There's some good fod for thought in the article but not sure I would reference one man's opinion as the 'truth'. When the first sentence refers to the GOP as being delusional, he doesn't seem to be too interested in getting people to read and consider his thoughts.
I agree with -
- It is way too early to count Obama out. BUT, looking at trends so far and predictions on the economy forward, if his trend starts looking more like Carter's if he continues to stumble, make excuses and offer no solutions, then the outcome will likely be the same. As many have pointed out, his trend looks similar to Reagan's too, but no one is expecting the bouce that saved Reagan. The article correctly points out obama is highly vulnerable but the race isn't over yet. I don't think the GOP is counting this guy out either. I've been pleased to see a different nation looking at the GOP candidates, critically evaluating character, statements, and records, to avoid making the same mistakes again.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/presidential-approval-tracker.htm
- On paper, I agree Pawlenty was the ideal candidate. His record is fantastic and he was what the nation needs. For over a year, he has been who I hoped would win the nomination based on what he has done to date. Maybe he will be considered for VP where he can still do his work without being on the public stage. In was disappointingly clear he didn't have what a media driven nation needs for pizazz on the screen. Sad that this is what makes or breaks a candidate, but charisma is a big part of the picture of electability. More important to me is that he gave up so easily. Someone who folds his cards that quickly is not a good presidential candidate. We need someone with a little more spine. Quite a disappointment.
- Palin is out. I liked that she was genuine and was a fresh voice. I liked how she initially stood up to her critics. But leaving office created a closed door for her. Her antics like showing up when Romney announced, or showing up in Iowa, has reduced her to a showboating mouthpiece. She has lost all credibility in my book. Sad to say for both her and Pawlenty as they had something to offer but it was squandered in her case with very bad decisions and too much naivete that didn't play well on the national stage.
- Surely no one can disagree with this quote!
In fact, about the only part of the economy that President Obama has dramatically improved is that of conservative commentary, especially that of Fox News whose ratings have never been better.
I disagree with -
- In public statements, candidates must convey confidence. Yet no one thinks because odummy's approval is in the 40s that that is all the votes he will get. The approval rating isn't low enough for a slam dunk but certainly low enough for opportunity to unseat this fool. Much of the hubris in the press are efforts to rally the troops and to get people to the polls to vote against obama. Other than Huntsman, the rest of the GOP seem to remember he is the person they have to beat.
- He minimizes Romney because he hasn't won over all Americans yet. Romney will have to face up to criticism, especially related to health care, but I still think he is a candidate to watch. Then he goes on to say he will be the candidate but that the GOP doesn't recognize his electability. They do, but want a viable selection of candidates to review and disect to avoid another McCain-like nomination. I don't think he's been counted out by the GOP but he does have some major flaws with his own health care policies and with having run once before and losing. I don't see Romney doing enough to win over Americans at this stage of the game and think the problem is less the GOP and more his camp thinking he is a shoe in for the nomination.
- Dismissing Perry and even Bachman is a mistake. I think the author misses the fact that lots of votes are going to whoever seems most different from Obama. I think Perry has the better odds with a longer record in office, more successes to tout, and isn't part of the current Congress. While he is far right on social issues, his jobs success will resonate with the nation. Few people will buy in to the idiocy that he is another George Bush because he is from Texas. Dismissing Perry like this author did is a big mistake.
- The author disses Americans by claiming they didn't know Congress was controlled by dems when they voted in obama, and seems to think they won't allow full republican control. He's msising the fact that obama's greatest strength in 2008 was that he wasn't republican or GWB, and the candidate's greates strength in 2012 will be that he isn't obama and isn't liberal, socialist, tax and spend maniac. I don't get the sense people care near as much about party control as they do about fiscal conservatism - something I've have been saying would be the case for almost 3 years now. The author is misreading the public, IMO, about 'allowing the nation to go into default'. Plenty of people understand personal finances, that you can't keep spending wildly on a charge card and keep asking for more, especially when your debt to income ratio is off. You can't keep generating more income from a nation with high unemployment and tremendous future financial uncertainty. And you don't win this discussion by playing class warfare games and acting like you are above politics. I trust people voted in more conservative candidates to take a hard stance against out of control spending and they did. The nation didn't default and the cuts are needed.
