Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Turn Out The Lights..The Party's Over



http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/us/politics/virgil-goode-on-virginia-ballot-poses-worry-for-romney.html


As I have said before, the 2012 election is really just a formality, but the more I think about it, the more I see it as a true identity crisis for the Republican Party and less a national contest. As I see it, the race is all but over.  What is the song like "Turn out the lights..the party's over." There is however an undercurrent to this year's race that is more interesting than the national election, and that is what is the Republican party going to do with themselves?

In one camp you have the TEA Party, Constitution Party types that are pushing the party to the far far far right.  My opinion is that they need to jettison these nutsos, and focus on being moderate and just plain realistic.  Republicans fear a candidate like Virginia's..shoot Franklin County's..own Virgil Goode.  They understand, as I pointed out a long time ago, that Goode will steal votes from Romney and hurt him in any state where Goode's name will appear.  Virginia is key, again as I have said before, to the Republicans.  It swung to President Obama in 2008, after having been Republican for several national elections.  This is completely ignoring the fact that the Republicans have a majority in the Virginia House of Burgesses (I know it is the House of Delegates but I'm a history major). Virginia is quickly becoming a RINO state, and in my opinion, Virgil Goode is speeding up the process. In many a Commonwealther's eyes Goode is a true Republican and Romney is some moderate that switches his opinions too often. Goode is going to come across more conservative than the Romney/Ryan ticket. Even with Ryan who is ultra-conservative, Romney just doesn't have the Conservative chops. Simply put, Goode's name on the ballot hurts Romney and helps President Obama. What's the song line? "Turn out the lights..the party's over."
Virgil "Fly In The Punch Bowl" Goode

In the other camp you have the moderate, Romneyish, types that understand the need to be moderate in a time when the other party is in power.  The Romney/Ryan ticket is a fair attempt to placate both sides of the coin, BUT they are still not catering enough to the far right..which is why they are so afraid of Goode... and it is hurting them.   Understandably this moderate camp has a very fine line to walk.  They cannot be too moderate as to be called liberal on the right, but they have to stick to their guns as moderates as well.  They must, simply must, be moderate and willing to compromise in order to get anything done with the Democrats in the White House, which thanks to their own party will be for another four years.  There are plenty of Virginians out there who are Republicans and not TEA Party fringers. They want to vote for Romney but those on the right are constantly bombarding them with the notions that Romney is not conservative enough, or too moderate.  These same people are wanting to see compromise, a word not in the TEA Party dictionary.   Goode is going to mop this vote 1) because he is from Virginia and 2) because he is more conservative.Simply put, Romney's name on the ballot hurts Goode and helps President Obama. What's the song line? "Turn out the lights..the party's over."
Mitt Romney Waves The White House Ado. Primary Because Of His Own Party


The Republicans had better take the next four years and reconstruct their party.  What is the Warren Zevon song? "Send lawyers guns and money, the shit has hit the fan."  They are moving in too many directions to be effective.  Republicans are forced to run a moderate (Romney) with a ultra-conservative (Ryan) on a very conservative platform (supposedly the most conservative in decades)  against a very  conservative (Goode) candidate, on a very very conservative platform (the Constitution Party is nearly liberal), and the results are not going to be pretty.  All President Obama needs to do is stay out of the way, and not screw up.  Simply put, a Republican's name on the ballot hurts Republicans and helps President Obama. What's the song line? "Turn out the lights..the party's over."
Paul Ryan Is Simply To Smart To Be Able To Flex His Conservative Muscles And Help The Ticket 

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