why can't the repubs have any normal candidates anymore

[nimbus]

i think obama is a fairly lousy president, but why are the alternatives all so retarded, creepy, or crazy.

 

[javaguru]

i think obama is a fairly lousy president, but why are the alternatives all so retarded, creepy, or crazy.

Blame the primary system and the alliance with the religious right.

I haven't voted for a Repub for POTUS, or any other federal office, since Bush the elder...

 

[puddlemonkey]

 

[javaguru]

Heretic....

 

[javaguru]

I predicted before the 2010 elections the tea party movement was a proxy organization for the religious right; I was correct. Look at the congressional "Tea Party Caucus" leader...she co-owns a clinic that teaches gays to be str8 and she has made social values a foundation of her campaign. Mitch Daniels declined to run because even though he has a strong record to run on he doesn't have the evangelical street cred and had the audacity to caution Repubs about running on social issues as opposed to focusing on the economy.

So yeah...the political system forces me to vote for a giant douche or a turd sandwich and therefore I choose the third option and vote Libertarian.

 

[mrplunkey]

They definitely need to disconnect the social/religious right from the political/economic right -- not for political purposes, but because it's the right thing to do.

From a purely strategic perspective, I don't see why the religious zealots don't tone it down and simply push for state/local control of their issues. Look at something like abortion. It would be vastly easier to convince political conservatives it is a states' rights issue, then they could easily win the battle in many/most red states.

 

[ledhead]

I predicted before the 2010 elections the tea party movement was a proxy organization for the religious right; I was correct. Look at the congressional "Tea Party Caucus" leader...she co-owns a clinic that teaches gays to be str8 and she has made social values a foundation of her campaign. Mitch Daniels declined to run because even though he has a strong record to run on he doesn't have the evangelical street cred and had the audacity to caution Repubs about running on social issues as opposed to focusing on the economy.

So yeah...the political system forces me to vote for a giant douche or a turd sandwich and therefore I choose the third option and vote Libertarian.

You vote libertarian but you say you dont vote for the GOP. lololol.... Bro, do you know what true conservatism is? Here's your lesson for today.... Because you either vote republican or democrat. There is nobody on the left that is libertarian, so you vote republican. If you claim to be Independant then you're screwed all together.

True conservatism.

1) neo-conservatism

2) paleo-conservatism

3) social-conservatism

4) Libertarianism

Edmund Burke, is often said to be the father of modern conservatism was a staunch libertarian. Read about him. He made the interconnection of liberty, free markets, religion, tradition, and authority.

Rejecting relativism that blurs the lines between good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust, and means and ends. Under the umbrella of "moral order." Read up on the fall of the Roman Empire. I have this funny feeling your definition of LIBERTARIANISM is a little distorted.

 

[billfred]

They definitely need to disconnect the social/religious right from the political/economic right -- not for political purposes, but because it's the right thing to do.

From a purely strategic perspective, I don't see why the religious zealots don't tone it down and simply push for state/local control of their issues. Look at something like abortion. It would be vastly easier to convince political conservatives it is a states' rights issue, then they could easily win the battle in many/most red states.

Problem is, if they are not bowing to the religious right, they can't get out of the primaries.

I like Romney but afraid that whacky Bachman is going to gain momentum and take the nomination from him.

 

[stevesmi]

^^^republicans are not libertarians at all.

we both can agree they are def not social libertarians.

but on fiscal issues they've controlled the budget since 1995 every year except 4 years where dems ran the house. and dems in those 4 years charged a lot but atleast paid for it.. the GOP ran up debt AND charged it during the 6 years bush was in office + GOP ran congress.

the closest thing to a libertarian in todays politics would be Jesse Ventura.. there isn't a single republican (aside from Ron Paul who gets laughed off stage at GOP debates) who you can agrue is a true libertarian.

 

[stevesmi]

if Romney doesn't get the nomination the GOP stands no chance. not that Romney would beat Obama anyway but he would atleast be able to come off as normal and moderate and put up a fight.