While the gloves were mainly kept on for the first Democratic debate (excluding Mike Gravel) the Republicans haven't even had their first debate and the gloves are long gone. The on-message GOP has crumbled and left in its wake is a party ripping at each other. Each candidate is trying to be the 'true' conservative while the others are just playing politics. The reality is that they are all playing politics and any casual observer can see that. While Kerry was called a flip-flopper over nothing, these guys are skilled in the art of switching sides for an issue whenever it befits them.
From CNN:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When it comes to Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment -- "Thou shalt not speak ill of thy fellow Republicans" -- GOP presidential candidates seem to be losing their religion.
Republican candidates have been speaking a lot of ill -- sometimes quite directly.
"Governor [Mitt] Romney, his views ... have been moderate to liberal in [the] North, in the Northeast, and it's all on videotape," former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore said on "The Situation Room" recently. "And now he's trying to shift to be a conservative."
At a Republican dinner in Iowa this month, Gilmore took on his party's front-runners collectively, saying, "Rudy McRomney is not a conservative."
The former Massachusetts governor's response? He said his rivals -- Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- have changed their minds on issues, too.
Well if one guy has no principles, then it is fair to not have principles as well? That top notch reasoning is resulting in the fact that despite there being a top-tier of GOP candidates, no one on the right is screaming and cheering behind either of them. The problem is that these are guys have been so addicted to winning at all costs in the last few years.
That addiction has negated any conservative principles they might have had. Now I don't agree with those principles, but it would be nice if they stuck to them so we could have an honest debate in this country. The nation has grown tired of their culture of corruption and the merciless desire to please the rich and their corporate masters. So many Republicans have come out of the woodwork to float a possible candidacy but none have had any success. Fred Thompson? Newt Gingrich? Who's next, wingnut radio host Michael Savage?
The reality is there is no one on the conservative side of the debate because none of them have any real principles. Besides, even if there was a viable candidate, would America want a system that rewards the rich and screws the poor? People may have liked Reagan's persona, but the truth is, his system failed. Conservatism as we know it has led to the downfall of our country and we need a new, progressive way at this critical time.
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