Republicans are in the doldrums today with a popular President with great political skill and charisma. This is a President that has already signed the largest deficit spending bills in the history of the Republic with $787 billion stimulus bill, $410 billion omnibus pork-barrel bill, and now with a $3.5 trillion 2010 budget proposal that will solidify trillion dollar-plus annual deficits for years to come.
Let’s not even mention the massive increases in energy taxes through cap and trade estimated to be at least $600 billion, a move toward universal healthcare that will cost trillions more, and move to raise taxes on corporations with foreign subsidiaries, which will drive jobs overseas.
Let’s remember the worst budget deficit ever was $455 billion in 2008. We are going to be near a $2 trillion deficit in 2009 and probably in similar territory for years to come thanks to Obama-nomics. Our national debt will double from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in just a few years at this pace.
With all this spending, Obama has the gall to go in front of the cameras and brag about the $16 billion of spending cuts he found and pushing for “pay as you go” budgeting rule, which is nothing more than a gimmick that has been waived for years. Of course if the paygo rule even passes, all the trillions in spending mentioned above will already be exempt.
With this being said as Obama becomes the definition of the “tax and spend liberal”, Republicans just don’t have a leader right now.
Sarah Palin is a joke. Sure she can read a speech off a teleprompter well, but it’s obvious she’s an intellectual lightweight and can’t handle policy questions under the media limelight.
Newt Gingrich simply has no chance of being elected with his political divisive rhetoric like the Hispanic Supreme Court Justice nominee is a “a racist”. What the hell is he thinking? Republicans need the Hispanic vote. Newt also has too much baggage from the 1990s with his hypocrisy going after Bill Clinton’s adultery, when he was also par-taking the same thing.
Romney simply has no charisma and doesn’t have any political savvy. His speeches are dull and come across as inauthentic.
Jindal, the great Indian-American Obama story-like hope, struck out swinging in his first national speech. He doesn’t have the political speaking chops and has been caricatured by the media has Mr. Rogers.
Huckabee is an “aw shucks” ex-preacher that can tell a good joke and a sermon or two, but he simply doesn’t come off as a good manager and policy person.
After the George Bush disaster, the Republicans need someone that screams competence and authenticity. The only person I believe that will give the Republicans a shot in 2012 Presidential election is General Petraeus. We know he’s a Republican. He has impressive managerial experience saving the U.S. from defeat in Iraq using political skill with locals on the ground. I’ve never seen General Petraeus give a long speech, but at least he has a track record of executing and getting the job done. He’s our only hope.
