No Huckabee in 2012

[derspiess]

I think Obama has made more good decisions than bad ones and think he deserves a second term.

Sounds like you had the bar set really low.  But agree to disagree.

Plus the GOP has shifted too far into fruitcake land since 08.

In what way? 

The only Republicans I can support are those that are serious about reducing the deficit, hence Daniels.

Mitch did have some serious budget hawk credentials, but how can you say he was the only one serious about reducing the deficit?  And how can that not factor into your decision to support Obama??

[Admiral Yi]

In what way? 

The rise of the know-nothing Palin wing of the party, as Skippy termed it.

Mitch did have some serious budget hawk credentials, but how can you say he was the only one serious about reducing the deficit?  And how can that not factor into your decision to support Obama??

I can say that based on what I've read and heard about the candidates and potential candidates.

It does factor in to my support for Obama.  Just that his negatives aren't as big as the GOP candidates' negatives in my mind.

[Admiral Yi]

Another factor in my support for Obama is dismay at the revenge cycle that has dominated presidential politics since Clinton.  You trashed our guy so we're going to trash your guy.  Repeat.

[derspiess]

The rise of the know-nothing Palin wing of the party, as Skippy termed it.

Didn't know she had her own wing. 

I can say that based on what I've read and heard about the candidates and potential candidates.

I don't think any candidate would get through the primary without showing he's serious about the deficit. 

It does factor in to my support for Obama.  Just that his negatives aren't as big as the GOP candidates' negatives in my mind.

Fair enough.  Enjoy your 4 more years of hope, change, and federal debt we'll never be able to pay off

[derspiess]

Another factor in my support for Obama is dismay at the revenge cycle that has dominated presidential politics since Clinton.  You trashed our guy so we're going to trash your guy.  Repeat.

That factors into your support for Obama?  Obama himself has thrown Bush under the bus every chance he's had.

[Ed Anger]

Palin's goofy ass Tea Party fruitcakes is enough to get me to think twice about voting republican. Of course, the dems are goofy as hell too, so I'll just stay home and finish my bunker.

[Razgovory]

Another factor in my support for Obama is dismay at the revenge cycle that has dominated presidential politics since Clinton.  You trashed our guy so we're going to trash your guy.  Repeat.

That factors into your support for Obama?  Obama himself has thrown Bush under the bus every chance he's had.

Bush, who also used his predecessor as a scape goat for when things went bad at every opportunity.

[alfred russel]

In what way? 

Stupid ideas such as birtherism. Birtherism was basically harmless, but incredibly stupid. The concern over fiat money seems to be going mainstream among republicans--see Pawlenty--before that was something for fringe candidates such as Paul. Some republican states are passing laws for alternative currencies.

Silly tax reform overhauls like the "fair tax" are getting a lot of traction on the Republican side.

The toxic reaction to anything "obamacare" related is overdone.

The latest idea to replace medicare with vouchers is a rare feat in that it combines horrible politics with horrible policy.

The general desire to sharply cut spending in a recession, but of course not on the military, isn't very sound.

Those are the first things that come to mind. I'm probably leaving a few off.

[Neil]

I don't think any candidate would get through the primary without showing he's serious about the deficit. 

Isn't the opposite true?  If someone came into the primary saying he was going to deliver some cuts to programs (including the military) and raise taxes, he'd be lucky to escape with his life.

[MadImmortalMan]

I don't think any candidate would get through the primary without showing he's serious about the deficit. 

Isn't the opposite true?  If someone came into the primary saying he was going to deliver some cuts to programs (including the military) and raise taxes, he'd be lucky to escape with his life.

We'll find out. Pawlenty is currently in Iowa talking about getting rid of ethanol and farm subsidies, and is planning on heading to Florida to talk about reforming Social Security and Medicare. It's either brilliant or suicide.

[grumbler]

I don't think any candidate would get through the primary without showing he's not serious about the deficit.

FYP.  I think no candidate serious about deficit elimination could possibly get the nod, because I think any successful candidate will have to pretend that it can be done by non-defense spending cuts alone, and I don't think that that is a serious position.  It is mere posturing.

Edit:  Neil beat me to the same idea.

[grumbler]

That factors into your support for Obama?  Obama himself has thrown Bush under the bus every chance he's had.

And Bush has returned the favor (refusing to appear at Ground Zero with Obama after the death of OBL, for instance). 

Bush was a crap president whose administration led the country into a disaster.  whining when people point this out isn't any more useful than hoover fans whining that he took the heat for the start of the First Depression.

[Valmy]

I don't think any candidate would get through the primary without showing he's not serious about the deficit.

FYP.  I think no candidate serious about deficit elimination could possibly get the nod, because I think any successful candidate will have to pretend that it can be done by non-defense spending cuts alone, and I don't think that that is a serious position.  It is mere posturing.

Yep.  And no raising taxes under any circumstances.  A serious person would be warning that there will be sacrifices in painful areas.  To win you have to pretend Santa Claus exists.

[Neil]

That factors into your support for Obama?  Obama himself has thrown Bush under the bus every chance he's had.

And Bush has returned the favor (refusing to appear at Ground Zero with Obama after the death of OBL, for instance). 

Really?  That's pathetic.  Childishness like that in his moment of triumph is foolish.

Bush was a crap president whose administration led the country into a disaster.  whining when people point this out isn't any more useful than hoover fans whining that he took the heat for the start of the First Depression.

I suppose you could say that if you think that US administrations lead anyone into anything anymore.  It seems to me that the Bush II administration was the culmination of a series of trends that have been building since Reagan.

[Berkut]

Interesting article on Slate today talking about Gates and the future with respect to defense spending, and some hard choices that are going to have to be made in the next several years in order to enact the cuts that are going to be coming.