Who will you vote for in '12?

[Workers' Friend]

Republican, especially if Huckabee wins it.

If The Republican is crap, I'd vote 3rd party.

[Workers' Friend]

I find it very unlikely that I could vote GOP for president. Republicans would really have to reinvent themselves post-W.

Which way is that?

[Workers' Friend]

I find it very unlikely that I could vote GOP for president. Republicans would really have to reinvent themselves post-W.

Which way is that?

Pretty much the opposite of where they are now.

Socially, Fiscally, or Both?

[Workers' Friend]

If the GOP moves populist in the next few years, I might be an Independent or Democrat by 2012. I seriously hope they don't take that route. But it will depend on how Obama does as President and who the GOP nominates. I won't want to vote for Huckabee or Palin. I hope that the party moves back towards their small government, low spending roots. I'll evaluate my options when the time comes. I know I said I'd not vote for Romney this year, but I'd be open to him in 2012 because he probably could've fixed the economy.

If Huckabee/Palin/Jindal is the nominee in 2012, you know I'd likely be happy. But why would you leave a Populist GOP?

[Workers' Friend]

If the GOP moves populist in the next few years, I might be an Independent or Democrat by 2012. I seriously hope they don't take that route. But it will depend on how Obama does as President and who the GOP nominates. I won't want to vote for Huckabee or Palin. I hope that the party moves back towards their small government, low spending roots. I'll evaluate my options when the time comes. I know I said I'd not vote for Romney this year, but I'd be open to him in 2012 because he probably could've fixed the economy.

If Huckabee/Palin/Jindal is the nominee in 2012, you know I'd likely be happy. But why would you leave a Populist GOP?

Look at his political matrix score.

Oh wait, a minute, I forgot he was Libertarian.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, there is a c;ash of Libertarians and Populists in the GOP right now.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, there is a c;ash of Libertarians and Populists in the GOP right now.

The populists are more of the social conservatives who take them very seriously. I don't hate the populists, I just hope we don't vote in that direction and destroy our small government agenda. Bush has done enough to ruin that during his terms.

I don't think Bush is Populist myself, he is really just stupid.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, there is a c;ash of Libertarians and Populists in the GOP right now.

The populists are more of the social conservatives who take them very seriously. I don't hate the populists, I just hope we don't vote in that direction and destroy our small government agenda. Bush has done enough to ruin that during his terms.

I don't think Bush is Populist myself, he is really just stupid.

He's a big government guy, but he cut taxes and then increased spending. So he isn't technically a populist, but he spends like one.

Bush is really just a confused monkey who should've never been President,

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, there is a c;ash of Libertarians and Populists in the GOP right now.

The populists are more of the social conservatives who take them very seriously. I don't hate the populists, I just hope we don't vote in that direction and destroy our small government agenda. Bush has done enough to ruin that during his terms.

I don't think Bush is Populist myself, he is really just stupid.

He's a big government guy, but he cut taxes and then increased spending. So he isn't technically a populist, but he spends like one.

Bush is really just a confused monkey who should've never been President,

That's a bit harsh for me. Bush was the right man to have in the White House for the times during 9/11, but his second term has been very ineffective since the immigration debunkle.

Sorry if I was too mean, I was trying to be polite as possible. I think Bush was right on 9/11 and Terrorism, but that is about it.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, there is a c;ash of Libertarians and Populists in the GOP right now.

The populists are more of the social conservatives who take them very seriously. I don't hate the populists, I just hope we don't vote in that direction and destroy our small government agenda. Bush has done enough to ruin that during his terms.

I don't think Bush is Populist myself, he is really just stupid.

He's a big government guy, but he cut taxes and then increased spending. So he isn't technically a populist, but he spends like one.

Bush is really just a confused monkey who should've never been President,

That's a bit harsh for me. Bush was the right man to have in the White House for the times during 9/11, but his second term has been very ineffective since the immigration debunkle.

Sorry if I was too mean, I was trying to be polite as possible. I think Bush was right on 9/11 and Terrorism, but that is about it.

He's been unfairly hurt by a lot of things outside of his control, including the mess in the economy. That was building up for some time and the Democrats were the main players in enabling the poor to buy those homes. A lot of these problems just collapsed while Bush was in office.

Yeah, but Bush was too weak to defend himself in my opinion. And if Obama wins, I am blaming it all on Bush.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, I will never like Bush, but at the same time I feel kinda sorry for him. He has just become so pitiful.

[Workers' Friend]

Yeah, I will never like Bush, but at the same time I feel kinda sorry for him. He has just become so pitiful.

I think you're letting outside opinions influence your own opinions.  He is a perfect match for your general philosophy.  Not to mention it's fairly ridiculous to assert that anyone capable of successfully running the United States is stupid.

