Up until now, I've refrained from endorsing a Republican candidate for President. I've found that making an early commitment is pointless especially when so many candidates are still in the race, but we are now at the point where people will be dropping out soon. The Iowa caucuses are today and many candidates will make decisions on whether or not to stay in the race based on the results.
Now, I'll lay this out there right now -- ANY of the candidates in the Republican field would be an improvement over President Obama. That doesn't mean that I would be an enthusiastic supporter of all the candidates. I voted for McCain in 2008 because I knew what an Obama presidency would bring us, but I held my nose while I did it. I will have the same attitude towards a few of the candidates still in this race.
So, here is my list of candidates that I would support in order of my enthusiasm for that candidate:
1. Rick Santorum -- As close to a true conservative that there is in the field. Intelligent and well spoken about the issues, Santorum should fare well in the debates. He will come under attack for his stances against abortion and homosexuality, but he also does not believe that the federal government should have a role in moral legislation. He believes that these decisions should be placed in the hands of the people at a state level. His fiscal conservatism along with his strong stance against Wilsonian Progressivism make him number one in my book. He will get my vote if he is still in the race on March 13th, when Mississippi voters go to the polls.
2. Michelle Bachman -- Pretty much carries the same message as Santorum, which is why I believe that if one or the other dropped out of the race, the surviving candidate would inherit a lot of votes. I had to put Michelle at number two for two reasons. First, I thinks she'll be more effective by staying in congress in a leadership capacity. Second, she is female. Now just hold on... let me explain. The fact that she is female does not make her less competent. I don't care about race or gender when it comes to who I vote for. However, history has shown that any time a conservative comes on to the scene who doesn't "fit the mold" of what a conservative should be (i.e., rich, white, and male), then the left does their best to drag the person through the mud for daring to hijack a demographic that has traditionally belonged to them (minorities, women, etc.). Don't believe me? Clarence Thomas. Sarah Palin. Herman Cain. Condolezza Rice (double whammy there). You can add Michelle Bachman to this list if she is the nominee. I could see her as a possible VP choice, but you may have the same target on her back if that happens.
3. Ron Paul -- Now it gets interesting. A Ron Paul presidency would be interesting, to say the least. Most of his comments regarding 9/11 and foreign policy in general leave me scratching my head, but there is no doubt that he would run the country as a fiscal conservative, which is priority number one for me. Instead of President, I would prefer Paul to be named Secretary of the Treasury.
4. Rick Perry -- I'm not a big Rick Perry fan. I don't necessarily disagree with his politics, it's just that he doesn't seem to think on his feet too well. Plus, I'm not going to be able to stand all the comparisons to G.W. Bush. Perry will undoubtedly make another gaffe in a debate with Obama and that will be the end of it.
5. Mitt Romney -- Definitely the most charismatic and "presidential" of the candidates. However, Mitt has shown that he will cave in and compromise on his principles just to give the impression of being a "moderate". If you feel that you have to pander to the mythical "independent voter" to win a national election, then you are sorely mistaken. Ask John McCain. Those who claim to be "moderate" in their political views are one of two things -- liberals embarrassed to call themselves liberal or conservatives embarrassed to call themselves conservative. As the race is heating up, there seems to be a battle amongst the candidates on who is the most conservative. It's a little too late for that, Mitt. We know about your liberal tendencies, but it is refreshing that the candidates are making a mad dash to the right instead of to the center.
6. Newt Gingrich -- Probably the most dangerous of all the candidates in the field. This man led the '94 Republican revolution. Remember the Contract With America? He is a self-described conservative, but his track record suggests otherwise. He supported the prescription drug program (Medicare Part D) which at the time was the largest Federal spending bill ever. He is in support of mandating all vehicles made in the U.S. be flex fuel compatible. He is on board with the man-made global warming myth and believes that Teddy Roosevelt was a great president.
7. John Huntsman -- Don't know much about the guy. He hasn't showed up in the polls and he really doesn't have a prayer.
Regardless of the order I've placed these people and regardless of what I've said about them, I would vote for ANY of them against President Obama. For anyone who complained about John McCain in 2008 and how he wasn't a conservative enough candidate, NOW is the time to get it right. ALL of these candidates are electable, so we as Republicans need to select the man (or woman) who is best for the JOB, not the one who will do well in a debate or who will appeal to the "center". Like I've said before... the President drew the line in the sand. He is anti-capitalist. I would even venture to say that he is borderline Marxist. We need to have a candidate that is going to be equally pro-capitalist if we want to win this thing and move the country in the right direction. If you give the independent voter a choice between right and left, they'll be forced to vote on policy instead of charisma. The time for compromise is over. For the left, compromise (bipartisanship, moving to the center, whatever you want to call it) is defined as agreeing with them. We've let the left steer the ship too long. It's time we wrestle control of the boat before it gets slammed into the rocks. NOW IS THE TIME!
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