This is exactly the type of attitude I was referring to, and I'm surprised. I think you're better than that.
If you and I were the only two people with primary votes, what you're saying here would make a lot more sense. But like it or not, Romney is going to pick up a ton of delegates in places that he can't win in the general election.
What we can do on places like this website -the only thing, really -is to get our ducks in a row and pick a champion, instead of wasting time figuring things like which candidate made the most enthusiastic attacks on gay marriage (or whatever political topic is in fashion that week). If we fail to do that, we end up with Romney, and, ultimately, Hillary.
The point about "The best candidate who can win" refers to guys like Santorum. Love him. Love his politics. But can he win? I say "no," and I move on to someone who can. Even if it means I have to be called a RINO on this website.
As of now, my candidate is probably Walker, should he choose to run. The next question becomes "Can he win. I'm still not convinced yet, but he as a year to prove he can.
No I’m pretty sure that electing the best person for the country is a higher ideal than winning with crap. So no, I’m nor better than that. Not even close. Since it’s guided me since 2008.
But if you want lesser evil, you will find plenty of supporters here to agree with you. Because FR is full of them. So is DC right now. That your idea got elected. Brilliant plan. Worked so well for America.
Good points. The GOP nomination got mediocred twice so far in the face of a plethora of fine candidates. The Showy Righteousness Du Jour shouldn’t be determining who wins because that poses an undeterminable question. There aren’t anything BUT lesser evils in this world, as far as choosing a candidate is concerned. Even Ronald Reagan wasn’t that wonderfully conservative; his rhetoric about libertarian self-reliance is what won the people’s hearts. (And it was all about what the worrying, malaise-filled Jimmy Carter wasn’t.)
This website is great but we are very small these days, a few thousand active members perhaps. We are the choir and the preacher combined. An echo chamber.
I assue you, very sophisticated polling is causing this change in course for Romney. Do you remember the human interest video that came out after the election? Mitt has not authorized replays because it still has legs.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, as it was when Reagan ran again after defeats.
We needed Reagan because of the slide we experienced relative to Russia and the cold war. We need Mitt to remind us of our humanity, our faith, our resolve, our responsibility, and our greatness.
He is a Pastor after all and one hell of a determined leader.
Fellas, FR, this website, is akin to a sparkling brook or a reflective lake. It is an ongoing reflection of human reaction and discussion among theoretically like-minded Americans. I think you mistake it for a force. You seem to want to harness it and use it to do something.
It is only a resource, a reflection, a disseminator of ideas, a place to start waves, to move the water. It is constantly shifting and changing and reflecting the voices and concerns of kindred American patriots.
At BEST as a force, FR is a disseminator of ideas, and I believe truly it is an effective one. Jim Robinson et al created something extremely valuable in Free Republic. PLEASE SUPPORT FR WITH YOUR DONATIONS, presidio and Norm!!! And any and all lurkers!!
FR is not a force except in that it's a reflection of what is really going on in the minds of kindred spirits, and a darned valuable and good one.