environmentalist which as cost the private sector a million jobs while supporting non-sustainable business models like Solyndra.

Unemployment is more serious than it appears, more realistically pushing numbers close to 11% for the general population and 16% for minorities.

Housing is still in the dumps and the Obama stimulus is a known loser.

Those are the differences the Republican candidate can run on and run to the White House.

A majority of American voters see Obama for what he is, a one dimensional fad, whose time has come and gone.

As far as Jeb Bush he's another amnesty pusher and if he's for amnesty there's a liberal streak in him wider than his brothers. No thanks!

scotchieguy| 12.20.11 @ 4:10PM

The column was pretty pessimistic, but the one thing we have in our favor is the knowledge that, as Mark Levin put it, history will judge Obama as a mistake, an accident. It happens every once in a while. We needed a Buchanan to get a Lincoln. We needed a Carter to get a Reagan. As much as the left, with the help of the MSM, will try their damndest to completely demonize whomever we nominate, the American people just aren't that stupid. They may not admit buyer's remorse now, but they may when they vote.

SpiralArchitect| 12.20.11 @ 6:15PM

The political affiliation of the dead (voters) leans far to the left.

Corruption matters. Don't kid yourself.

$1,ooo,ooo,ooo matters. Don't kid yourself.

Keystone pipeline, why not?

A very large base of free campaigners/canvassers will not assist Zero in his '12 totalitarian bid if he allows the pipeline to live. They are an eco group that knows how evil mankind & his quest for energy is.

How current are you on some of the recent legislation & XO's created by zero. A power grab would be very possible. This is a POTUS that has produced 4 diferent birth certs with 2 dif SSN's already.

There is not much that can stop this Marxist from total control of America.

Silver Bullet| 12.20.11 @ 7:15AM

Sometimes voters' expectations about a candidate can be self-fulfilling, and self-defeating. How many voters at the Florida straw poll went in wanting to vote for Cain but later said that they simply weren't sure he could win?

"Dress for success" in politics could be "Look like a winner in order to be a winner." Think of Reagan's "I'm paying for this microphone!" take-charge attitude. Why did people respond, ever so briefly, to Chris Christie? Because it's obvious he doesn't suffer fools gladly, or at least people whom he believes to be fools. Why did people respond to Herman Cain, until the doubts were sown regarding his alleged harassment? Even Romney benefits from this sort of "We want a winner" approach -- his Ken-doll looks and calm persona allow a kind of voter's Rorschach view of him as being a "successful" guy. In Romney's case, the Rorschach projection onto him is, in fact, an illusion. (Of course, the same was true of Obama in 2008.)

We do genuinely need a kind of "man's man" with the no-nonsense persona of John Wayne to saunter into Dodge City and face down the bad guys.

And, so, I can't help but think of Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio -- both of whom have not hesitated to tell the President off. Jindal is not as well known nationally, but he, too, stared down the Administration when the BP oil spill threatened Louisiana's coastline; and all the bureaucrats in Washington were twiddling their thumbs.

Of the candidates in the running, I think that Santorum and Bachmann would be excellent choices. Santorum does have a bit of an issue in how he comes across; but the substance is there, for real. And I don't think he'd be milque-toast in running a campaign. Ditto for Bachmann.

JeffK| 12.20.11 @ 7:21AM

Only initial reactions of us conservative political animals are indicative of how a candidate will play in the general election, not our rationalized self-sell jobs like your article. Here were my initial gut reactions:

Romney = meh + albatross
Gingrich = bad joke
Santorum = who?
Bachman = Sarah
Paul= tinfoil
Cain= rank amateur
Perry = Bush clone
and now, a genuine Bush = poison

If you need to draft anyone, drag Pawlenty back into this thing. My initial impression of him = anybody but Obama.

benny havens| 12.20.11 @ 7:57AM

There is a fresh new candidate on the horizon. I’ve heard him speak and I like his views. He is for small government, low taxes and a strong military. He wants to end the FED, control spending and will only appoint judges that will follow the Constitution. He wants to realign entitlements and keep grandma from getting pushed over the cliff. He has stated that his foreign policy will include telling the UN and NATO to go pound sand. And no more free handouts. His name is Paul Newtmitt.

bill| 12.20.11 @ 8:40AM

Rick Perry is no Bush clone.

He has charisma and leadership.

Without Rick Perry, GOP has slim chance in winning back the White House.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:14AM

Show me a Texas "miracle" that excludes energy and government handouts, including military.

you can't.

Between LBJ and Junior, Texas should be a presidents-free zone for the rest of us. Kind of like a Chernobyl for national candidates. Interesting, historic, but radioactive for a thousand years.

bill| 12.20.11 @ 10:30AM

TX matters for GOP because it's the base for American conservative movement.

We lose TX to those liberals, we lose America forever, in an electoral perspective.

Rick Perry has charisma and leadership, and can defeat Obama.

Obama is the enemy, not Rick Perry.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 4:49PM

TX is the base that derives its might from punching holes in the ground and being the infantry capital of the country.

I weep for the cause. TX used to be about education, innovation and progress. Now it's about faux nostalgia and keeping Barry's black helicopters from confiscating their guns and white women.

SpiralArchitect| 12.20.11 @ 6:19PM

"where's the white women?" - Cleavon Little (Blazzing Saddles)

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:28PM

Pawlenty is a reasonable guy. However, what about drafting Paul Ryan?

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.20.11 @ 7:28AM

Catron,
we are not plying fantasy football here. Get your head out of the clouds...or out of your butt, and begin being positive.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 9:44AM

Ken,

The pundits have not squarely addressed what I consider the principle reason for the anti-Romney fervour. I see a lot of people who are agitated in ways they were not in 2008 and they do NOT want to return the status quo ante Republican party to the position they held in 2000 through 2006. The R's had all three houses and spent like crazy. This time it's all about spending and perversely a divided government will ensure Obama's socialist achievement will persist. The Tea Party, et al, knows we need the White House and are afraid of what the Republicans will do with undivided government a mere six years after having being shown the door.

The only way these people will vote for the only national Republican candidate is if they are comfortable that this will not be 2000-06 redux. That means no Romney.

We see polls suggesting the Romney/Obama or Gingrich/Obama match-ups are largely tied. I'll cite, for example, today's ABC poll (see: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/po.....mpetitive/)

Look at the methodology: 1000 random adults polled with 40% leaning Republican. Maybe this is telling if 30% also were right-leaning Independents and all were likely voters.

Polls generally question a few over 1,000 individuals. The percentage registered to vote is typically 80% to 90%. Those identifying as Republicans or Independants leaning Republican are generally 40% to 50% of those polled. Yet the results are all over the map. This hypothetical match-up is not solid.

What I see is the same anti-Romney forces which have kept him in a very consistent polling range will be the anti-Obama forces in the general.

(PS: Perry is looking better to me, but I'm afraid the all will be over by the time Texas gets to vote. Perhaps I'll write Romney in for the Democrats.)

