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Farewell to the Spectator
December 16, 2011 | 8 comments
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Tentative Praise for Ryan’s New Bipartisan Medicare Plan
December 15, 2011 | 3 comments
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The Day Ahead: Thursday, December 15
December 15, 2011 | 0 comments
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Examiner for Romney, National Review Against Gingrich
December 14, 2011 | 39 comments
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Paul Ryan to Introduce New Medicare Plan with Democrat Ron Wyden
December 14, 2011 | 4 comments
The Spectacle Blog
The DNC is out with this ad juxtaposing many of Mitt Romney’s flip-flops (although some of the supposed flip-flops are a bit of stretch):
This isn’t the first ad with this theme, and it won’t be the last. As far as I’m aware, though, it’s the first this cycle from Democrats, as opposed to primary opponents. Does it mean that the DNC is limited to attacking Romney as a squishy waffler, and not as a right-wing extremist? Absolutely not. They can do both at the same time, without trouble. Remember that Republicans painted Obama as both a fringe leftist and a Chicago machine politics crony in 2008 — and never paid a price for doing so.
Narf| 11.28.11 @ 2:12PM
The DNC is running an ad that hits Mitt hard on one of his weakest points.
Hitting Romney now, during the primaries, helps his opponents, especially Newt and Perry who at this point appear to be the only ones with a realistic chance of stopping Romney.
The DNC is only interested in helping Obama. When the DNC helps Romney's opponents during the primary, it's because they think Romney has the best chance of beating Obama.
If you disagree, then explain why the DNC is spending money to help Romney's opponents in the primary.
Butch| 11.28.11 @ 5:34PM
The DNC is loaded with hidden money they can tap at a moment's notice. Where do you think the stimulus money went? That it was just wasted? They can afford to go after all the Republican candidates to diminish as much as possible the final candidate before the formal final election has even begun.
Romney will be destroyed by the Democrats and Obama. He has no chance. He is actually the most flawed candidate out there. He's a documented flip-flopper, innovator in socialized medicine, and a ruthless terminator of employees with Bain Capital, all issues that can and will be exploited by the DNC and Obama.
We need a lead article examining his electability. There are only three comments on this thread as I write.
Narf| 11.28.11 @ 6:24PM
The DNC may be wrong, but they seem to think Romney would be the toughest one to beat or they wouldn't be helping his opponents during the primaries. They'd be saving their ammunition until after Mitt got the nomination. If the DNC is spending money to hurt Mitt and help Newt and Perry, it's not because they think Newt and Perry would be harder to beat.
The DNC aren't the only ones who think Mitt is the best chance to win out of a miserable field of candidates. A number of prominent Republicans have come to the same reluctant conclusion. Rather than writing them all off maybe it would be better to try to understand their reasoning.
BTW, any analysis of electability for the general election has to include a consideration of how well they can appeal to independent voters, among other things. It's not the same as winning the nomination.
Clint| 11.28.11 @ 2:18PM
"According to a new Public Policy Polling survey, Paul leads Obama among independent voters by a 48 to 39 percent margin – the only Republican to enjoy a lead among independents.
“This is yet another poll that clearly shows how competitive Ron Paul is against the sitting President,” Paul’s national chairman said in a statement. “Dr. Paul is making strides not just among Republicans, but independent voters as well. This broad base of increasing support proves that the American people are looking for conviction instead of the typical status quo rhetoric being offered by establishment candidates."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here And In Iowa.
Narf| 11.28.11 @ 2:58PM
Paul the only Republican who leads among independents because Paul doesn't really belong in the Republican party. If he got the nomination he could very well face a Tea Party challenger running against both Paul and Obama on a platform of strong defense, supporting Israel, supporting the War on Drugs, etc., etc. That's how out of touch Ron Paul is with mainstream Republicans.
I'm not a social conservative. I support legalizing marijuana, and on that point Ron Paul is more liberal than most liberal politicians. I think he's right that the government shouldn't be defining marriage, it should just be handled under contract law as a private, personal matter between consenting adults. On that he's more liberal than most liberals, too.
I'm not a war hawk. I largely agree with Ron Paul (and a lot of progressives) about reducing our military presence overseas. I not opposed to all foreign aid but I'm not in favor of giving Israel any special treatment, and to a large extent I think Israel creates it's own problems and should have to deal with the consequences.
My views are out of step with mainstream Republicans, and I like Ron Paul BECAUSE he's not a mainstream Republican. I think he goes too far with his cavalier attitude toward nuclear proliferation in the middle east, and some of his other ideas seem rather half-baked. But if he were president he wouldn't be able to do the half-baked stuff. He wouldn't be able to do more than a small fraction of the stuff he'd like to do.
But he'd push us in the direction of small government. He'd push back against the social conservatives. He'd push back against the liberals. He'd push back against the establishment Republicans. He wouldn't have many friends left by the end of his first (and, I think it's safe to say, only) term, but he'd have shaken things up in ways that would be mostly positive.
But back to that PPP poll that you love so much lately. Paul is 6 points behind Obama in the head-to-head polls, but that's the same as Newt and Cain ... except that in the Ron Paul matchup 13% are undecided compared to only 8% with Newt, probably because Ron Paul's unfavorable numbers are even worse than Newts.
And who likes Paul more than Romney? Look at the crosstabs for favorability. Paul does better with Romney among those who describe themselves as "very liberal" or "liberal". Romney does better than Paul among those who describe themselves as "moderate" "somewhat conservative" or "very conservative". Ouch.
But it's even worse when you notice that Ron Paul and Mitt get less than 50% favorable from "conservative" and "very conservative" voters, along with Perry. But Cain and Gringrich are over 50% among conservative and over 70% among very conservative voters.
