The Obvious Answer
This weekend marks a pivotal point in the GOP’s primary process. Historically over the last several elections, the front runner coming out of the New Hampshire primary has gone on to become the party’s nomination. Much speculation has been directed over the past weeek or so, to media proclaimed front runner Mitt Romney, up and comer Rick Santorum and the man who has vowed to aid Santorum in the remaining times Newt Gingrich. While the confidence among most republicans as to whether or not any of these three men can actually take the office from President Obama, more and more over the last few days the trust seems to slowly but surely be invested in Romney, but is this the right choice?
Mitt Romney has caught much criticism during this political season due to the fact that his political views have changed so frequently throughout his career. His opinions on abortion, crime, drugs, education and big buisness (to name several) have fluctuated and have and will continue to be a critique point on which his GOP colleagues now, and President Obama’s camp later will surely draw on. Can the country trust someone like Romney whose views according to history aren’t all that stable? Newt Gingrich has ensured that it is now his mission to make sure everyone’s answer to that question is a resounding “NO!” and Rick Santorum who has gained momentum over the last week or so, will surely ride on the coattails of that attack. Romney isn’t the only GOP nominee with self inflicted obstacles in his way though, Santorum faces different, but just as difficult challenges. The problem Rick Santorum faces are: one will he gain enough momentum to to grab the lead from Romney, and even if he does will the rest of America vote him in in the real election? Santorum’s views for the most part don’t stray to far from what you would expect a 2012 republican candidate to believe in. Corporate tax cuts, Obamacare is evil, drill drill drill Global warming doesn’t exist, and nuke all of America’s haters around the globe. Santorum’s issues are of more personal origins, will independents vote for someone of his lifestyle? There’s the story of him bringing his stillborn fetus home to meet the rest of his children and ultimately burying it in the backyard, his comparison of homosexuality to “man on dog”, and YouTube subscribers are sure to not let this be forgotten. While none of these things actually make ole Rick a bad person, American politics has developed into a large scale popularity contest over the last few decades and slip ups like these in the age of the internet are significant blunders. I won’t speak too much on Newt Gingrich as he has all but conceded his place in this race and has publicly boasted that the goal has shifted from becoming the GOP candidate, to making sure Mitt Romney isn’t the GOP candidate. We can only hope that in Gingrich’s suicide bomber attack on the Romney campaign we can be provided with equally candid and hilarious clips such as this one.
So who is the obvious answer? Romney or Santorum? To be honest it is neither of these men. That man is actually Ron Paul. Although you hear next to nothing about Ron Paul, he has consistently remained in the top 3 sometimes even top 2 among most polls. That said he gets disproportionally low attention through media outlets, unless you tune into Comedy Central every night at eleven. No matter how many shots will be fired between Romney, Santorum and Gingrich…and eventually Obama, there words are just that…words. The economic problems our country faces, our foreign issues etc. these candidates are offering the same solutions in different languages. 4 years ago Barack Obama swore to the people that the mistakes made by the previous administration, though would not be addressed and completely fixed during his term (whether that term is 4 years or 8 years) he promised to change the direction of the country. Now to be fair, President Obama has taken steps towards fulfilling those promises, however bills have been passed under his watch that keep certain directions of ours going. If Bush was spiraling us downwards 150 mph, Obama has reduced the speed to 100 mph, but he has not truly changed our direction, and neither will Romney or Santorum.
Paul’s views are the only one’s that truly stray from the current ways of our government. He believes in ridding ourselves of the FED, focusing on rebuilding ourselves domestically, and most refreshingly not being the policemen of the world. Ron Paul gives you the same answer everytime, whether his words are greeted with applause or booing he does not waiver. Too often in politics people get caught up in trying to decide whether or not these politicians are good people, rather than devoting their focus on what these guys (and girls) are actually saying. It’s not Ron Paul’s honesty that makes him an attractive candidate, it’s his consistency regardless of whether or not it is the popular thing to say. Coincidentally it is this staunch consistency that has made Ron Paul essentially absent from your television screens. In today’s politics it seems almost as if you need some sort of controversy surrounding you to get the media interested and as a result to get the people interested. Paul isn’t very flashy, and it is this among other things that have made the media ignore Dr. Paul accidentally-on purpose. Don’t believe me? Watch the “comedy central” link within this article, and better yet tune in to the two debates taking place this weekend. Saturday night @ 9 on ABC, and then Sunday night @ 9 on NBC. That’s assuming you’re not too consumed with the NFL playoffs, I won’t be as consumed as normal because Vince Young couldn’t beat the Seahawks and Mark Sanchez sucks, but that’s another story in itself. Tune into the debates! Paul 2012!