Truth to Power| 12.20.11 @ 7:40AM

It is just dawning on the pundit class exactly that the fruits of their labor will lead to. Nice job.

Sam Vaughn| 12.20.11 @ 7:48AM

It is weary reading self-proclaimed pundits on "our" side wring their hands in negativity. It's as if you listen to the MSM everyday and form your opinion of our own candidates. Unless, of course, you're a shill for the other side. Anyone of our candidates would be infinitely better. Instead of falling like a coward for "electability" and the establishment candidate, please grow a pair. With all due respect, man up.

donserge| 12.20.11 @ 7:51AM

Our election system has become so corrupt that our best and brightest do not/will not run for public office and the country has to settle for less than mediocre. Is it any wonder that after decades of this occurring we are in such dire straits?

Indy| 12.20.11 @ 9:30AM

I agree with you, I think the reason Mike Pence opted to run for Governor is due to the toxic national scene, same for Mitch Daniels. The conservative bench strength is strong, too bad Rubio, West, Mike Lee and other freshman just broke onto the scene. The sad thing is the GOP machine and the Left machine will destroy anyone they see as a threat, I am disgusted the way the GOP establishment has acted, they want Mitt...it's his turn.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:23AM

If Pence could raise the dough, he'd be in. Full stop.
Instead we get the Koch clown Cain, grampa Paul, and the Donald throwing grenades from the sidelines. Used quantities like Santorum and Newtie, and opportunitsts like Bachmann.
Preibus is a dud, as is the RNC recruiting committee.

We also leave out the idea that the RNC has concluded BHO will be re-elected, so why throw viable meat into the bin?
The dems went through the same thing in '92 when a popular Bush 41 all but but scared away "likelies" in late 91 - only to have the economy lance him allowing Perot to scamper in and permit Willie to become the unintended consequence.

W| 12.20.11 @ 7:52AM

This article in nonsensical. Either Romney or Newt can beat Obama. Jeb Bush may be well qualified but to think we will elect another Bush for president is fantasy.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 10:36AM

"Can" beat BHO. Yes. Will beat him? Don't know.

Boehner is not doing the brand any favors and allowing daylight between BHO and the economy. All indicators are trending up - from retail sales to employment to general real estate. I wrote trending, but he can use this as jumpstarter.
If he gets a SCOTUS endorsement for Obamacare, the GOP is out of the mix.

The GOP primaries will go to April, and the winner will be so wounded, BHO will steal the narrative as the field grasps at more absurd positions.
The feable attempts by neocons to raise Israel as a foreign policy gap resonates to zero with independents, and BHO has killed Bin Laden and ended Iraq. Billboard-type catch lines that do resonate.

My independent locals have bottomed-lined it for me: BHO has done an adequate job given the environment. No GOP candidate has provided a vision that will make us stronger by their demonstrable ability to drive their programs in the past.

He will win by subtraction.

W| 12.20.11 @ 2:18PM

Cannuck, curious: what are your independent locals?

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:03PM

You know, the 60% of Americans that are sound asleep until V-day....my neighbors, acquaintances at church, the market and the coffee shop.

I do my best to clarify the conservative agenda when it applies to real life: jobs, taxes and healthcare.
The GOP has not articulated a vision that is easily digested by the skeptical middle. They generally fault BHO for not being aggressive enough with nailing wall street - they know with a certainty that ANY GOP pres would do even less. They fault him for allowing the congress to devolve into a comedic morass - but they know with a certainty that ANY GOP pres would devolve it even further. And they fault BHO for not developing a HC plan that is as easy to understand as "Medicare for all". But they know with a certainty that the GOP plan is devoid of anything other than status quo pleasantries.

An interesting argument I had with a independent friend had me also questioning the GOP positions on tax cuts for the wealthy and the notunimagined consequence of letting the rich go unchecked. We debate it here, he lives it.

He is no class warrior, but makes it clear that the system permits winfall profits, not some divine inspiration for commercial creativity. Bottom line: the system is rigged and the GOP got us here , is his point. He wants it changed that you cannot have a free lunch any longer.

TrueBlue| 12.20.11 @ 6:32PM

If people want to send a real message of how disappointed they are with Washington they will vote out EVERYBODY in 2012 that has been there for more than one term (consecutive or non-consecutive), regardless of how much the individual has supposedly done for them while in office. Every single one of those Congresscritters AND the President is responsible for the mess we are in; Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc. Make it clear the current staffers need to GTFO with them, they're just as much a part of the problem as the politicians themselves.

Then the new guys need to reign in the various Departments and regulation agencies, cutting them down to minimum manning and cancelling every regulation they have made, then vote on them individually with an up/down vote. None of this Executive Order bull, no EPA regulations enforceable by law, NONE OF IT. Those agencies can make recommendations, but it is CONGRESS that is there to pass laws.

Institute term limits for both the House and Senate of two terms, just like the Presidency. Lifetime congresscritters shouldn't even be a possibility. Reduce their paychecks too, $150k/yr minimum is ridiculous for people whose only real purpose is to pass a budget so the Defense department can protect our liberties from outside interference, which they haven't done for nearly a decade. Link their paychecks to the military payscale, O5/6 level with Basic Allowance for Housing should be plenty. If this means we get less people wanting to go there for their own profit, what's the problem?! I want politicians that have held REAL jobs, not spent their entire adult lives in politics. Maybe they'll actually do something useful and not stay in session for most of the year, instead going back to their state and doing real work like what was originally intended.

Sadly I doubt any of the above will happen, but you can be sure I'll be voting against any incumbents that show up on my ballot.

L. Ross| 12.20.11 @ 7:55AM

I truely doubt that Obama will be able to raise the kind of cash this year that he did in '07. The man can only give one speech worth a damn, and Hopey Changey isn't going to play again. Every time he goes on TV, whatever he supports takes a dump. He is not Reagan, he is not even Clinton. His base won't be energized. He has continued or amplified almost every Bush policy he ran against. Renditions, Gitmo, drone strikes, expanding operations in Afghanistan, sticking with the Bush timetable for withdrawl from Iraq. Other than Obama care which is likely to be overturned in the courts and the most appalling deficits in history, what has he done. His appologizing world wide, bowing to every leader on the planet, Fast and Furious, Eric Holder and Black Panther coddling, and racist attitudes are going to turn off many, many of his former supporters. We have seen Obama in action, and it is not Obama the campaigner. I don't think that the country is ready for more Bush, and I don't think we need more Bush to win.

TrueBlue| 12.20.11 @ 6:32PM

He's been campaigning this entire year already, holding events and such. Already has several hundred million dollars.

bill| 12.20.11 @ 8:12AM

Jeb Bush has a controversial stance on immigration, otherwise, he will make a great VP, considering the fact that GOP must win FL in order to win the WH, and ousting incumbent Sen. Nelson (D), Jeb Bush on the ticket will help the get-out-the-vote effort.

Old Soldier| 12.20.11 @ 8:15AM

Substitute Bobby Jindal for Jeb Bush, and I agree with the article.

bill| 12.20.11 @ 8:30AM

Amen!

