In the Mix

The race for the GOP Presidential nomination is in the first mile of a daunting marathon. Remember in spite all of the hype, not one vote that actually counts has been taken so far. The flavor of the day at one point was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who decided not to even run. Then, conservative superstar and short-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin came to the fore, only to remain outside the process. Then ever so briefly, Minnesota US Representative Michele Bachmann became the leading Republican light after winning a non-binding straw poll in the state of her birth Iowa. Genuine libertarian (and blame America for September 11,2001 lunatic) Ron Paul won some subsequent non-binding straw polls before having his momentum sapped to the advantage of Herman Cain. Texas Governor Rick Perry came into the contest with a flourish only to have his love of illegal aliens cut his legs out from under him before his campaign could really launch. Rick Santorum has good ideas but has found no traction. Newt Gingrich has command of many of the issues but because he made very public common cause with Democrats on health care and global warming, Newt made certain his traction would forever remain on skates with GOP primary voters who tend to be more conservative than the public at large. Gary Johnson, another libertarian sort who was the governor of New Mexico and who advocates for decriminalized marijuana, has had his campaign stall. Former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman who represented Obama in China has flat-lined with his "moderate notions for a moderate America effort". So in spite of others making some waves including Herman Cain, whose surprising rise unleashed quick allegations of sexual harassment to sap his move forward just as it starts, doppelganger former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney remains the odds on favorite to secure the Republican nomination to vie against Barack Hussein Obama to be US President after 2012. Mitt Romney would, just as McCain did in 2008, give voters a real Hobson's choice of a pandering liberal Republican who imposed socialist health care on the state Massachusetts that he governed or the outright class-envy redistributionist who now holds the office and if reelected will finish the United States off. I guess I will grit my teeth and vote for slow decline over rapid destruction, but frankly, I would prefer to vote for an American resurgence as I did when I proudly cast my ballot for Reagan.