THE GOP (THE REPUBLICANS) FREE-FOR-ALL IS BETTER POLITICS THAN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S CLINTON CORONATION.
So said Daniel Henninger, writer for the Wall Street Journal.
There is Hillary Clinton, somewhat sarcastically referred to as Queen Hillary, for she has all but been nominated by the Democrat Party as candidate for President versus some 19 Republican potential candidates for President. We the people better get used to this political free-for-all especially on the Republican side. There may be a somewhat serious candidate to Clinton, but that is doubtful. All of the political action, rhetoric, and of course the usual list of promises for America to be better (are you better off?) will come from the Republicans.
Chief among those candidates some say is Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush and son of George H. Bush, and of course a large part of the Bush family political dynasty. Jeb Bush is former governor of the great State of Florida. Some question whether or not Mr. Bush is in fact and in heart a true Republican but more like a RHINO, that is a Republican in name only. Bush like all other candidates has an ear to the ground, listening for signals from the American grassroots so that he can form strong opinions, construct a political platform and present himself as candidate-in-charge to the American people. Some think that Jeb Bush is at the very top of the GOP Presidential preference polls. Others however decisively do not.
Quinnipiac University released a poll that showed 25% of the likely GOP caucus members in the State of Iowa, which will hold the first primaries eight months from now, would definitely not support Mr. Bush for President. That is a startling number this early on in the campaign. Even though the fortunes and fates will rise and fall over the coming months, these findings could bode ill for Mr. Bush so early on.
Apparently, there are many Republicans in Iowa who are seeking a broad, centralist Republican candidate who is “acceptable to all voters.” That seems virtually impossible, does it not? How can so-called Republicans, conservative and leaning right, support a centrist or center-left candidate wholeheartedly? Such voters would abstain from voting if the candidate chosen for nomination by the Republican Party is too centrist, much less leftist especially when it comes to social and fiscal issues, like abortion, gay marriage, taxes, the welfare state and more. Many say Mr. Bush is no clear on such issues and refrain from active support.
Not only must Mr. Bush clearly define his political philosophy and belief, but he must also position himself clearly and competitively against as many as 18 other potential Republican candidates for President. There are some formidable names who wish to be heard and considered by Republican voters, including Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, Scott Walker, Rick Perry among many others. You can be sure that there will be a Republican verbal bloodbath and the Democrats will take notes and advantage of everything said by the Republican candidates who fail to be nominated in their critique of the candidate who is.
Many claim that Jeb Bush is “old news.” That is, part of and a political product from the BUSH FAMILY DYNASTY. Enough of the Bushes, they say and on with someone new, fresh thinking, more current, better able to understand the issues in a different light and propose solutions newly fashioned and strategically relevant. The critics are not clear why Mr. Bush could not do that, but perhaps concerned that the voters will perceive him in that light and fail to support or vote for him in any enthusiastic way.
Jeb Bush indeed has executive experience as two term Governor of Florida. He was a strong decision maker and apparently one with values and without scandal. There was seemingly integrity and transparency as hallmarks in his governorship. He was a Governor who built consensus and even though disagreed with, respected for his leadership governing the great State of Florida for the better. The state advanced economically, jobs were created and the problems associated with immigration, both legal and illegal were well handled or at least managed. Jobs were created and unemployment decreased. All of that say the Jeb Bush supporters indicates that Bush as Republican candidate for President would be an excellent choice for America, the Republican Party and for Republican voters at large. With such a record as Governor, it is somewhat difficult to understand the position of early potential Iowa caucus members (I would not vote for Jeb Bush) who say that “no matter what, they will never be able to support that candidate in a primary”). But, that is politics at work, rough and tumble, aggressive, demanding, posturing, sometimes even irrational. The pursuit of power and influence somehow seems to bring out the worst in people and at this political level, early on, that may be necessary but it can often get down and dirty, negative ads and negative politics, the political attack philosophy which can serve no good for our great country.