Late Drummer| 12.20.11 @ 11:18AM

Jindal and Rubio are not qualified for the same reason Odumbo is disqualified. The are not natural born citizens!

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 11:37AM

Late Drummer,

One does not need citizens as parents to be natural born. The 14th amendment enumerates the TWO methods of obtainining citizenship: by birth or by naturalization.

"Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

Jindal was born in Baton Rouge and Rubio in Miami. I was born in Baton Rouge to immigrant parents. I have not been naturalized, I hold a U.S. Passport and am permitted to vote.

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.20.11 @ 8:21AM

I hope you folks will read this article..."A Time For Choosing"

http://biggovernment.com/mikef.....19/393640/

Junius| 12.20.11 @ 8:29AM

Congressman/Colonel Allen West - a true leader.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:32PM

G-d, Junius, from your mouth to G-d's ears. I love West.

Mike 3/505| 12.20.11 @ 8:30AM

"Finally, if he gets on the stage next to Obama during a debate, the voters will see an old, rich, white southerner with a condescending expression speaking in patronizing tones to the country's first black president. "

No. What the voters will finally see, is an adult, explaining to the child, in adult terms, what he would do to get us out of this mess.

As an aside, I have found that folks who use the words "condescending" or "arrogant," are usually 50 IQ points below the person they are accusing.

Regards,

Mike

L. Ross| 12.20.11 @ 2:23PM

I find your statements to be condescensing and arrogant.

bill| 12.20.11 @ 8:34AM

It's all over 1980 again.

Gov Rick Perry will toy Obama like a 5th grader, if he gets the GOP node.

Obama is a one term president. He is worst than Jim Carter.

We must nominate a conservative candidate who will take down Obama based on records and policy.

Someone like Rick Perry.

We have to believe in ourselves before we pledge to defeat Obama.

Old Soldier| 12.20.11 @ 10:40AM

I like Rick Perry but he seems to do everything like a 5th grader.

Bill| 12.20.11 @ 11:50AM

Rick Perry is not a Washington insider, that's why he is trustworthy and electable.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:05PM

He is in Gramm's pocket. Nuff said. He's DOA.

Lawrence of Lutz| 12.20.11 @ 8:46AM

The old line republicans DO NOT want to lead, rather sit in the back of the bus and pick up any scraps they can get from the borrow/spend democrats. I'm tired of the family dynasty's; i.e. the Kennedys, Bushs,Connie Macks, etc.

Louis Jenkins| 12.20.11 @ 8:48AM

One cannot give a rat's rear end about Obama this coming election. Four more years of his circus and we're toast. Look at the negative side of his administration and it makes the Titanic look like a joy ride on a Sunday afternoon. Positives for the man-he killed Osama. One positive. Obama has nothing to campaign on, so yes, he will have to appeal to his minority supporters, the uber rich liberals, and to the youngesters (many of which have become disillusioned with him). Four million for a vacation? Another negative. Pull the lever for a Republican, anything but Obama.

Derek Leaberry| 12.20.11 @ 8:52AM

Jeb Bush is so horrid on the immigration issue that an Obama re-election would be preferred. At least the bad economy that comes with an Obama presidency reduces Third World immigration.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 9:58AM

Derek Leaberry,

That's cutting your nose off to spite your face. I'd personally love more Jose' the drywall guys and a good economy than Obama hanging the economy out to dry.

Derek Leaberry| 12.20.11 @ 10:50AM

I care more about the historical American nation rather than whether GNP growth is one percent or three percent. I oppose a "conservatism" made up of economic reductionists and doctrinaire libertarians who are cultural nihilists to boot. I do not want the USA to be a Third World nation and if certain "conservatives" like the Bush family and the Wall Street Journal editorial board want to Latinize the nation than they are as great an enemy as Barack Obama.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 11:26AM

Derek Leaberry,

Suit yourself. I prefer an immigration system that addresses the cultural, economic AND security requirements of the nation. The one that gave us Jose' is broken.

This nation will become third-world from within, not from immigration. You will be glad for the immigrant when you need your bed-pan changed and your social security check. The key is assimilation. We've survived Italian, Irish, Chinese immigrant waves despite the same sort of angst. We've survived Mexican immigration for over 100 years now. Ford hired them for $5/day to work in Detroit. They worked the fields during World War II and the bracero program lasted into the 60's.

As to immigrants coming up and consuming our precious welfare - end it.

Derek Leaberry| 12.20.11 @ 1:24PM

As Pat Buchanan has written, the America 0f 1960 was 86 % white and 12 & black. It will be another country if it falls to, say, 45 % white, 30 % Latin, 15 % black and 10 % Arab, Indian and East Asian. It will not be the country of the Founders. It will be a Third World nation going the way of Rome circa 476 AD.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 2:03PM

Derek Leaberry,

And when Buchanan began his xenophobic crusade I ceased to take him seriously. You can read Sowell's Race and Culture for a more serious view than Buchanan's. It doesn't disagree that culture can often follow the immigrant, but that it doesn't necessarily do so. This county was built of immigrants who jumped into the melting pot. But it is OUR country which has adopted the multi-culti drivel, bilingual education and voting, affirmative action, the conferring of High School Diplomas which are best hung on a string in the out house, and has crafted such a poor immigration system. Even Cinco de Mayo was as invention of American marketing to sell beer.

As I said, earlier, this nation will become a third-world country from within.

It's easy to say, today, that we need to keep American jobs for Americans. Just five years ago we have full employment with, by some estimates, 5% of the work force undocumented. What do you think would have happened to the economy if suddenly 5% of the jobs were no longer filled - imagine the housing market with 5% vacancy. The problem is quite multi-faceted. Yet whenever anyone wanders of the conservative reservation on this topic, all hell breaks loose.

Derek Leaberry| 12.20.11 @ 2:52PM

Not only have I read Thomas Sowell's book on culture and economics, I read his very favorable review of Buchanan's "Death of the West." Sowell and Buchanan differ but not as much as you would imagine.

It is true that European immigrants became useful Americans but only after driving down wages on other Americans in the late 1800s and after voting Democratic for 75 years. Other immigrants have been of little use to the country. Third World cesspools include big cities like Detroit and Los Angeles, small cities like Lexington, NB and Bridgeville, DE and suburbs like Langley Park, MD and Bladensburg, MD, two Washington suburbs that I occasionally pass through and which are no longer American in any meaningful way.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 4:36PM

Derek Leaberry,

I have not been to all your example cities. I'll list Detroit and New Orleans as places with which I have more than a passing familiarity. I grew up in Baton Rouge and spent lots of time in New Orleans. I worked in Detroit. I've only visited L.A. and D.C. It's not the immigrants which make those places cesspools.

Do you doubt the value of the Middle Eastern, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese or Indian immigrant?

There was no illegal Mexican immigration prior to the about a century ago, yet the southwest (and Detroit) are full of people of Mexican descent. As I mentioned, Ford built the car industry on American as well as Mexican labor.

