Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Now What?

I'm beginning to think the Republicans should change their iconic elephant to a question mark.  Or a tear drop.  Whichever you prefer.

We are witnessing an electorate thoroughly unimpressed with it's choices.  Do I think Santorum can gain the traction he needs to win the nomination?  No.  I checked out his campaign web site today to see if he actually has anything to say.  Not particularly and what is there is predominantly the social issues revolving around abortion and gay marriage.

I touched on this yesterday.  I don't believe either should be the pervue of the federal government.  Both are personal and religious issues, value judgements having nothing to do with governance.  Besides Roe versus Wade is the law of the land and to get a constitutional amendment to over turn it would be a lengthy and difficult task.  As I also said, we have far more pressing things on the national agenda like the possibility of war with Iran and the results that are bound to surface from our failed experiment in bringing democracy to the middle east.  Oh, yes, many of the countries now have it but it bears no resemblance to what we wanted or expected.

There are several issues the candidates seem not to have a handle on.  The first and most important in order to rally the country behind them would be a vision.  What the other guy is doing wrong is not a vision.  I've yet to hear one articulated.  The Democrats last go 'round had 'hope and change' which we took to mean whatever we wanted it to, but it was a slogan that resonated. "I'm not him," doesn't any more than "I was a CEO," or "Ronald Reagan and I...".

I'm totally uninspired.  I would guess even conservatives aren't flocking to Santorum because they've suddenly been enlightened, but because they've no one left.  He is not without flaws when his policies are examined, such as he too, not unlike Obama, sees government picking and choosing who should get tax breaks.  Wrong.

I wonder if the Republican hierarchy isn't working feverishly to find someone to draft if they can swing a brokered convention.  At this point it seems the most appealing option but the question is who?  If someone out there who has been wooed previously might succumb to the siren song, why not now instead of later?  The future of the nation is at stake.  Do they just not care?  And if not, why not?

If we have become a nation of sheep then he who would lead this nation might do well to remember this from his childhood, especially the last two lines.
Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day, which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned it out, but still it lingered near, And waited patiently about till Mary did appear. "Why does the lamb love Mary so?" the eager children cry; "Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know" the teacher did reply.
That will take some doing on his part.

3 comments:

Margie's Musings said...

You are so right on this one Mari. The Republicans are splitting their effectiveness five ways and no one will be able to get enough votes to win over Obama.

But you're so right. There are no inspiring candidates.

Word Tosser said...

So far all we have been offered is Swiss cheese candidates.. meaning all of them have holes in their ideas and who they are and what they want. It seems more of a contest of who can gather the most Super Pac money. And the country sits idle.
I as a church going person.. could care less what religion the candidate is.. I want to know what he or she is going to do for our country.
I haven't cared for the past 50 years.. what church they went to.. being a devil worshiper would unnerve me.. but the rest.. that is their personal choice.. and it doesn't have to be flown like a flag.

Anonymous said...

Another thought provoking post, Mari. Somehow, especially if Republicans are going to adequately compete with President Obama, we had better shed the images of a "question mark" or "tear drop". Sometimes, I kid myself and say it's only a nightmare, surely things cannot be this bad. Then slowly, realization sets in again...that 2012 is becoming President Obama's election to lose.