On the evening of May 5, the Republican Party of South Carolina and Fox News hosted the first presidential debate of the 2012 season, for candidates seeking the Republican nomination. Participating were Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, and Herman Cain. According to this New York Times story, the chair of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, said, “There are numerous other candidates that are looking at it – and thank God.” Also, John Boehner, speaker of the U.S. House, pointedly did not even watch the debate, at least while it was occurring.
Someone ought to ask Reince Priebus why Republican legislators this year in Oklahoma and Florida are making ballot access for non-major party candidates for President considerably more difficult, and why no Republican Party presidential nominee since 1992 has been willing to let any non-major party presidential candidate into the general election debates. If the orthodox Republican leadership supports policies that it make overwhelmingly difficult for people to run for president outside the major parties, they should not be surprised when candidates seek the Republican nomination even though those candidates espouse political ideas that do not conform to the Republican Party platform or the ideas of the party’s congressional leadership. Thanks to Political Wire for the link.
The RNC has not learned it’s lesson from the last presidential election. They’ll throw in one of their own handpicked stooges and lose the ’12 election again. Priebus should be ashamed of that “…thank God” comment. They have officially threw away another election IMO since they have NO respect for Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is and always will be my #1 choice for 2012.
““There are numerous other candidates that are looking at it – and thank God.”
What is wrong with Priebus ? Ron Paul has ALOT of support. Ron Paul is consistent,a moral man, wants the right to life and liberty for all. He is honest. Is that why they don’t take him seriously? He is an expert at economics and the constitution and many feel he is the one to get our country back on track and the economy turned around. He also wants to bring all troops home now, which so many of us want also.
Hermann Cain who I had never heard of until the debate did a great job also.
Pawlenty sounded just like Mitt Romney, a stiff politician with no good ideas.
2 –
Amen to that. We need more great ideas. For instance…the Republican vision for health care. We don’t need any Democratic style death panels. Just create assigned risk pools like Republicans are about to do up here in Maine. Just CHARGE people for getting sick! And if they can’t afford health insurance, well…they ought to die and be quick about it.
Frankly, I don’t think insurance reform is necessary. It’s really cheap as it is – just $6,000 annual premiums and a $5,000 all-in deductible for one person. Heck, that’s only a quarter of the median take home pay of Mainers. Mom and the kids can just ride “bareback,” no?
Republican healthcare – sing along with me – “If you ain’t healthy and you ain’t wealthy, die, die, die!”
Now THAT’S a good idea! Thanks, Republicans!
Richard, thank you for a classic example of why citizens have a miniscule voice in the process of electing our “leaders”. For those who think a third party is a wasted vote and we should stay with 2 major parties, the citizens cannot participate anyhow since they have to endear themselves to the party insiders. You raise a great point that it is conceivable that the major parties could have a number of candidates who do not agree with the platform but have to run as a “D” or an “R” just because “it’s the only show in town”. I will use this argument when I lobby for ballot access reform again next year.
IF THIS IS THE BEST THE GOP HAS TO OFFER WE ARE GONE
4 –
If you were to find yourself on the crest of a 40 foot tsunami and you had only a scruffy looking rowboat to your left and a rotten coconut to your right, which one would you choose? Or, as a matter of your precious “conscience” would you choose instead to body surf to shore?
Don’t worry, though. Other people will make the choice for you. And it won’t be YOUR fault if they make the wrong choice. So conscience can stay clear. That’s what’s MOST important after all.
Oh wait…that’s right. It doesn’t matter, does it? “Tweedle Dee…etc. etc. etc.”
Looking forward to hopefully vote Dr. Ron Paul!
Vote Ron Paul! Dump the establishment!
Well said Mr. Winger!
Don’t you know there’s only a need for two real philosophical choices in this country – Democratic or Republican? What’s with this rubbish that we need more choices?
It’s time to put down the kool aid and look at what the two major political parties have done to our country. It’s time to vote for REAL CHANGE, while there’s still time to turn things around.
RON PAUL 2012!!!
To Tim Says:
I was being facetious.
But is Ron Paul going to bring that REAL CHANGE you want? For example, will he abolish the Federal Reserve System and establish a government-owned (people-owned) National Banking system where under Article I, Section 8 Congress (and Congress only) is given the power to “coin money” and issue it – without debt and interest free – where America (and Americans) could get out of debt? Is this the real change you advocate? If you do – and Ron Paul does too – then I just might join you. Enlighten me if I am wrong.
This is PRECISELY why we need a revolution at the ballot box.
INCUMBENTS- THE ‘POLITICALLY CORRECT’ ENDANGERED SPECIES!
MORE GOVT ???
LESS GOVT ???
ANY thing new and different in the last 6000 plus years ???
The Electoral College is one of the 3 ANTI-Democracy gerrymander systems in the U.S.A. regime.
Each Prez gets about 30 percent of the total popular votes in the States/DC having a bare majority of the E.C. Votes.
The media is brain dead ignorant about the EVIL math.
Some short term media noises when the winning Prez has less popular votes than the top loser — i.e. Bush II and Gore in 2000.
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The stupidification of the Republicans continues.
Or is that redundant comment?
I find it strange that “Tim Says” never responded to my challenge as to whether Ron Paul would offer that real CHANGE he says we need.
I suppose “Tim Says” believes so strongly in the unbridled free enterprise system – like Ron Paul does – that he just doesn’t know how to respond to a suggestion that America could eliminate the private gouging banking system and end our national “debt” overnight.