I could not get through "Death of the West." Having lived and worked in many countries, I didn't find it convincing. You have me there.

Kingofthenet| 12.20.11 @ 4:53PM

I am a Liberal Dem. but on the immigration issue I Can be either hard or soft, I see both sides as valid, here is what I mean. First 'Border Security' is BS, sure it should be as robust as practical but no way is it going to EVER be 100% not that it matters, because any Illegal HAS to interface with society in finding work, and a million other ways, if we have the guts we can throw them out whenever they cross paths with a Hospital or Police or Job search. But here is the rub we WON'T there are firewalls that prevent this and MANY millions (5-8) that are long term illegals who are decent people and there isn't the political will to throw them and their American born kids out.The way I see it is our Country is HUGE and 5-8 million long term otherwise honest illegals one way or another becoming legal isn't going to destroy this Country at all, what will is allowing this to go on FOREVER and letting the family that came across the border yesterday, and the ones who got off the plane for an American Vacation TODAY to continue this 'becoming established' in 2025, and on and on. Amnesty Fine as long as it has a date attached to it, this WILL end, and we don't have to shed any tears for that 2011 'vacation' family. It's like Mosquitoes, I can almost suffer thru the OFF and swatting them IF I know their breeding lairs have been destroyed and this will be the LAST wave.

emo| 12.20.11 @ 8:56PM

Conservative simply dont see that the GOP and conservatism in the US will be extinct within 10-20 years. Immigrants and non-Whites votes based on "Identity Politics" They wont vote GOP no matter what.

Ignorant conservatives like to think that Hispanics are socially conservative and will vote GOP. Problem is blacks are even MORE socially conservative than hispanics (see Prop 8 exit polls, 70% blacks voted to uphold traditional marriage, only 55% of hispanics did), yet blacks vote now permanently 95-97% Dem. Rising incomes of blacks did not make them more GOP, in fact it made them more Dem as they rose to middle class status thru govt employment. Same will happen with hispanics.

The interesting question isnt what will happen to the GOP, we know what will happen, it will die. The interesting question is what will happen to the USA as a one party democracy? Will the Dem party breakup without the threat of a GOP victory? Will the USA become like Mexico under the PRI which ruled the country for 70 years?

John Navratil| 12.21.11 @ 9:11AM

emo,

It's a fragile culture indeed which must be protected by walls. So fragile, it will fall under its own weight.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:36PM

John,

I have no problem with legal immigrants. I think there should be more. But, when you have 50% of babies being born in LA county to illegal moms (that's the LA Health Dept.'s own estimates), you've got a problem. Training in LA, I saw the charity system being overrun by illegals.

I don't have problems with walls. We do not exist to save Mexico.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:37PM

John,

note well---this is a minor disagreement. i think you're fantastic. Have a great Christmas.

Jeff R| 12.20.11 @ 8:56AM

Why draft Jeb? Why not draft Paul Ryan? Or... ? A draft wouldn't be limited to Jeb Bush. It would open the field to just about any capable, experienced conservative (with sufficient public profile).

Oh, and it ain't likely to happen.

sjccoach| 12.20.11 @ 8:58AM

Another CINO for a Bush. The Bush family consists of big government RINOs. New world order, TARP, Medicare D etc. etc. This is what the establishment wants big government. They will get their wish when Obama is reelected

JimP| 12.20.11 @ 9:01AM

Why does Mr. Catron think any Bush has a better chance against Obama than Newt, Mitt or Ron? I don't see it that way at all. Obama has been blaming Bush for three+ years for all the country's ills, and he's partly right. But for 'W's management and the GOP acting like Dems things wouldn't have been as bad as they were and set the stage for Obama to get elected and make things exponentially worse. Plus there's the whole 'Bush Dynasty' angle to exploit, with all of the 'more of the same bad policies we all were so tired of' angle and King George 1st and George 2nd and now Good King Jeb? No thanks. The Bushes had TWO shots at POTUS and each time left the country in WORSE shape, not better. Time to move on, leave the royals to their manors, and elect some grubby commoners like the three named guys. Any Bush= same old, same old= defeat, IMHO.

Paul McGrath| 12.20.11 @ 11:48AM

Right on, Jim. To even suggest another Bush is pure insanity. The Obama minions would have a field day with another Bush.

JimP| 12.20.11 @ 2:35PM

Thanks Paul. I agree on the insanity of it. Does anyone believe Jeb is now a Reaganite as his WSJ column seems to indicate that he is? Recall his 'The Reagan Era is OVER!' comments in 2009 when he was going to be part of the aborted GOP Listening Tour to assure America that the GOP could be Democrats too. Yes, we knew that already as 'W's administration showed. That's why Obama got so many votes with his ambiguous hope and change mantra. I think someone is trying to play us. LOL Hopefully there aren't that many suckers out there with short memories.

Anthony| 12.20.11 @ 9:05AM

Here we go again. Another guy attempting to be the smartist guy in the room opining that the field of R candidates isn't good enough, and that we are doomed.
Well, I finally watched an entire R debate last week, and every one of those folks on stage were and are head and shoulders above Obozo and Biteme, except Ron Paul, who is certifiably crazy.
This guy Catron has suddenly emerged, joining the recently formed chorus crying for Jeb Bush to save the R Party!!
Well, apparently ole Jeb wrote an article in the WSJ that completely contradicts his Mr. Moderate positions taken over the years.
Better late than never for the Bush clan, but of course, Sarah Palin has been saying the exact same things for years, but Mamma Bush doesn't like sister Sarah, not quite Greenwich, CT enough for the family matriarch.
If I were you Mr. Catron, I'd stick to my day job and leave politics alone. We don't need another Bush "new tone" allowing Obozo to walk all over another of our timid and tepid candidates.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:38PM

Anthony---beautifully played.

dnha14| 12.20.11 @ 9:15AM

I hate, hate, hate Obama, but would vote for him in a second over another Bush.

The Paratrooper| 12.20.11 @ 10:53AM

I hope you are not let out alone. You could hurt yourself, if that comment evidences your level of intellect. That's how democrats think: "vote chimpanzee if he's it's a radical leftist."

Dmac| 12.20.11 @ 9:47AM

No way would I vote for another Bush, not ever. Bush I was the leader of the international movement that shipped our jobs overseas. Bush II sat their while his friends robbed the treasury blind. Even that wasn't good enough so he put IOU's in the treasury and watched his rish and powerful family friends take that too. Thus we got McCain and ended up with Obama. All three Bush's are for some form of amnesty. Nope, no way. I'd rather have someone that I can see is my enemy than someone who tells me he is looking out for me while he screws me.
For the writer to automatically say Bobby Jindal wouldn't be a good candidate is wrong. He would be a great candidate. He just needs some writers to get out there and pump him up to the public. There are probably some other folks out there that could run too. Demint maybe.