That very same Quinnipiac University poll which showed that 25% of the likely GOP caucus-voters in Iowa would not vote for Jeb Bush, also found that 20% would not vote for Chris Christie, Governor of the State of New Jersey, as Republican nominee for President. No reasons given but simply a no vote. In addition, another poll found that 21% of likely New Hampshire primary voters said they would never consider voting for Donald Trump, in addition to Mr. Bush and Mr. Christie. Again, no reasons given. That of course is so much the current nature of so many American voters. That is, often an emotional, visceral reaction to a candidate without the ability to fashion reasons, well thought out and rational, with respect to the decision WHY NOT. So many voters actually voted for Barack Hussein Obama because they liked him, his charisma, magnetism and personality at work. Perhaps these potential voters have reacted the same way to Bush, Christie and Trump, not liking them and therefore declaring openly they will not vote for any of them. It is so critical, my fellow Americans, that we, as the Scriptures say, KNOW THE TRUTH. That we are able to fully understand the position of the candidates on the critical issues of our day and how they will lead and make decisions which so directly affect our lives. It should matter not whether we like a candidate, but whether we believe that candidate is the right leader with the right values, morals and principles for our great nation. We should remember at all times as voters that there really is no such thing as a Republican Party, united in platform and principle, monolithic and one for all and all for one in terms of principles and beliefs, consistent to the core as such a party leads our country. The eventual Republican nominee for President will have some, perhaps many, perhaps even most of the Republican principles and core beliefs at heart and in mind when President, but by no means all. We will find at work what that candidate believes and how that candidate evolves as President over four years. That may or may not be Republican, or conservative, or even one who is true to his own platform or promises. Whether Democrat, Republican or Independent, we the voters roll the dice and we can only hope and pray that our precious vote, our highest political right, elects one who is the very best for our great country. We never really know, do we? The present Administration is proof positive of a political platform riddled with broken promises.
Mr. Bush, a former state Governor, will be challenged by perhaps as many as 18 other Republican candidates for President. Interestingly, of those 19 candidates, 14 are current or former governors of one of our great states. 14! Interestingly, in a day and age where in so many ways minority rules and all things must be politically correct, 3 of those 14 candidates are female, namely Nikki Haley, current Governor of South Carolina, one right-thinking governor, Susana Martinez, current Governor of the great State of New Mexico, and former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. If it is time for a woman to be President of the United States, perhaps one of those three women, including a very special woman Carly Fiorina of California, might well be a better President than candidate Clinton. And, in this politically correct day and age, perhaps Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico may have an advantage for she is not only female, but Latino as well. One of the tragic things for our great country is that none of this should matter. The gender, age, race or ethnicity of any candidate should be irrelevant, don’t you think? Completely irrelevant. Perhaps the most important qualification of any candidate is:
INTEGRITY
That is, the ability, the innate characteristic and character of any candidate to communicate and live by the maxim:
THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
So many of us would like to add the words SO HELP YOU GOD! Unfortunately for America, that has become politically incorrect for it seems our mission to take God out of everything. How refreshing it would be to see and hear a candidate bring the God of the universe, our Creator, back into the political picture. Perhaps that would be a change back that would really be revolutionary, indispensable for the future of this great country, don’t you agree?
I wonder what Jeb Bush thinks about SO HELP YOU GOD. Or Chris Christie, or Donald Trump (have you ever heard Trump talk about the God of the universe?), or candidate Clinton for that matter. Perhaps it is a shame that we have to wonder what these candidates think and believe. How then does a voter who is Christian, whether evangelical or other, assess a candidate when it comes to matters of faith. Can for example a Christian, believing strongly in God, vote for a candidate who is either not Christian or hypocritically so. Can a Christian in good conscience vote for such a candidate? Many such potential voters think not and abstain. That may be justification in their minds but it is tragic for America when any citizen of this great country fails to vote.
As the campaigns develop, we should listen carefully for candidates beliefs, their values and morals, and their position with respect to all matters of faith, whether expressed or not. So many will shy away from these issues as divisive and even irrelevant. There are many of us who believe that they are not only not irrelevant, but perhaps the most relevant. It really seems somewhat likely that the next Republican candidate for President will be a Governor. We can examine the record of that Governor in that state, the character, morals and beliefs of that Governor can be vetted and communicated, and we may well understand the choice we as voters have for President from the Republicans in comparison to and competitive with former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton versus Bush, Jeb Bush. Talk about déjà vu. Or Clinton versus Christie, or Trump, or Walker, or any other Governor.
It seems very likely my fellow Americans that will be your choice!
I sincerely wonder whether either choice is right for America. What do you think?