Posted on 03/31/2016 7:10:08 AM PDT by mrs9x
I have been having this discussion with some friends of mine who are in the Trump or Cruz camps, and people have come up with interesting ideas. Here is the question:
If the GOP race goes to a contested convention, and Trump and Cruz cannot be the nominee, who WOULD you support to be the nominee? In other words, who is your second best choice if Trump or Cruz cannot be the nominee?
Michelle Obama
Kayne West
Opra
In that case we don’t have a chioce.
The result of that lack of conservative votes is too many compromises, and too much "giving in" in the interests of maintaining some political power. I feel for a guy like Ryan, because he actually is a good conservative but apparently has come to the conclusion that "true conservative" ideas cannot win, so we have to move to the middle or get steamrolled. He's basically fighting a rear-guard action (in good faith, btw) rather than trying to win.
Most of us still recall Reagan very fondly, but why? I don't think it was because of his actual policies as much as it was that he reinvigorated (or, made "cool" again) the core conservative principles of self-reliance, individual freedom, and opportunity. Reagan changed the way people think about conservatism. He was the intellectual/moral force that influenced/created an entire new generation of conservatives.
And now, we are about to lose an entire generation that we simply cannot afford to lose because of the demographics. The Iraq War soured those young people on "conservatism" (even though Bush wasn't a conservative), and then along came rock star Obama to make liberalism cool. So we've got an entire generation that is too young to remember Reagan, that may never learn about conservatism, and that will raise a whole generation of young people who won't know of it either. Long-term, that is the death-knell for this country regardless of what happens with the "GOP-E".
So for me, the most important characteristic of the nominee is to be able to communicate the virtues of conservatism in that effective, visceral way Reagan could. To speak effectively about what conservatism really was, and in a way that might be able to bring conservatism to a whole new generation - including immigrants. And I think if we don't win that battle, that core philosophical/idea-based battle, we are doomed no matter who we elect.
So, I supported Rubio. Not because he was right on every issue (Reagan wasn't), or because I liked the Gang of Eight (Reagan and IRCA). But because I thought he was the only candidate we had who had a chance of effectively reaching that huge cohort of younger voters + immigrants with a message of conservatism they might find attractive. He had the best shot at changing the long-term balance of power between the left and conservatives. Whatever his other flaws, the guy could communicate that message incredibly well, and may have been a game-changer for us in terms of reversing unfavorable demographics, particularly with the young.
But, that's gone now. So now, it's about electing a guy who will lose us as little ground as possible until someone else comes along who can communicate that message as effectively.
Re thinking, I’ll go with any ticket that has Al West on it. Bolton/West, too dreamy, it will never be approved by the GOPe wussies.
Draft Dick Cheney.
FEEL THE BERN!!!!
My choice, also.
Scott Walker.
Tom Tancredo
Not Sure.
If Hillary becomes president, I will turn off the TV, because I don’t even want to accidentally her voice.
In an attempt to calm the base down down, I predict the GOPe will put Cruz as the VP. It’s a do much of nothing position...but will make their establishment candidate more appealing to many. ugh
Mike Lee
No doubt about it, Sessions.
No jury duty. I’d sit out in protest.
If the GOP-e nominates a RINO, I’d have to take a serious look into leaving the party.
LOL! Elect ANY of the RINO globalist uni-party candidates potentially on offer (and I include TPA Ted & Goldman Heidi in that number) and the votes of future generations (if elections are even held at all) won't be worth a bucket of warm spit.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
Why would you even post something stupid like this? N
I go definitely go for Sessions.
Samuel Alito
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.