Harry the Horrible| 12.20.11 @ 10:22AM

Geez.
If this is the best the 'Pubbies have to offer, the Republic is in seriously bad shape.
I can already see Obama being sworn in for 2013.
Too bad we can't call for a "do-over."

Purp| 12.20.11 @ 10:34AM

Why doesn't AS have an article today on the Payroll tax cut extension? Is it because the Republicants are all tied up in knots over whether to even have a vote on the bill? The Republican House Speaker was for the Senate version of the bill before he was against it. Is he an idiot? In the meantime, every worker in this country is going to get a TAX INCREASE Jan 1st because of the dithering of the Speaker of the House and his Republicant minions. Why are they so out of touch with Americans? Their big excuse is because employers with have to do some arithmetic, which is most likely by computer, because the Senate bill extends the TAX CUT for 2 months so more negotiation can occur for the full year extension. But, no, the House Republicans want all of us to have a TAX INCREASE Jan 1, for some d* political reason. Through them all out in 2012 !

tj| 12.21.11 @ 9:14AM

2nd grade edu there...It's throw them all out 2012

Loadmaster| 12.20.11 @ 10:41AM

Enough already!!! We have our candidates and now it's time to work for your choice. You chose and fight for that candidate up to the primary and then during the general...we all fight like hell because Obama and his Chicago machine will play dirty. These are our candidates..period...case closed. If the majority of the American voters don't like our candidate and vote Obama back in, then we screwed and tatoo'ed. But, this will not happen. Obama is going down in Nov 2012 no matter who we put out there (except Paul). It's down to Newt and Mitt. Get used to it and stop dreaming.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 10:47AM

Mr. Catron,

It is a shame that Jeb Bush, arguably the most conservative of that family, is from that family. There is simply no chance that the name can be rehabilitated and I, for one, am in no mood for a dynasty - three generations is enough.

You point your finger precisely on it when you wrote: "resolve the ridiculous plot dilemma the Republicans have written for themselves."

It is ridiculuous and an absolute testament to why the old guard must not be trusted. I'm afraid you'll just have to leave it to the people.

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 10:48AM

So the GOP is doomed unless Jeb Bush is appointed to be the Republican candidate.

BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

There is a reason the Psychic Network failed.
Humans simply do not have the ability to foresee the future so any prediction about the election at this stage is absurd at best or PSIOPS at worst.

PolishKnight| 12.20.11 @ 10:57AM

Jeb Bush, like McCain, is the best moderate candidate that Dems will cross the line to vote for and will get the hispanic vote by promising amnesty.

We saw how that worked out.

There's a lot of things I don't like about Ron Paul but he's less unlikable than the other candidates besides Bachmann who apparently can't get the votes. Pity.

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 12:20PM

Greetings PolishKnight.

Are you not amused at the ability of otherwise rational people to suddenly develop Psychic skills when writing about the next election?
I am.

The only other irrational explanation is someone is selling time-traveling flying DeLoreans with the Alternative Reality Explorer module.

Tom| 12.20.11 @ 10:52AM

This author is seriously underestimating the anger seething in America. Most people have had it with Obama (see the 2010 midterms) and are going to landslide this charlatan out next year.

tj| 12.21.11 @ 9:23AM

Tom, I hope and pray your right everyday that we will wake up from this awful nightmare....of this administration.

davelnaf| 12.20.11 @ 10:56AM

If you’re talking about Obama and the GOP field all starting from scratch then, maybe, Obama has a chance. But O is already in a hole, and a sinking one at that, that voters put him in last year.

The people that voted against him in ’10 also included people that had voted for him in ’08--he will never get these people back. He will try to persuade brand new voters (not enough of them) and dem-leaning Independents that sat out the ’08 election that he is still the best alternative and even if he gets all of them that won’t be enough.

O’s only real hope is to persuade enough people into staying home election night by making them believe that as bad a president as he has been his GOP replacement would be a lot worse. It’s a negative political campaign bridge too far. This is not to say it won't happen. But it would make the Republican winner next year a shoe in for reelection in 2016. Do the dems want O to run a scorched earth campaign that will do this to them in the name of a losing cause? They are deeply invested in him, but O is a big problem for them and they have to decide which is going to be the greater loss: the presidency or the Black vote.

Citizen Jerry| 12.20.11 @ 11:03AM

Read my lips -- No new Bushes!

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:06PM

Amen

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 11:12AM

Appoint Jeb Bush as the Republican candidate?

Why yes, throw out all 50 states laws on candidate selection and get rid of all those pesky republican voters.
Throw out the TEA Party people so they can follow the Reform Party into third party political oblivion.
Completely banish the citizens concerns and wishes as the Republican Leadership knows best.
After all, Jeb Bush's signature issue is Education Reform which the leadership knows this will be the driving issue of the next election.

Do I have it correctly?
If so, I have never heard such an insane suggestion in many a year!!!!

Bob Grant| 12.20.11 @ 11:21AM

We need to devise a consistent narrative that indicts Obama - and by extension, Democrats - on the state of the economy and THEN focus on a candidate who can articulate the message.

A good starting point would be tying Obama and the Dems to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. A MUST read is Walter Russell Mead's article over the summer titled Fanniegate: Gamechanger For the GOP? (a quick Google search will get you there).

In it he lays out a brilliant strategy on how this can occur and is based on Gretchen Morgenson's fantastic book Reckless Endangerment.

This would be a good start in getting rid of our country's first dictator. Unfortunately, Newt Gingrich's little $1.8 million problem probably excludes him.

Implant this idea into the voting electorates mind and then move to manufacturing job losses, domestic energy failures, out of control spending, and the rising cost of health care.

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 12:01PM

Greetings Bob.
Why not state the truth about Obama clearly and forthrightly without embarrassment.

After all Obama has recreated the Great Depression, burned down the Middle East by overthrowing our allies and insuring the most hostile people possible are in power and then shut down any increase in energy production thus insuring the US will be at the economic mercy to the Muslims who only want to kill or enslave us.
Not only that Obama has no other plan than to spend a whole lot more borrowed money on Democratic supporters and fantasies.
Trillions of dollars in non-repayable debt has been embezzled by Obama for his supporters while the Justice Dept has been turned into the most lawless and bigoted organization ever, dedicated to protecting the Democrats and punishing Obama's perceived enemies.

Any candidate which will attack Obama with the truth will easily drive him from office.

Bob Grant| 12.20.11 @ 12:30PM

I don't disagree with any one of your points, however, in order to sway the 6% of the voting electorate (those gawd awful mush heads who call themselves "undecided", "moderate", "independent", or "no label" ----- man, I can't stand these people!!!!!) who are "swayable", we need a digestible narrative - or, in legal terms, an indictment - that makes an iron-clad case that the liberal way is the wrong way and has destroyed this country almost beyond repair.

We need to use analogies, metaphors, real-life examples, ...or friggin' nursery rhymes to get these people out of their stupor and vote the right way. If I had my way I would encourage them to cut up their voter registration cards and stay home but we must live in the real world.

