Mind and Soul Deadening GOP Primary
As a liberal, it would seem obvious to many that I find the remaining crop of current GOP hopefuls to be abhorrent. But what I've noticed across the conservative blogosphere is a creeping malaise and disgust with the four GOP wannabe's left standing. There is a marked enthusiasm gap growing among conservatives and Republicans, and this listlessness and apathy has been evident in the very low numbers of Republicans participating in the primary contests. That doesn't bode well for Republicans in November.
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I've thought from the beginning that Mitt Romney would be the nominee, and I still think so. What surprises and disgusts me is that Newt and Santorum are the runners-up. If you'd have told me 6 months ago that either of those two could ever crack over 10% of the GOP vote, I'd have bet $10,000 of Mitt Romney's dollars that you were wrong.
It does not bode well for Republicans that some of the same rural red staters (my friends and neighbors) who were calling Obama the "Manchurian Muslim" 2 years ago are now wondering aloud if we wouldn't get smaller government with a Republican Congress stonewalling Obama for the next 4 years, as opposed to having them hold hands, whistle, and skip over the edge of the cliff, led by Mitt Newtorum and his magical Flute Of Bullshit Rhetoric. So a lot of red staters are apathetic, but they aren't apathetic enough to turn red states into blue states. This election is going to be decided in Florida and Ohio. The rest of us can pretty much just phone it in.
I do think the GOP will galvanize considerably after the primary season. A smart VP selection by any of these candidates could excite the base. People are mostly just sick to death of an extended primary that is sure to end with a victor nobody feels too strongly about.
It's also worth noting that enthusiam for Obama among liberals and Democrats isn't exactly stratospheric. He isn't unpopular with them, but he doesn't have anything like the support he had in 2008. That is sure to balance out against some of the apathy we see in the GOP.
In the meantime, I have already ordered my "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Ron Paul" bumper sticker and sort of don't give a shit because neither Obama, Newt, Santorum, or Romney have any kind of ideas that are going to take this nation in a positive direction.
I've thought from the beginning that Mitt Romney would be the nominee, and I still think so. What surprises and disgusts me is that Newt and Santorum are the runners-up. If you'd have told me 6 months ago that either of those two could ever crack over 10% of the GOP vote, I'd have bet $10,000 of Mitt Romney's dollars that you were wrong.
It does not bode well for Republicans that some of the same rural red staters (my friends and neighbors) who were calling Obama the "Manchurian Muslim" 2 years ago are now wondering aloud if we wouldn't get smaller government with a Republican Congress stonewalling Obama for the next 4 years, as opposed to having them hold hands, whistle, and skip over the edge of the cliff, led by Mitt Newtorum and his magical Flute Of Bullshit Rhetoric. So a lot of red staters are apathetic, but they aren't apathetic enough to turn red states into blue states. This election is going to be decided in Florida and Ohio. The rest of us can pretty much just phone it in.
I do think the GOP will galvanize considerably after the primary season. A smart VP selection by any of these candidates could excite the base. People are mostly just sick to death of an extended primary that is sure to end with a victor nobody feels too strongly about.
It's also worth noting that enthusiam for Obama among liberals and Democrats isn't exactly stratospheric. He isn't unpopular with them, but he doesn't have anything like the support he had in 2008. That is sure to balance out against some of the apathy we see in the GOP.
In the meantime, I have already ordered my "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Ron Paul" bumper sticker and sort of don't give a shit because neither Obama, Newt, Santorum, or Romney have any kind of ideas that are going to take this nation in a positive direction.
You are right about one thing, Eric. (Well, you are often right about many things, but in this case one thing stands out.) Obama's supporters aren't so enthusiastic about him this go around. But the general campaign hasn't yet started, and when it does, we'll see the old Obama again, the one who knows how to work the campaign trail. That will generate some enthusiasm; but what will really tip the balance and get us liberals out in droves is the absolute scariness that will be the GOP nominee. I predict that Romney will reveal himself to be the moderate that he really is if he gets the nod, which will depress conservative voters. And if Santorum's the nominee, you watch liberals come out in droves to prevent this man who would force his theocratic social conservative agenda down our throats from getting anywhere near the White House. All in all, it figures to be an Obama victory largely by default and largely thanks to the dysfunction of the GOP. And if coattails have any meaning at all, it may even be possible for the Democrats to retake control of the House while retaining a slim (but non-filibuster-proof) majority in the Senate.
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