Tuesday, February 13, 2007

general politics and Republican Presidential Candidates

I think its commical that there are so many people who have announced candidacy or announced intentions for running for President. When the first primary / caucas is nearly a year away and W has nearly two years left to serve. It really just shows how much of a lame duck W is and it show how soon the other candidates (both Republican and Democratic) want him to be / become irrelevent.

Making a long story short - for six years Congress, controlled by his party, approved everything he proposed and he, likewise, signed nearly everything passed by the Congress. Now, with the Democrats controlling Congress, they won't and he won't. Its going to require some compromise and negociation on both their parts. Something W hasn't been willing to do and something the Democrats in Congress haven't had the ability to do.

Taken for granted, I'm not taking that much offense to Speaker Pelosi despite her Liberal / Arch-Liberal resume. When it comes to the House of Democrats she just one votes. Yes, because she's Speaker she'll automatically be able to pull thirty or fifty more votes with her. But still, she's just one vote. And as long as she gets differing opinions heard on the floor there won't be a problem.

I'm more encouraged by Steny Hoyer - he seems much more moderate. I'm likewise glad that Congressman Murtha did not get the House Majority Leader / Whip. He's a good man, he only has one big issue. A Congressman of twenty-odd years should not have just one issue.

So recently, mostly last month, a vast number of people came out either announcing that they were forming Presidential explorator committees or announcing that they were running for President. In all honesty, I do not remember Presidential campaigns getting started this early previously.

Last November I was fairly militantly in favor of John McCain; I was likewise convinced he was a moderate. Since then he's come out in favor of the Iraq war and in favor of the Fourth Iraqi War Surge - which puts him out of touch with many Americans.

But the other two big name candidates are Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney - both of whom are moderate (or liberal). Personnally I like Huckabee - let see what happen in the next year and a half.

On the Democratic side, I like John Edwards most of all. Then second place is either for Bill Richardson or Hillary Clinton.