47% of the country are bought and payed for and will vote for the dictator so our margin is down to 6%. Do whatever we must to sway these clowns.

loulou| 12.20.11 @ 11:30AM

JEB BUSH??
We don't need to hear from any Bushes.
Both George Bushes have done more to hand the presidency over to Obama than anyone could.

Could all Bushes please go and disappear?

Havoc| 12.20.11 @ 11:34AM

Easy to spot a 'deep thinker' - they cannot write more than a few paragraphs before commending the next member of the Bush Clan as the great Republican Hope. God help us.

Bob Grant| 12.20.11 @ 11:38AM

I hate to quote the deep-thinking Jesse Jackson but one comes to mind, and is very appropriate:

Stay out the Bushes

NO to Jeb Bush!...............enough with the dynasties.

Anthony| 12.20.11 @ 11:44AM

Tell you what Mr. Catron, when ole Jeb calls for Obozo and Holder to be arrested as accessories to the murder of a border patrol agent, as a result of Fast & Furious, I might give your idea some consideration.
And when ole Jeb calls for Obozo to pardon Scooter Libby, when brother George refused to do so, despite Libby not being able to use the Holder defense of "it ain't lying if I believe it",then maybe Jeb will have demonstrated some real conservative bona fides.
Until then, tell Jeb and your pals in the R establishment to get off their asses, go after Obozo hard and often, and stop kicking our own.

PatriotGal2257| 12.20.11 @ 11:54AM

Jeb Bush? Why would you think this Bush would be someone to rally around and to beat Obama when people I know have already referred to that other Texan, Rick Perry, as George W. Bush III? Face it, the Bush name is toxic to the point that it doesn't matter what his ideas are. And what happened to Romney? Isn't Milquetoast Mitt the guy you're trying desperately to push anyway?

Economics Teacher| 12.20.11 @ 12:01PM

Who can answer this question?

The list of positive accomplishments by president Obama in the last three years includes.......

.......Anyone?

.......Bueller?

Bob Grant| 12.20.11 @ 12:17PM

Mr. Ben Stein, I can't think of one damn thing.

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 12:26PM

Ok, E..T.. I will bite.

Obama is still a mammal.
Although no one is sure of what type.

JimP| 12.20.11 @ 2:45PM

I say he's a reptile. But, I don't, mean to be argumentative.

Dixie Pixie| 12.20.11 @ 3:37PM

????He still remains a reptile is Obama's most significant positive accomplishment????
...LOL...
I have never thought of it in that way, but considering all the damage he has done, it looks like you are right.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:40PM

A male platypus, with poisonous claws.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:07PM

He has several: Bin Laden, Ending Iraq War, Ending the recession and avoiding a depression. Arab Spring and Libya.

emo| 12.20.11 @ 8:47PM

LOL...Arab Spring and Libya...LOL....Arab Spring and Libya will produce dozens more Bin Ladens

PCP Smoker| 12.20.11 @ 9:47PM

Colombia and Panama free trade agreements.

George S| 12.20.11 @ 12:12PM

So Obama and Axlerod will run screaming like little girls if Jeb Bush gets the nomination? That's essentially the conclusion of this article -- everyone else will be zapped by Obama's evil geniuses save for Superman Jeb.

Hardly. Obama has been blaming Bush for everything; now he has the real thing to run against. Unless there is a deep seated appreciation for GWB among the electorate, Obama will, IMO, have the best chance of reelection against Jeb Bush. There is nothing more that Obama and Axlerod would love than to misspeak Jeb's name as George.

John Navratil| 12.20.11 @ 12:34PM

George S,

So true!

I can see the old 'W' bumper sticker with the diagonal through the W modified with 'Jeb' scribbled over the 'W'.

Dai Alanye | 12.20.11 @ 12:23PM

If I understand David Catron (and I do, rest assured, understand his type) only someone who is not running can defeat Obama. But with Catron's outlook, as soon as a new candidate jumps in, he/she will automatically become a loser, at which time Catron will reach out to a different non-candidate.

In other words, Catron's problem lies primarily in his own mindset. But Jeb Bush? What a stretch! Regardless of the man's personal qualities, in today's political environment we might as well run a candidate named Benedict Arnold or Jefferson Davis.

LarryK| 12.20.11 @ 12:23PM

As the Revharund Jackson once exclaimed," STAY OUT DA BUSHES"

Anthony| 12.20.11 @ 2:37PM

Ole Jessie failed to pay attention to his own admonition, now he has a love child to support.....with Rainbow money!!!
Funny, the MSM never got around to asking Mrs. J about her husband's love child.
Oh the things corrupt lefties get away with.

Aces and Eights| 12.20.11 @ 12:35PM

Ol' Jeb is not a "deus" by any definition, and he isn't going to pop out of the machine and solve everyone's problems. Jeb is not leading the cavalry over the hill to rescue everyone in the nick of time, and Jeb's "name recognition" is probably a liability. Like most conservatives, I was not happy with either Bush predecessor. Pitting another Bush against President Bozo will not end well.

Hunter| 12.20.11 @ 12:42PM

I'll vote for John Ellis when he gives me my orange trees back. Because this good "conservative" sent his state thugs to cutdown every privately owned orange tree in Florida because of a canker. And thanks to John Ellis they had the right to walk onto any property and cut down all of the orange trees. John Ellis Bush and his RINO cronies are a canker on the GOP

RJ| 12.20.11 @ 1:05PM

No more Bushes. The Dad was elected to serve Ronald Reagan's third term and then walked away from Reaganism. The son campaigned echoing that he was more in line with Reagan than his father, but governed as Lyndon Johnson on steroids.

We have passed the call for new candidates to enter the race. We need to select from who is available and no matter who it is, we know that the liberal mass media will attack them. It goes with the territory. We need to overcome it.

Who Knows?| 12.20.11 @ 1:13PM

There are a couple of sayings pertinent to the stock market that come to mind---

“The trend is your friend” and “Don’t try to catch a falling knife”.

Of course, there are trends, and there are TRENDS. Spinning balls within spinning balls, or turtles all the way down---concerning the GOP field and the climaxing general election next November, with almost a year to go, from my own point of view, the trend is quite clear. I’m mostly with Mark Steyn, especially his latest long takedown of Gingrich, but sadly also his morose conclusions about Romney.

What about the grosser TREND---Americans have been fed a steady diet of “If it tastes good, eat it” advertising, for so long, that the results are visually obvious. There’s another old ad that applies---“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing”. Well, most people are PHYSICALLY expressing their previous acquiescence to LYING ads, and hence in apparent disbelief about their bodily condition.

But, you’d better believe it!

The eternal battle between conservatives, who believe humans are naturally prone to violence and sin, and progressives, who take it that people can be perfected, seems to me to be the TREND to take into account. We can easily see how THAT trend is going. Obama and his ilk exist, after all, and even as we have to endure the yearly drive to “donate food for the hungry” this Christmas season, there’s next to nobody starving in this country.

