Finally!!!


Newt Gingrich and the Republican Presidential Primary

The Republican Presidential Primary of 2012 has been vibrant and erratic to say the least.  Three different candidates have won the first three states.  Four candidates remain in the race.

I think the race has been so erratic because all of the candidates have some relatively major flaws and the Republican electorate really wanted a candidate who was less flawed.  The Republican primary voters are changing who they are voting for on a regular basis as they get discouraged with one candidate after another.

Currently it looks like either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich will get the nomination.  Rick Santorum and Ron Paul realistically have little and no chance respectively; however, they do not feel that way and with the chaos that has ensued to date they may be right.  Santorum has a minute chance and it would take a miracle for Ron Paul to win.

The more I watch this race the more discouraged I have become.  There is a growing chance that President Obama could get re-elected and that would be a disaster.  I cannot imagine how much harm he might do to the country as a lame duck President.

In this post I will just discuss Gingrich and Romney since they are the two with by far the best chances of winning the primary.

I am not a fan of Romney; however, if push comes to shove I could vote for him in a General Election.  The good about Romney includes:  He does understand Wall Street, he did turn around the Olympics, he does understand the private sector at least somewhat, he does not seem to have lots of personal baggage, he “looks” presidential, and he does OK in a debate.  His weaknesses include the fact that he has flip flopped on many issues, he comes across as being rich and out of touch, and he does not seem genuine.

I truly do not like Newt Gingrich and I would not vote for him in the General Election if he is the nominee; I would likely vote third party or leave it blank.  His strengths include:  He is an excellent debater, he has a strong grasp on history and politics, and he knows how to appeal to the Republican base.  His weaknesses include:  He has an immense amount of personal baggage, he is a serial adulterer, he has flip flopped on a large number of issues, he is a progressive, and he is not like-able.

When I decide who to vote for character matters.  It matters a lot to me.  I am honestly surprised and disappointed that it does not seem to matter to many Republican Primary voters.

I think Romney and Gingrich are both flip floppers.  I think this reflects negatively on both of them.  I want a candidate who sticks to his or her convictions rather than say what is politically expedient.

Newt Gingrich really fails as far as his personal character and morals are concerned.  He has admitted that while married to his 1st wife he had a long term affair with a woman who became his second wife.  He further admitted that while married to his second wife he had a long term affair with a woman who became his third wife.  This is a deal breaker for me.  I think I MIGHT (but probably could not) be able to look past one affair.  I certainly cannot and will not look past two.  Newt Gingrich got married and committed adultery multiple times.  That is not what I am looking for in a person I would vote for to be the President of The United States because character matters to me.

I truly do not understand how so many evangelical Christians support a serial adulterer.  I do NOT get it…

I am not at all religious.  I am an Agnostic.  Many evangelicals seem to believe that Newt Gingrich has realized that he has sinned and repented and embraced God.  For that reason they have decided they can support him.

Once again I am not religious so please keep that in mind.  I think character matters and I do not trust the character of Newt Gingrich.  I think he will say and do anything to further himself.

Mike Sylvester

US Marines and three Afghan corpses

Pretty much everyone has seen a video that supposedly (and likely) shows four US marines in combat gear unzipping their pants and “relieving themselves” on the Afghan three corpses.  The video was likely taken by a fifth marine.

War is Hell.  Young men do stupid things when people have been trying to kill them.  That is the way things work.  There is nothing pretty about war and the toll it takes on those involved.

The marines involved should not have done what they did.  It was flat out inappropriate.  Even dumber was taking a video of their actions.

That being said this is not a heinous act that will stain the US military.  It is a stupid action done by a few US marines in a war zone.  They are fighting in a country that is often hostile to them and combat is very stressful.

Mike

Republican Presidential Primary

The Republican primary has been a roller coaster.  I truly think the rise and fall of so many candidates is historic.

I think there are only four candidates who really have any chance of winning:  Romney (Most likely), Santorum (Unlikely), Gingrich (would take a miracle), and Paul (would take a miracle).

Out of those four I would vote for Paul.  Paul is not perfect; however, his views align best with mine out of these four.  My order of preference is:  Paul, Romney, Santorum, and last Gingrich.

I can vote for Paul or Romney in 2012.  If the Republicans candidate is Santorum or Gingrich I am not sure what I will do; I would likely vote third party.

Gingrich is way too liberal for me.  His personal life is a mess and I do not want a serial womanizer as President of the United States.

Santorum is a big government Republican on fiscal matters.  He seems to want to enlarge the US military and use it oven more often.

Where do you stand?

Mike