I don’t think I agree with all your conclusions, but you are right about the flaws in the system. But of course, there are flaws in any system. There always have been, and always will be.
On a related topic, how’s this for a counter intuitive theory:
The candidate who would probably have GOVERNED the most conservatively in the past two cycles is one of the most PERSONALLY liberal Republican of all. That’s Rudy. He pledged over and over to use Scalia as his judicial model for appointees. He probably would have gotten his short list from Scalia. When you consider that Rudy was already very conservative on terror and also conservative on taxes and regulations, what forms is the picture of a man who would have GOVERNED in a net conservative manner. Another thing he would never do is back down to the liberals.
So the picture is this: a social liberal who would sub out the social agenda to Scalia types judges, while he fights hard on terror, taxes and regulations and never gives in to the liberal media or others.
Just some thought. He would have been on net far more to the right than weenies like Huckabee and probably Santorum, who live more conservatively but would not have governed that way. I like the way you think, so I thought I’d throw this at you...
There were some things about Rudy that I liked. First, he came across as a fighter. Second, he is the best public speaker that the republicans currently have. He’s gifted in that area.
As always, though, his east coast cred has been built on liberal policy positions he’s taken. And he was hurt by his gay pride pictures.
One thing I like about Rudy is that he hasn’t backpedaled on his liberal positions just to curry favor. He’s sincerely wrong about them, but at least he’s sincere.
I pray some day he’ll have an epiphany. Not that he’s any longer a viable candidate, but that it would align him more with his Catholic faith, and that would align him more with his God.
My opinion, but what an awesome public speaker. Too bad he wasn’t a conservative.