Excuse me! Fat people ARE starving, in that they eat a diet of gross elements that are mostly NOT nutritious---so, the body keeps on signaling “I’m hungry!”, and the ads continue to run.

Beware falling for the “hope” for “change” a “man on a white horse” promises to bring! Why, Jeb Bush could be THE ONE!

It’s appropriate to learn from the past. Too many viewings of “It’s a Wonderful Life” COULD be useful. I’m picturing the scene when Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are at the high school dance, when he cuts in to dance with her, and the other guy complains. Stewart’s reply is applicable to the entire political kabuki dance, this year---

“Why don’t you stop bothering people?”

I’m a realist. The VAST majority of American individuals are in total denial, bodily—look around, or in a mirror---emotionally, and mentally. And, when it comes to TRUE spirituality, well---rave on Reverend Wright, Billy Graham, or the Ayatollah!

I was considering being hopeful, myself, and noting that the trend is your friend, until it isn’t, and the falling knife must hit the ground, eventually. Then it hit me. The trend could get WORSE, and the knife could stop falling when it hits the heart, and KILLS.

You can always trust other people---to betray your trust. Therefore, prepare for the worst and work for the best.

Doom is always imminent, since forgetting the past is what permeates the present. After all, who is born remembering their past lives, except the Dali Lama? We live to relearn the SAME lessons, over and over again, even as we never know what a single thing is.

We ARE expressions of the RE-Discovery “Channel”.

To finish on a mundane note---the whole political enchilada, highly epitomized by the current fight for the GOP presidential contender, is dominated by the lack of TRUST. I don’t trust any of the people running, though of course if one must choose, there are the least worse people.

Trust, but verify!

fmm| 12.20.11 @ 1:15PM

I thought it was too bad Jeb couldn't run instead of George in 2000 as he is more capable in every way. Not a good idea now or for many years.

You authors need to get off the bash the GOP candidates kick.

talkradio55| 12.20.11 @ 1:17PM

Two things:
1. No one else, Jeb Bush included, is getting into this race, so you crybabies are going to have to choose between the people who were brave enough to run. Overlooking the actual contenders to get someone who has made it clear for a year they are not running does not strengthen our case.

2. No one has given a reason to discount Jeb Bush aside from his name. That's the kind of crap that the Democrats do. If you don't like Jeb, then you better do it on the merits. But his being a Bush shouldn't be the disqualifier.

JimP| 12.20.11 @ 2:52PM

The counter argument being: If it walks like a duck/Bush; talks like a suck/Bush; looks like a duck/Bush, it probably is one. NO MORE BUSHES. To think otherwise defies common sense and is "crazytown" thinking.

BackToBasics| 12.20.11 @ 1:18PM

Jeb Bush being "conservative" is all talk; by him and for him. If he were ever elected he'd move to the center-left just as fast as older brother G. Bush did.

I'll take most of the current crop of Republican candidates over him! I'd want to see him elected as much as I'd want to see Hillary Clinton in 2012 or Chelsea Clinton elected in about 12 years which is not at all.

Minuteman78| 12.20.11 @ 1:25PM

Oh yeah, right...Jeb Bush gets in the race, then Obama says, I'll see your Bush and raise you a Clinton (Hillary). Then Jeb Bush picks Coldi Rice for his running mate, and the fun begins. Break out the popcorn.

If you look at the 2008 Election and work the states from thinnest margin for Obummer, to get to 270 does NOT take a lot of votes. Probably about the same number of people that lost their job over the last 3 years.

Minuteman78| 12.20.11 @ 1:26PM

CONDI Rice....typo, sorry...

bill| 12.20.11 @ 1:32PM

GOP Dream Team:

President : Rick Perry

VP: Mitch Daniel

AG: Rudy Giuliani

Treausary: Michelle Bachmann

Secretary of State: John Bolton

Any one endorsing my choice?

Riff Raff| 12.20.11 @ 1:43PM

Can I be Secretary of Homeland Security? I would love to get my hands on those TSA goons.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:43PM

As long as you do it quickly, Riff---remember, "Time is Fleeting--- Madness, takes its toll."

Bob| 12.20.11 @ 1:47PM

You forgot four:
Secretary of Fat & Cholesterol: Chris Christie
Secretary of Rats and Pest Control: "Willard" Milton Romney
Secretary of Cheating & Adultery: Newt Gingrich
Secretary of Anchovies: Herman Cain and Newt's deputy

PCP Smoker| 12.20.11 @ 9:44PM

Props for "Sec of Anchovies"

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:08PM

Nope.

Jeb Bush For President| 12.20.11 @ 1:33PM

Jeb would win Florida in the general election. Then take it from there, he would do well in the rest of the south therefore he would have a chance. The VP pick would be utmost important. It would have to be someone from a swing state like Ohio...John Kasich for example. Otherwise if it's Romney-no good in the south and he will lose his home state. Gingrich would do better in the south but not the rest of the country and his adopted home state of VA is up for grabs. Ron Paul I won't even go there.

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:08PM

Are you certain he would win Florida?

cicero| 12.20.11 @ 2:40PM

So the Rebubs are running two rich white guys, who Catron thinks will look bad on the stage with Obama. Has it occurred to anyone that Obama is a rich Black guy, who got this millions without ever having had a paying job? At least Mitt can point to a succcessful business career, and Newt can point to several books he authored (all by himself), about something other that himself.
Why worry about the mythical "center and undecideds"? If the Republicans run on conservative economic, social, and foreign policy principles, the middle will have to choose either to vote for the conservatives, or the liberals. I trust the American people enough to assume they will not vote against their own self interests. The collective wisdom of the American people is not always totally stupid. Something about not being able to fool all of the people all of the time.
If the Repubs shoot for the middle again, they will only drag the country leftward. I don't remember Reagan posturing to the middle. His only mistakes were made when he tried to work with the Left.

Butch| 12.20.11 @ 4:46PM

I hope you're right, Cicero, and I think you are. Why bother with six percent of the electorate-- who are just having the devil of a time making up their minds choosing between a blatant Marxist who will attempt to take this country 180 degrees away from the way it has been conceived since its founding and an American.

Joe D.| 12.20.11 @ 2:51PM

David Catron, you are all wrong. You think too much of the race card anymore. It will not work with this public who know that they are not. As for the other flip flop things mention, it will hurt some but not that much. People have wish up to this evil socialist. Finally, Michelle or Rick ( my choices) not your bad one in another Bush have a good chance as well.

David| 12.20.11 @ 2:57PM

As Bob Grant said, it is going to be very hard for any0ne to beat Bam Bam with 47% of worker pa;ying ZERO fed income taxes. I do not trust the American voters to think for a change. They are so flippin dumbed-down it isn't funny.

JimH| 12.20.11 @ 3:03PM

Of more interest to the general electorate than maybe to the participants here, is demonstrated competence. This more so than ideology, which most people other than true believers of various persuasions tune out. Of the current list of candidates, we have several fairly successful governors and a former Speaker who got some good things done. I don't think any of the remaining candidates have any notable legislative accomplishments. If one has to reject all who are in now, I could support Bobby Jindal. I think though, that he would need to be paired with a VP candidate of extensive foreign policy expertise.

