>>> You don’t agree with my arguments, what can I tell you ? Those arguments for which I remain strident are the bedrock as to why he must be opposed. >>>
Actually, it’s not agreement or disagreement on the arguments. You are not hearing me. It’s simply that you and I do not look at the entirety of a person’s record in the same perspective, and you simply ratchet up your language and vitriol with each post with the same few arguments and act like you are bringing new information to the battle. You are not.
Bedrock principles are important, but only in how they actually impact how our country is governed. In the GOP field, Perry, Romney, Huntsman and Cain are the only ones with a long executive record. As such, they will have made the most mistakes. Period. Paul and Santorum and Bachmann have zero time as the man in charge (or woman). Palin is not yet in the race, but even at her age she does not have the lengthy record good or bad. Facts are facts. I am only talking about chronology here.
Some mistakes should be put in perspective given what state or what company they were running at the time and what realities they faced. What someone did as a governor of a particular state or as exec of a particular company cannot always be super imposed on how they will or will not act as President. Sometimes it can.
The great thing about these discussions and the primary / debate process is that it paints people into corners. I am quite sure that given his spanking, Perrry will never again pull a guardicil and he will toughen up on his immigration stances. You say he is disappointing as governor, and you may be right, but the net net of Perry and his conservative legislature is a helluva lot better governance than we’ve had from Washington in a long time.
It’s all about perspective, and I don’t think you properly apply perspective to some arguments you have that are otherwise valid.
It’s amazing how people have this fantasy that their politicians will somehow “change” for the better simply because they want them to. I was here 8 years ago in the battle royale for Ah-nold in California. I was viscerally opposed to him, cited those “harsh” comments about him and how horrible a Governor he would be, and had some of the most vicious and personal attacks thrown in my face. Well guess what ? Every thing I made claim to about him came true and then some. He ain’t the only one, either. I don’t need to watch debates, commercials, talking points, I just look at the person and their record. That’s how I know. Some folks apparently can’t stand that. It’s not my problem. But it is my problem if I fail to raise awareness of it. I did the same thing 3 years ago with keeping Slick Willard’s record and deceit on view so that he’d be stopped. Thank heavens he was.