Whether or not former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney wins Tuesday's primary contests in Michigan and Arizona, he is in trouble, and both he and the Republican Party leadership know it.
During the past month, the topsy-turvy Republican presidential contest took another turn, catapulting former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum into the lead over Romney. On one night two weeks ago, Santorum won three contests (in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri) giving him sufficient enough media exposure to push his poll numbers ahead of Romney's in most national surveys.
Only those who underestimated the strength of the "anybody but Romney" sentiment among grassroots Republicans were surprised by this turn of events. And at this point, it is that sentiment, driven by ideological purists from the party's religious right and Tea Party activists, that is responsible for the craziness of this year's presidential contest.
As I have noted before, it was the Tea Party and their ilk that kept more credentialed Republicans from entering the race -- leaving the field open to the likes of Donald Trump, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Texas Governor Rick Perry, and pizza mogul Herman Cain. And while the GOP's establishment galvanized around Romney, seeing him as the "best of the bad options" in the race, they have not been able to win the day for their "chosen one."
One by one, the strange cast of characters running for the Republican nomination played "leap frog" with one another taking the lead for a few weeks before either collapsing under the weight of their own inadequacy, flaws in their make-up, or the destructive power of negative ads run by the well-financed Romney campaign.
First, it was Bachmann's turn as frontrunner, followed by Perry, and then Cain. Just one month ago, Gingrich's took the lead. He had won South Carolina and was leading in national polls. New life was breathed into the Romney effort by wins in Florida and Nevada. But then along came Santorum.
At that point, the party's establishment made a determined effort to boost Romney by helping him win a highly publicized but informal straw poll of attendees at a gathering of conservatives in Washington. State party leaders also "fixed" a Romney win in Maine's caucus election. By not reporting all the votes, they announced to the media that Romney had defeated Congressman Ron Paul. While neither "victory" meant very much (the Washington straw poll doesn't count for anything but one day "bragging rights," and Paul will ultimately win Maine anyway), these actions merely served to stop the media hemorrhaging that was hurting Romney. What they also highlighted, however, was Romney's and the establishment's desperation.
What the Tea Party and the religious right want is a candidate who is ideologically "pure" (and they believe Romney is not), while what the GOP leadership wants is a candidate who can win control of the White House and not hurt the party's chances to take control of both Houses of Congress (and they believe none of the other candidates are able to accomplish either objective). And so what I have called the "fratricidal embarrassment" continues. It was on display during Wednesday's televised Republican debate as the candidates focused their nasty attacks more on each other than on President Obama.
As a Democrat, I suppose I could take perverse delight in the GOP's self-destruction, but as an American, and a citizen of the world, I am concerned. The result of all this has not merely been a weakening of all the candidates involved, but a dangerous escalation of rhetoric as each of the remaining contestants move further to the right to demonstrate their bona fides to the party's hard core base. And here is where it becomes a danger to the country.
By now, the Republican field has locked themselves into the most extreme positions imaginable on economic, social, political, and foreign policy matters -- reinforcing the most reactionary instincts of Republican voters. This is the same crowd who brought us the "birther" and "Obama is a Muslim" movement, the anti-Park 51 campaign, and that argued that Obama advocated setting up "death panels" as part of his health care plan. Now they want to send troops back to Iraq, support a new war against Iran (while we are still cleaning up the mess from the last two unfinished wars), and chide Obama for "throwing Israel under the bus."
This is not your grandfather's Republican Party. This is a new creature, one that neither Romney nor the party's establishment appear to be able to lead or control. And so, whatever the outcome on Tuesday, this long drawn out contest will continue, with more blood being drawn and more ill-will being created within the party ranks.
Follow James Zogby on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AAIUSA
Denis Lacorne: Breaking Down the Wall of Separation from JFK to Santorum and Romney
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
By abandoning traditional values of fairness, compromise, respect for human rights and privacy, they have become the fearsome group which we all recognize. By catering to the mad dogs, the "candidates" have driven the party so far right that any sensible person with a good conscience could not possible vote for them.
They have become truly frightening. It really does appear that this election is a referendum of what is left of the American republic versus the Neo- f a s c i s t s
When you've been convinced 'the left' is trying to proactively destroy your country and way of life, how can you tolerate any compromise? The country has been Balkanized by the disintegration of a moderate Republican Party. In truth, FNC has far more power over conservatives than the RNC, and their ratings are not tied to the success of this country.
As GWB Speechwriter David Frum put it: 'Republicans originally thought that Fox worked for us and now we're discovering we work for Fox."
goldman sachs bets on both obama and romney. either way its a win: no real policy change, no real monetary change.
the revolution will continue...
Understandable when many people who make millions of dollars a year, pay a tax RATE less than 1/2 that of many middle class employees.
Case in point...........Mitt Romney.
Mr. Romney and his wife made about 27 million dollars in 2010, and paid an effective Federal tax RATE of 13.9%
An Employee making as little as $34,500 pays nearly twice that RATE, well OVER twice as much when you figure in the FICA.
So Mr. Romney wants to change that situation, and has forwarded his own tax proposals.
The result?
The poor would pay 60% MORE in taxes.
The middle class would get a minor decrease (About $250 per year)
And the wealthy would see their taxes fall by another 15%, (that's $150,000 on a million a year income).
http://blogs.reuters.com/david-cay-johnston/2012/02/07/how-romney-would-tax-us/
Trickle Down Economics is a Ponzi scheme where only those at the very top of the pyramid make out like bandits, and the rest of us get stuck with all the bills.
When enough Americans wake up to that fact, either the Republicans will have to change their platform, or they will be history.
"But let's -- let's point this out, our bill was 70 pages. His bill is 2700 pages. There's a lot in that 2,700 pages I don't agree with and let me tell you, if I'm president of the United States, I will repeal Obama Care for a lot of reasons."
While those three are arguing, Ron Paul is amassing most of the delegates of the caucus states. He is the only candidate with activist voters, and that is what the delegate system rewards. Even a majority of the bound delegates may prove to be Paul supporters at the convention. That will come in very handy for him in the second round, as no one will take it home in the first.
hey, but i suppose you think PIPA and SOPA are good.
Libertarianism cannot work.
Well Mr Zogby, you might be speaking for Arab voices, but you do not speak for the Republican Party.
I think the traditional Republicans are going to have to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start a new party. It would be quicker and cleaner than trying to wrest their old party back from the fascists.
By doing so they moved further away from independant voters, and alienated women, minorites, poor, and the middle class. 1% may run this country, however you need a majority of voters (51%) to win an election. The longer this circus is allowed to continue the futher damage to the republican party.
Ronald Regan must be turning over in hiis grave, watching this group of the Wizzard of Oz
Newt - the strawman - no heart
Mitt - the Lion - no courage
Rick - the Tinman - no brains
One can only hope there's a Santorum/Bachman ticket.
Years ago when there was actually discourse and compromise, the Congress had a different perspective:
As the legendary Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill said, “House Republicans are not the enemy, they're the opposition. The Senate is the enemy."