And I'd also argue it's fairly ridiculous to blame Bush for the economy.  If we're going to take that leap into the ridiculous, we should blame Clinton and Carter for pressuring banks into giving sup-prime loans through the Community Reinvestment Act and its subsequent strengthening.

Bush is not the same as my philosophy, straight up. He is a Rockefeller neocon trying to be a Southern Populist. He has the New Englander Wall Street tinge on him.

[Workers' Friend]

Bush is not the same as my philosophy, straight up. He is a Rockefeller neocon trying to be a Southern Populist. He has the New Englander Wall Street tinge on him.

Bush has absolutely nothing in common with any sort of Rockefeller Republicans, not to mention Rockefeller was far from a neocon himself.  He is far-right on social issues and to the left on economic issues.  How is that any different than your philosophy?  A New England Republican would balance, shrink, and streamline the government, not bloat it to astronomical proportions while ignoring waste and blindly lowering taxes like Bush.  Bush has also done nothing to provide evidence of any sort of affinity for Wall Street.  I'm curious; What policies in particular are you building this makeshift combination of a "Rockefeller neocon" on?

If he was economically left, would the Chinese be spoonfed by him? Would he have balanced the budget? Would we have a near-Socialist almost president? No.

Saying Bush is Populist pisses me off big time.

[Workers' Friend]

Bush is not the same as my philosophy, straight up. He is a Rockefeller neocon trying to be a Southern Populist. He has the New Englander Wall Street tinge on him.

Bush has absolutely nothing in common with any sort of Rockefeller Republicans, not to mention Rockefeller was far from a neocon himself.  He is far-right on social issues and to the left on economic issues.  How is that any different than your philosophy?  A New England Republican would balance, shrink, and streamline the government, not bloat it to astronomical proportions while ignoring waste and blindly lowering taxes like Bush.  Bush has also done nothing to provide evidence of any sort of affinity for Wall Street.  I'm curious; What policies in particular are you building this makeshift combination of a "Rockefeller neocon" on?

If he was economically left, would the Chinese be spoonfed by him? Would he have balanced the budget? Would we have a near-Socialist almost president? No.

Saying Bush is Populist pisses me off big time.

But it's basically true. There's nothing libertarian about Bush except he cut taxes. The rest is basically just like your philosophy.

I still think he is Fiscally Conservative, he is not Populist. I am tired of Libertarian Propaganda.

[Workers' Friend]

Populist or not, I still hate Bush.

I don't see how he can be economically left, when Wall Street gets what they want (which is what Bush has done.)

Are you scared that the GOP will kick Libertarians out or something, depsite that is what is going to happen?

[Workers' Friend]

Just because "populism" in the political matrix term means social conservative/fiscal liberal doesn't mean Bush is one just because he spends a lot.  Bush spends liberally, but not in what a populist would (ideally) spend in.  He's into deregulation of schools and the health system, not to mention privatizing social security.  A big deficit spender is by no means a populist, at least not necessarily.  Don't Republican presidents tend to spend and not slash enough programs to cover it anyways?

Thank you for helping me clear it up.

[Workers' Friend]

Just a quick question, how well is Senator Bill Frist's (R-TN) Reputation? If it is fairly well, he could be on The 2012 ticket, maybe or maybe not.

[Workers' Friend]

Just a quick question, how well is Senator Bill Frist's (R-TN) Reputation? If it is fairly well, he could be on The 2012 ticket, maybe or maybe not.

He's too wedded to the Bush years.  He led the free-spending Senate that the GOP will be running away from for the next few years.  In that other world, where Bush had a +50% approval rating, he probably would've been the '08 nominee. 

The only way Frist ends up on a national ticket is if he becomes governor of TN in 2010.  I have a feeling, however, that Harold Ford will be running and don't think Frist would beat him. 

I see ... Hmm, Too bad he was too Bushy on economy, otherwise I would've supported him, now I won't.

Other than Huckabee, who should I hope for in 2012?

[Workers' Friend]

I see ... Hmm, Too bad he was too Bushy on economy, otherwise I would've supported him, now I won't.

Other than Huckabee, who should I hope for in 2012?

If I'm reading your political matrix correctly, your best bet would be Palin.  Maybe Thune, if I'm assessing him right.  It's tough for you because I don't see the GOP nominating a populist.

I like Palin and I'd possibly vote for her post-primary if she won, but I doubt she'd ever get the nomination. I do admire Thune, at least Socially (if I can get more info on him, that'd be excellent.) I wish the Democrats would nominate a more Social Conservative candidate, but I doubt that will ever happen again.