All of which just confirms that Ron Paul is doing well with the independents, as you keep pointing out, but his weakness is among Conservatives. That's why he won't win the nomination. But even if he did he'd be very vulnerable to a challenge from a Tea Party Conservative after more people find out his views on Israel, marijuana, prostitution, gay marriage, etc.
I like a lot of what he says and I don't think he'd be a terrible president. But he's got no chance, and he's in the wrong party.
Clint| 11.28.11 @ 8:10PM
Dr. Paul wants marijuana etc. handled within The States & Not The Federal Government.
Aaaand,
Dr.Ron Paul,
“Unlike this President, I do not believe it is our place to dictate how
Israel runs her affairs. There can only be peace in the region if those
sides work out their differences among one another. We should respect
Israel’s sovereignty and not try to dictate her policy from Washington."
By The Way, Our Tea Party Patriots Mission Statement And Core Principles Say Nothing About Israel, Marijuana, Prostitution, Gay Marriage, Etc.
OUR MISSION
The Tea Party Patriots’ mission is to restore America’s founding principles of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.
OUR CORE PRINCIPLES
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY means not overspending, and not burdening our children and grandchildren with our bills. In the words of Thomas Jefferson: “the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity [is] swindling futurity on a large scale.” A more fiscally responsible government will take fewer taxes from our paychecks.
CONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITED GOVERNMENT means power resides with the people and not with the government. Governing should be done at the most local level possible where it can be held accountable. America’s founders believed: that government power should be limited, enumerated, and constrained by our Constitution. Tea Party Patriots agree. The American people make this country great, not our government.
FREE MARKET ECONOMICS made America an economic superpower that for at least two centuries subsequent generations of Americans more opportunities and higher standards of living. An erosion of our free markets though government intervention is at the heart of America’s current economic decline, stagnating jobs, and spiraling debt and deficits. Failures in government programs and government-controlled financial markets helped spark the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Further government interventions and takeovers have made this Great Recession longer and deeper. A renewed focus on free markets will lead to a more vibrant economy creating jobs and higher standards of living for future generations."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here And In Iowa.
Narf| 11.28.11 @ 9:01PM
Yes, he wants to let each state decide whether to make pot legal or not, but that's a position that's more liberal than Obama or any Democrat in Congress would dare say out loud. I agree with Paul on this issue but it's silly to pretend it's a Conservative position. It's one of the reasons his favorable numbers are so high among people who describe themselves as liberal and very liberal.
Similarly for Paul's positions on prostitution and gay marriage and so on. He's taking positions that get him a lot of liberal and progressive support because he's to the left of most Democrats.
He's so far out of touch with current Republican values that if he got the nomination it's entirely possible that a Tea Party Conservative would run on a pro-Israel, defense hawk, pro-war on drugs, anti-gay marriage, etc., platform.
As you keep pointing out his strength is that he appeals to independents (and although you leave this part out, also to liberals) more than any other Republican candidate, not that he appeals to Republicans. But it's the Republican primary.
Clint| 11.28.11 @ 7:20PM
" Ron Paul is surging, an Iowa and New Hampshire front-runner and powerful third-party possibility
By Brent Budowsky - 11/21/11 10:04 AM ET
There are now multiple polls that show Ron Paul has gained support and has a legitimate chance to come in first or second in Iowa and New Hampshire. I would now call Ron Paul one of three front-runners in both Iowa and New Hampshire alongside Mitt Romney and a third candidate, currently Newt Gingrich. If Ron Paul wins Iowa, which he might, all bets are off. Also, most analysts miss the fact that many states have open systems where independents, and in some cases Democrats, can vote for a Republican nominee. This could give a further boost to Paul.
It is now time to give Ron Paul the attention he deserves in debates and throughout the political community."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here & In Iowa.
Clint| 11.28.11 @ 7:40PM
" A Party Nation founder Judson Phillips wrote a scathing attack on Romney’s record last week, touching on the issue that has most Tea Party supporters worried– Mitt Romney’s principles, or apparent lack thereof:
‘Romney is a flip-flop. He could have written the line for John Kerry, “I was before it before I was against it.” He has flip-flopped on abortion, gay rights and socialist healthcare, just to name a few. Looking back at the 1994 debate between him and Senator Ted Kennedy, when Romney was trying to defeat Kennedy for reelection, it is hard to tell who is the more liberal.’
And in a recent interview with The Daily Caller, Matt Kibbe, President of leading Tea Party group, FreedomWorks, said that the Tea Party may sit out the general election if Mitt Romney or “another John McCain” is nominated, saying:
‘I believe in redemption, but at some point, you sort of give up, and we’ve given up on Mitt Romney."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here And In Iowa.
Narf| 11.28.11 @ 10:11PM
Actually Kibbe didn't threaten to "sit out" the general election. He threatened to vote third party. "He also warned that if Republicans nominate another “John McCain,” activists might even vote third party in 2012."
And his preferred alternative to Mitt was Cain, not Paul. He also liked Sarah Palin. The article is old, from last June.
Clint| 11.29.11 @ 5:45AM
“Just as none of the candidates want to talk about being vice president, there is no way on God’s green earth I will think about Romney getting the nod,” Gregg Cummings, Iowa coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, emailed me. “We the people are doing all we can to get a true conservative in the White House, and Romney is not that person.”
The group’s cofounder and national coordinator, Mark Meckler, similarly rejects the idea that Romney is about to dominate the contest. “What you’re talking about is the conventional wisdom,” he contends. “If people were listening to the conventional wisdom, Barack Obama would not have become our president,” he says, noting that all the “traditional money and power” in 2008 were aligned with Hillary Clinton.'
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here And In Iowa.