BETWEEN THE LINES: GOP searching for an identity
The Republican Party’s field of presidential candidates was reduced by one with the withdrawal of Herman Cain last week. It seems like the leading candidates cannot stand prosperity as one after another aspirant loses momentum as soon as they reach the top. Rick Perry entered the fray with a splash, but after several campaign gaffes, particularly in televised debates, the Texas governor plummeted in the polls.
I have to believe there is a significant element of the GOP that is not particularly enamored with the prospect of having another Texan heading up the Republican ticket. The current rising star is former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. He is informed and knowledgeable, and comes over well in a debate. However, he also brings with him considerable baggage, with the latest being his exorbitant salary working with Fannie Mae.
Gingrich denies being a lobbyist for them.
Most political observers point to Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, as the probable winner. The general consensus seems to be that he looks presidential. His calm, poised manner comes over well to viewers. Unfortunately, most conservatives do not trust his campaign rhetoric, and view him at best as a RINO — Republican in name only.
Then, there is Ron Paul, the Libertarian-leaning Congressman from Texas. The former gynecologist from Lake Jackson has been uniformly consistent during his years in Congress. He has steadfastly opposed the Federal Reserve and has been an advocate of smaller government and constitutional rights. His unwavering principles have gained him a loyal following wherever he competes. He is one of the few politicians in Washington who remains consistently true to his values.
The problem for the Republicans is they have no chance of winning the White House without the unified support of the conservative right. This puts the established moderate wing of the party in a quandary. Even going back to the successful years of Ronald Reagan, these big-spending, pro-war elites look at fiscal conservatives with disdain as they pay lip serve to conservative issues. It has reached such a toxic level that I believe they would rather see Barack Obama gain a second term than support a true smaller-government candidate, assuming one can be nominated.
For those on the political right, the election of 2012 might present the last opportunity to avoid a complete socialist takeover in which the interests of the United States become more aligned with Europe as our sovereignty is cast to the winds.
In the current state of affairs, there is very little difference between big-spending Republicans and big-spending Democrats. They might differ somewhat on tax issues, but our economic woes are the direct result of spending money we do not have on things we do not need.
People with common sense understand this. Sadly, Congress does not.
Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 12 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, email ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.