So in the wake of the two front-running Republican candidates
leaving the base underwhelmed due to unapologetic deviance on some
core base-type issues — Obamacare and illegal immigration high
among them — there is much clucking in certain quarters about how
this dissatisfaction creates just the opening New Jersey
governor Chris Christie needs to let a draft effort
succeed.
But Christie is not only an avowed proponent of man-made global
warming theory — he’s listened
to a small group of activists with PhDs, but whose activism
happens to extend to generic left-wing political activism — but
has also vowed no new coal plants. These are key concerns to the
conservative base.
No. A fever borne of two front runners having non-conservative
positions on key issues is not cured with a third.
Game this out. Christie wouldn’t even have to come out at a
debate and say if you don’t believe in ‘doing
something’ on global warming, or with the scientists I’ve chosen to
speak to, then you don’t have a brain. He just needs to
keep saying it’s incontrovertible. In the end, there’s not a
material difference between the two, and that would be his end.
Best case scenario for a Christie candidacy would include
running from ‘incontrovertible’ and adopting the clumsy Romney
Shuffle of muttering about a state response to a state issue,
hoping interest in his views it goes away. Post-cap-n-trade,
Solyndra, “necessarily skyrocket,” et al. In this economy. Mmm.
Who knows, it’s not inconceivable that someone might
even take enough briefing on the matter in preparation for the
general election to be able to point out that not even the ‘global
treaty’ Kyoto would, according to any computer model on which the
agenda is premised, have a climatic impact. All pain, no gain. More
squandering, more costly, futile gestures from politicians. In
that event, well, game over. Leaving Republicans still searching.
But at least we’d also free up Mr. Hunstman’s podium as a
co-benefit of tackling head-on his ‘edgy’ issue.
Of Obamacare, global warming panic, and yet one more tuition
subsidy for children of illegal immigrant parents, With the
past three years in the rearview mirror I’d guess the latter would
be the least fatal to an otherwise strong candidate. If only he
could lay it out without insulting.
There may be a call for someone else, but if so it is someone
without a history of stridency or even activism on an
issue and position dear to the other party’s base.
Occasional impurity is to be expected, and the fact that we all are
not running shows we all understand that and accept it.
But not to the level of advocacy for the other team’s brass rings.
The longing is for a principled conservative who can credibly
explain his odd wayward stance drawing on his conservative
principles, not insults about those who disagree with is
conclusion.
