For GOP, It's Paul or Obama

"Republican voters may not want to ever admit it, but the stance of voting for "anyone but Obama" regardless of that candidate's history or policy views is as narrow-minded and stubborn as the Democrat Party voters who have had their heads in the sand about President Obama and the fact that his spending sprees and foreign policy have made George W. Bush look judicious. But this is not a debate about the merits and flaws of strict party line voting. It is an allusion to a fact that is becoming increasingly clear to many as the fight for the GOP nomination pushes forward: Ron Paul's base will not compromise."

For GOP, It's Paul or Obama
Roderick Lovan
Dec 20, 2011

Hi Newt. Welcome to your first meeting as a member of the Former Frontrunner Club. Please have a seat in between Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Perry. Mr. Cain used to sit there, but he's decided he doesn't want to play anymore. Today we will be discussing how to best deal with the "anti-Romney" stereotype as well as Rick Santorum's request to join the club without possessing the proper credentials.

While that is just a comedic dramatization of the last six months of the GOP race, it's definitely not a dramatization that the Republican Party is begging for anyone but Mitt Romney to step forward. While Romney has certainly held steady at or near the top since the process began, his numbers have been anything but inspiring for likely voters. Virtually everyone not named Huntsman or Santorum has flirted with frontrunner status over the past six months, only to see the numbers crash back down leaving Romney on top again with his paltry 20%. Now, we receive word that Ron Paul, yes Ron Paul, has taken the lead in Iowa. So what does this mean for GOP voters as we approach Iowa and New Hampshire in the coming weeks? Simple. It's Ron Paul or four more years of Obama.

Republican voters may not want to ever admit it, but the stance of voting for "anyone but Obama" regardless of that candidate's history or policy views is as narrow-minded and stubborn as the Democrat Party voters who have had their heads in the sand about President Obama and the fact that his spending sprees and foreign policy have made George W. Bush look judicious. But this is not a debate about the merits and flaws of strict party line voting. It is an allusion to a fact that is becoming increasingly clear to many as the fight for the GOP nomination pushes forward: Ron Paul's base will not compromise.

Depending on which poll you use, Paul generally comes in somewhere in the high single-digits to the very low double-digits in the national polls. It doesn't sound like much compared to the numbers currently held by the falling Gingrich and the steady Romney, and it certainly doesn't lead one to believe that Paul should be the GOP choice. But when you take that 8-12% of the GOP base away from Romney or whoever becomes the final anti-Romney and put that candidate against the incumbent President, the incumbent President gets four more years 100% of the time. It is simply too much of a handicap to overcome.

Are Ron Paul supporters (or "Paulbots," "Paulites," and "Paulestinians" as they have been derisively called) really that staunch in their support that they would risk four more years of Obama just to make a point that they will not vote for whatever empty suit the GOP pushes out on stage? Unhesitatingly, yes. All you need to do to prove this to yourself is spend some time perusing the comment section of any story about Congressman Paul. His 8-12% belongs to him and him only, even if it means writing his name in on the ballot come November 2012. No other candidate can boast that type of support. The average Romney supporter will drop Mitt in a heartbeat and follow someone else if he doesn't get the GOP nod. In contrast, the typical fervent supporter of Paul is the type of person who truly believes that an establishment GOP candidate won't change the direction of the country anymore than Obama did when he took over for Bush. Thus, in the eyes of a Paulite, a vote for Romney is a vote for continuing the policies of Obama and Bush before him and might as well be a vote for Obama himself. At least with the re-election of Obama, you only have to deal with it as a GOP voter for four more years. If Romney or Gingrich were to win, you're stuck with him for eight. Paulites just won't have anything to do with that.

For the "anyone but Obama" crowd, this is a harsh reality to deal with. Many of them refuse to take a second look at Paul because of reservations about his foreign policy. Many voters are coming around to Paul's message, as evidenced by his rise in Iowa and New Hampshire, but nationally it remains to be seen if this momentum will continue. Will the GOP accept the reality for what it is and throw their support behind Paul, thus giving credibility to their shouts of "anyone but Obama," or will they force the hand of the Paul supporters by pushing out Romney or another GOP suit? If they want the White House they will choose Paul. Otherwise they will live with four more years of Obama and have no one but themselves to blame.

http://voices.yahoo.com/for-gop-its-paul-obama-10713793.html?cat=9