Scott Brown?

[admiralsnackbar]

My money is on Romney at this point. Brown & Newt won't get it, ones too moderate and the other too polarizing. Palin I don't think will even run, she's making too much $ doing what she's doing. The person I would like to see run is The Fat Man from New Jersey but he says he doesn't want the job and he seems to mean what he says, a rare thing for a politician.

I think Romney is always going to be in the discussion, but I think his faith alienates the more zealous parts of the Christian base, while his position on healthcare while Gov. of MA runs counter to fiscal conservative and libertarian voters. Finally, he has proven to have very little credibility among minorities. It all adds up to a flawed candidate.

It really is hard to see the GOP coming up with a viable contender because they are stuck in a siege mentality, strictly sticking to the talking points that put them in the minority in the first place, and denouncing anyone in the ranks that diverges from the party line. Somebody needs to stand up to the party, make some arguments for moderation, present some credible ideas for dealing with energy, health, immigration, and economic resuscitation, and try to win back the moderate vote from the Democrats. The "Southern strategy" thing is only going to continue yielding diminishing returns now that the media is faster to catch it (though not fast enough for the WH...) and more of the country is not white.

[Wild Cobra]

Why do republicans need to be moderate, but it's OK for democrats to fall off the left edge of the earth?

[admiralsnackbar]

Why do republicans need to be moderate, but it's OK for democrats to fall off the left edge of the earth?

Because Democrats got elected and Republicans didn't.

[Marcus Bryant]

What exactly is 'moderation' these days? If you suggest that perhaps the government shouldn't be invading every country in sight you are regarded as a "liberal" (of the lefty communist variety). Once upon a time you would've been a "reactionary."

Of course, moderation has no place in America today. On both general political sides, adherence to dogma is paramount. Deviation is the greatest sin and moderates are the greatest sinners.

[Supergirl]

There is no truly progressive Dem in office right now, except maybe Bernie Sanders. They're all moderate. Including Obama - he ran as a moderate and he's governed as one.

I hope the Repugs keep pushing Tea Party nozzles down the American people's throats - it's likely to spell their doom. They're gambling on a "let's scare white people" campaign strategy (that's what the anti-immigration fervor is all about - illegal immigration is actually not up, nor is crime) and it may pick them up some votes in the midterm election but it will spell their doom in 2012. Now, I fully expect them to go scrambling back to the middle in 2012, but they haven't demonstrated their ability to find anyone who has a chance in in 2012.

[Marcus Bryant]

So it spells their doom to lose an election to a non-progressive? Some penalty, your theory.

[Wild Cobra]

There is no truly progressive Dem in office right now, except maybe Bernie Sanders. They're all moderate. Including Obama - he ran as a moderate and he's governed as one.

I hope the Repugs keep pushing Tea Party nozzles down the American people's throats - it's likely to spell their doom. They're gambling on a "let's scare white people" campaign strategy (that's what the anti-immigration fervor is all about - illegal immigration is actually not up, nor is crime) and it may pick them up some votes in the midterm election but it will spell their doom in 2012. Now, I fully expect them to go scrambling back to the middle in 2012, but they haven't demonstrated their ability to find anyone who has a chance in in 2012.

You are sorely mistaken if you thing they're moderate. There is no moderation in what they are attempting to do.

[admiralsnackbar]

You are sorely mistaken if you thing they're moderate. There is no moderation in what they are attempting to do.

It's all so much clearer after immoderate beer consumption, innit?

But seriously, the Dems are too chicken- to ever actually act on their progressive platform, and they dance for their corporate owners more-or-less the same way Republicans do (albeit to a more up-beat tune).

If you're judging by actions and not rhetoric, though, Dems are right-leaning moderates at their most liberal. The financial and bank reforms were toothless political opera, the healthcare reform only served to game the system in favor of insurance providers and pharmacoms. The bailouts, the endless war, the erosion of privacy are all holdovers of Bush doctrine. Meet the new boss...