Nuts!

By Tom King © 2012, Puyallup, WA

With the Rick Santorum’s withdrawal from the presidential race this morning, the country club Republicans are all gathered in oak paneled rooms with glasses of Scotch and big ceegars congratulating themselves on having “unified the party” (by which they mean getting conservatives to surrender and rally round the Republican who’s turn it is to run for president). Santorum, by showing well and withdrawing gracefully will likely get a shot next time if Romney fails.



RNC Grand Poobah, Reince Priebus

 Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus said this. "Today, Senator Santorum has made a commendable decision. He has decided to put his country, party, and desire to defeat President Obama ahead of any personal ambition. I applaud his decision and congratulate him on the campaign he has run." (i.e. “Wait your turn like a good boy”).

Now Romney can safely do some things that appeal to moderates since the CC Repubs are quite convinced that moderates win elections despite all evidence to the contrary and multiple thrashings in presidential elections to show for it..



Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe

 I am reminded of General Anthony McAuliffe, who when he was told by a german general that defeat was inevitable and that he had no other choice than that he should surrender, sat down at his desk in his command post in Bastogne and wrote a one-word reply!

“NUTS!”

I’d like to propose that every conservative who is not happy with our choice of candidate, express their opinion by placing a single nut into an envelope and mailing it to Mr. Priebus.

Why just one nut? Have you ever tried to eat just one nut? It’s frustrating. You always want more.

Well, Mr. Priebus, guess how conservatives feel.

Same way!

Mail your single nut to:

Reince Priebus
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Ask for a receipt for your "generous contribution".

Tom King

Why Santorum, Newt and Ron Paul Should Stay In.

I'm tired of not voting in the Republican Primary. For the last few decades, by the time the primaries came to Texas, the vote was moot. Everybody had already dropped out except the heir apparent. I didn't vote in the primary last time. If I had, I'd have cast a useless vote for Fred Thompson who'd already dropped out. As it is I don't feel guilty not voting. It would have been a total waste of time. The candidate was already chosen before I got my say in it.

I think all the states should do their primaries on the same day - kind of a mini-presidential election. I think it's monumentally stupid to set the tone for the selection of the presidential candidate based on Iowa, New Hampshire and a couple of other smallish states and retirement centers. So what if the candidates wouldn't be able to campaign in each state. I don't like their commercials anyway and I don't care if they actually come to my state to campaign. I can watch them on television.  This tailing out of primaries is only good for one thing - allowing the party bosses to control the primary so no one unfortunate gets nominated and so that there isn't a real battle royale at the convention.

I want a real battle royale at the convention. I'd love to have seen what the delegate split would have been going into a convention if people had been allowed to vote for whoever they wanted to from the entire field at once.  I'm sick of only having one choice. I'm in Washington state now and it's not any better here.

Up here in Washington it used to be sometime in February, but they did away with the presidential primary altogether this year, ostensibly to save money. They called the primary a beauty pageant. It's now a smoke-filled room caucus kind of deal. Nobody mentioned we were having one and unless you go to a lot of Republican party gigs,  you didn't know it was even going on.

I hope Santorum stays in it to the bitter end alongside Newt and Ron Paul.  Then I think the three of them ought to get together and threaten to wreck the country club Republican leadership's carefully orchestrated Mitt Romney coronation at the convention. I think they should speak very openly about this strategy and let the votes fall where they may in the rest of the primaries. It's the only way conservatives will have any sort of significant voice at the convention.

Just one man's opinion.

Tom King

Romney's Real Problem

What? Me worry?

Romney may well win the Republican nomination for president. If he does, I predict he'll have an uphill go of it. If he wins, it won't be by much and it's not because enough people don't dislike President Obama.

It will be because most of us will be too busy holding our nose while voting for another "moderate" just because the country club Republicans have decided he can get the moderate vote. They've bought whole hog into the idea that the moderates will only vote for moderates.  Au' contraire.

Moderates sit on the fence and tumble right or left depending on who does a better job of telling them what they think. A conservative can do that just as easily as a liberal and probably more easily since more than 65% of people call themselves conservatives. Ronald Reagan did it in 1980 and again in 84 and swept the country. Bush sr. managed one term on Reagan's coattails, then lost. Dole lost, then Bush jr. pulled off a squeaker. McCain lost.

Now it's Romney's turn according to the big boys in the Republican party. The problem is, taking turns in presidential politics is a sure way to lose.

What's going to make it tough for Mittens is this. Most conservatives dislike the Obama administration so much they'd vote for the Budweiser Clydesdales over President Obama if that's the only choice they have/ But as for getting out and getting excited over this candidate?  Ain't gonna happen, just like it didn't happen for John McCain.  At least McCain had the good sense to select Sarah Palin for a running mate. I doubt Romney will choose so well. He's heavily on a conservative gimme' so he's not really courting us anymore.counting

As a result, most conservatives will simply sit on their hands if Romney is the candidate. Oh, they'll cast their good soldier votes for Romney, but they won't swell the hallelujah chorus and that chorus is what sells the moderates. Obama has a regular choir behind him, creating the illusion of massive support. Against that cacophony, Romney brings lackluster conservative support to his battle for the confused middle of the roaders. It's kind of like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir vs. the Wharvey Gals, only the choir won't be singing behind their homeboy.

I fear this is NOT going to turn out well!

Just sayin'

Tom