Kylie Estwick| 12.20.11 @ 3:10PM

PERFECT example of what I keep harping on about. The problem with the GOP isnt their candidates, it's the vast amount of misinformation conservatives wallow around in.

This article alone contains so many factual errors it would take hours to sort through them all. How in the world do you imagine yourselves capable of putting forth a legitimate, trustworthy and sincere candidate, when almost everything you espouse is based either in false information (at best) or outright lies based on vitriolic hatred (Im looking at you lurking over there in the corner, baggers).

Your best bet? Spend the next 4 years of Obama's 2nd term brushing up on history, news, science and current events. Maybe next time around you'll be ready to compete.

e pearse | 12.20.11 @ 3:10PM

It is difficult to find an article from a conservative writer in which practically everything he says is wrong. But Mr. Catron has managed that.

Any of these Republican candidates - with the exception of Ron Paul - can beat Obama in a general election. Romney and Gingrich will run circles around Obama during a debate.

It is true that there are other candidates that are presently not running that look appealing. But the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence until one steps on it. Perry showed us how true that is.

The probability is that Romney will be the next president of the United States and that Mr. Catron will retire from writing political analysis.

Jack London| 12.20.11 @ 4:53PM

Ha ha. I've read a few articles from this Catron guy about healthcare, supposedly his 'expert' subject', and they've been totally wrong. But I agree he's wrong here - it will be close between Romney and Obama but I wouldn't call it either way right now.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:45PM

Jack, if you think he's wrong on healthcare, then he's undoubtably right. My readings of his comments jive remarkably close to my experience, which is in the real world as an actively practicing hospitalist MD.

martin j smith| 12.20.11 @ 3:28PM

Excuse me but I think it is Romney who the Socialists want to run against and they are ready for him. Ron Paul and John Huntsman would not get my support either. So that leaves Bachman,Santorun,Perry,and Gingrich. The race is still on.

Huntsman the RINO and Paul well he is an isolationist and that will not fly especially because it is very much like Obama( blame America ). Romney and Gingrich are insiders and both have serious problems but I think Romney is worse.

As for any Bush--ARE YOU KIDDING OR PLANE STUPID ?

Rad Manley| 12.20.11 @ 4:08PM

As with much of AS content overtime, Mr Catron's boilerplate screed is consistent with the other alphabet outlets. Other than the jousting in which some engage, the commentaries on this article tend to be more salient than the author posed in the title's question. As always, we will do the heavy lifting and oust the Bastard in Chief and drag along those who cling to our pant legs. Grow up, get some hair.

Brian| 12.20.11 @ 4:23PM

Atleast we know Jeb works well with Democrats. And the radical leftist florida media loves him.

gary siebel| 12.20.11 @ 4:24PM

LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Polarization of America is evident. Does anybody even bother conversing with members of the other classes, or those with political different ideas anymore? I mean, without threats, vituperation, or vehement argumentation? Complete strangers might have a different opinion. Preaching to the choir sounds pretty but accomplishes little.

The only candidate the Dems EN MASSE would like to run against more than Nudist Grinch is someone with a last name that rhymes with "mush."

canuckistani| 12.20.11 @ 5:10PM

I do every day. No fear.
Newtie would be election gold for the dems. The gift that keeps on giving.....

Walter | 12.20.11 @ 7:21PM

This writer is a nuts.

ds80| 12.20.11 @ 8:02PM

why do i care what a health care revenue cycle expert (what *is* that???) thinks?

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:47PM

That's a fellow who manages to keep hospital corporations/MD practices afloat by examining financial trends. Health care is 16% of the economy of this country. An expert on shitstorms in that area is an useful man to listen to, ds80.

Occam's Tool| 12.22.11 @ 10:48PM

But I'm not enamoured of another Bush. Why saddle a candidate with a 1000 pound anchor?

Nite| 12.20.11 @ 8:30PM

Rick Perry does NOT look like a doofus! He is an extremely capable long term Governor. Individuals who make these trashy remarks obviously have a different dog in this race.

PCP Smoker| 12.20.11 @ 9:41PM

Here we go again, let's start drumming for the Bushes all over again. No one is voting for this garbage anymore. The father was an inarticulate and weak punk, the son was a big spending moron, and the other son is for amnesty. Someone, please, flush the toilet.

POST American| 12.20.11 @ 11:38PM

-----NO

-----------NO

----------------------NO

And beyond that.

RETRO-active IMPEACHMENT of our past
4 CFR/Trilateral front op Globalist administrations.

----------------HUAC/ Nuremberg 2012---------------

Leveut| 12.21.11 @ 1:48AM

Jeb Bush couldn't even beat Lawton Chiles.

shipley130| 12.21.11 @ 6:02PM

People are seriously underestimating the disdain for Obama.

Jack Lavelle| 12.21.11 @ 7:09PM

Boy do I wish his name was Jeb Rogers, or Donnelly or something other than Bush. The same sleaze merchants Catron so accurately pegs on the Obama team will do their best to make the race about Bush 43 and Bush 41, and not Jeb.

The Obama Timeline | 12.22.11 @ 3:47PM

I wish Rubio and Jindal would not be touted as possible candidates. Like Obama, neither is a natural born citizen because they did not have two U.S. citizen parents at the time of birth. If either is nominated or chosen as VP, lawsuits will fly.

In 1862, Congressman John Bingham—the “father of the 14th Amendment”—stated, “All from other lands, who by the terms of [congressional] laws and a compliance with their provisions become naturalized, are adopted citizens of the United States; all other persons born within the Republic, of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty, are natural born citizens. Gentleman can find no exception to this statement touching natural-born citizens except what is said in the Constitution relating to Indians.” In 1866 Bingham stated, “Every human being born within the jurisdiction of the United States of parents not owing allegiance to any foreign sovereignty is, in the language of your Constitution itself, a natural born citizen.” Bingham’s definition was never disputed by other Congressmen. (Unscrupulous Obots—including attorneys filing briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court—have omitted the words “of parents” when quoting Bingham’s statement, in a shameful and intentional effort to mislead.)

In Minor v. Happersett (1875) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Morrison Remick Waite wrote, “The Constitution does not, in words, say who shall be natural-born citizens. Resort must be had elsewhere to ascertain that. At common-law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives, or natural-born citizens, as distinguished from aliens or foreigners. Some authorities go further and include as citizens children born within the jurisdiction without reference to the citizenship of their parents. As to this class there have been doubts, but never as to the first.”

The Obama Timeline | 12.22.11 @ 3:50PM

Gallup Dec 15-18:

Obama 50 Romney 48
Obama 50 Gingrich 48

On the assumption that the economy will still be in terrible (if not worse) shape in November 2012, the GOP should not feel too intimidated by Obama's war chest and media toadies. Thirteen million unemployed are ready to "switch horses."

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