REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES

It still seems to me that the most qualified Republican candidate for president is Jon Huntsman. He was an outstanding governor of a Red state and balanced the budget, he is pro life, pro guns, and has been Ambassador to Singapore and , more importantly, China, our biggest rival and creditor. I think he faces several problems. This is his first time running so I think he lacks name recognition. He has referred to himself as a center right candidate, but he is a true conservative. His Abassadorship to China was under president Obama, and he made the mistake of saying some nice things about him. And of course, his Mormon religion probably counts against him. He has thrown his full effort into New Hampshire. If he should win, he might take on some steam. He is gaining in the polls.

I think Iowa is wide open and the caucuses are only a few weeks off. I don't know of any poll that has ranked candidates by their likelihood to go to the caucuses. As Gingrich doesn't have much of an organization in Iowa, I doubt he will win in Iowa. But right now, the "red meat" Republicans are in charge and like the idea of someone who can beat up on Obama. Eventually, I believe saner heads will prevail.

What has happened to Machele Bachmann? She has sounded rational for a few weeks now, even if I don't agree with her views. I do agree with her that the payroll tax cuts are a bad idea. It just makes the funding of Social Security and Medicare that much harder in the future. How many will she fool? Iowa is her place. It's there or never.

Ron Paul is doing surprisingly well in the polls in Iowa, but I have a hard time seeing him as the winner. He is just too much. Though some aspects of his foreign policies are well taken, others are just nutty. It is interesting that libertarians side with the Republicans because it is the Democrats that are social libertarians. Apparently it is fiscal libertarians that take precedence.

I'm sorry, but I can't stand Rick Santorum. He lost big in his run for a third term in the Senate. His stands against things like masturbation (of all things), oral sex (even for heterosexual couples), and homosexuals are just too far out. (http://www.americablog.com/2006/06/rick-santorum-its-all-about-sodomy.html) I'd like to see him take a lie detector test on personal masturbation and Justice Scalia too. He is also opposed to contraceptives in health care plans. (http://www.ricksantorum.com/pressrelease/senator-santorum-launches-“faith-family-and-freedom-tour”). Also see: http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2009/12/in-end-liberalism-wins.html He sure wants to get into our bedrooms. It is not a surprise to me that he is doing poorly in the polls.

I still guess that in the end, the Republican nominee will be Mitt Romney. One thing I think we can count on if he becomes president is a large downsizing of the Federal government employees. This was his business career - downsizing. What else he will do is uncertain to me, but I'm sure he will try to be remembered as a great president. After all, this guy has excelled at everything he has done, except possibly campaigning. Why would we expect differently of him as president. So he might be better than anyone expects.

For an earlier assessment of Republican presidential candidates see:http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2011/07/republican-presidential-candidates-for.html