The ideal Republican candidate for 2012? (McCain, unemployed, middle east, enemies)

[Repubocrat]

I am not a Republican and do not like partisan politics but I would consider voting for a good Republican candidate if they were willing to go back to the basics. The only problem that I see is that I just do not see anybody that would represent someone like me. Jindal is OK but I do not think he has what it takes, I personally dislike Palin immensely because of her anti-intellectual approach to things and her obsession with religion and God. Michael Steele, you have got to be kidding right? I also dislike nutcases like Michelle Bachmann, the woman is just a nutcase and should not be in politics. I don't like Tim Pawlenty either, he is the type of "moderate" Republican that does not do anything for me, almost like a John McCain. Who would be the ideal Conservative candidate for 2012?

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

My ideal of the perfect Republican candidate would espouse the following positions:

* get to a balanced budget as quickly as possible.
* work on paying down the national debt so that it doesn't get passed down to future generations.
* regulate the financial industries in such a way so as not to stifle creativity, but not permitting what has gone on in the last 10 years.
* regulate the oversite of our food supply and put lots of inspectors at any incoming port, especially where food is involved.
* have a 'fair' trade policy, not 'free' trade where it's open season on middle class workers. I would support strong tariffs to protect our way of life and our jobs. Bring back nearly all outsourced jobs to America. This alone would solve other problems.
* no more illegal immigration. Deport those who came here legally.
* end the H1B visa program. There's plenty of unemployed people in this country who can do the work. Enough of companies hiring the cheapest foreign help. Severe penalties for sending American jobs overseas.
* have a steady, constant growth objective in the economy. No more bubbles.
* protecting the American people from foreign threats with a strong military is top priority, but no more wasteful spending by the military, especially the enriching of private and politically connected contractors.
* get our noses out of other countries business. We have enough of our own problems. Wind down the 2 wars in the middle east and bring our troops home. This includes pulling back troops from other parts of the world who are fully capable of taking care of themselves.
* put a moritorium on foreign aid and aid to the UN. Work with our friends and don't reward our enemies.
* get tough on crime and build more prisons if necessary to house the non-reformable and career criminals.
* quit trying to criminalize every activity in human life just to make a buck off of it (such as red light cameras, seat belt laws, etc.). In other words, leave personal choices to individuals.
* reduce taxes to manageable levels. Reward hard work, but outsized rewards and bonuses for incompetent work should be taxed at high levels.
* get serious about campaign reform and take the big money out of elections.
* finally, get America back to what made us great by taking care of ourselves first and not the rest of the world. In general, adopt a more isolationist policy.

I know that these ideas need a lot of detail behind them, but just my thoughts and ramblings on how to improve things and perhaps return the Republican party to it's greatness instead of being perceived as a tool of corporate interests. I've been a life-long Republican, but I feel that the party has deserted me.

[mhouse2001]

Since both parties have failed us time and again, year in and year out, why do we care who the candidate will be? Why keep thinking they'll do it right this time? Just like with AIG, let's let the Democratic and Republican parties fail. Stop donating! Start creating alternatives.

[bryan61]

[Bluesmama]

Originally Posted by HighPlainsDrifter73

My ideal of the perfect Republican candidate would espouse the following positions:

* get to a balanced budget as quickly as possible.
* work on paying down the national debt so that it doesn't get passed down to future generations.
* regulate the financial industries in such a way so as not to stifle creativity, but not permitting what has gone on in the last 10 years.
* regulate the oversite of our food supply and put lots of inspectors at any incoming port, especially where food is involved.
* have a 'fair' trade policy, not 'free' trade where it's open season on middle class workers. I would support strong tariffs to protect our way of life and our jobs. Bring back nearly all outsourced jobs to America. This alone would solve other problems.
* no more illegal immigration. Deport those who came here legally.
* end the H1B visa program. There's plenty of unemployed people in this country who can do the work. Enough of companies hiring the cheapest foreign help. Severe penalties for sending American jobs overseas.
* have a steady, constant growth objective in the economy. No more bubbles.
* protecting the American people from foreign threats with a strong military is top priority, but no more wasteful spending by the military, especially the enriching of private and politically connected contractors.
* get our noses out of other countries business. We have enough of our own problems. Wind down the 2 wars in the middle east and bring our troops home. This includes pulling back troops from other parts of the world who are fully capable of taking care of themselves.
* put a moritorium on foreign aid and aid to the UN. Work with our friends and don't reward our enemies.
* get tough on crime and build more prisons if necessary to house the non-reformable and career criminals.
* quit trying to criminalize every activity in human life just to make a buck off of it (such as red light cameras, seat belt laws, etc.). In other words, leave personal choices to individuals.
* reduce taxes to manageable levels. Reward hard work, but outsized rewards and bonuses for incompetent work should be taxed at high levels.
* get serious about campaign reform and take the big money out of elections.
* finally, get America back to what made us great by taking care of ourselves first and not the rest of the world. In general, adopt a more isolationist policy.

I know that these ideas need a lot of detail behind them, but just my thoughts and ramblings on how to improve things and perhaps return the Republican party to it's greatness instead of being perceived as a tool of corporate interests. I've been a life-long Republican, but I feel that the party has deserted me.

All this is reasonable, alright, but they apply to the Democratic Party, as well. In some cases, more so.

[Stac2007]

Perhaps we can collect Teddy Roosevelt’s DNA and create a clone.

[xlabel]

I'm not Republican and find the current pool of potential candidates repuslive but if they put Jeb Bush on the ticket ,I'd vote for him. He did a pretty good job of running FL while he was Gov.

[msina]

Florida's economy is a mess. Jeb was involved in the savings and loan scandal, the contra scandal and the Katherine Harris scandal to name a few. Just google "Jeb bush, scandal". There were reasons brother George was considered the best choice of the brothers to run for the presidency. The skeletons are still rattling in the closet, if he were to run they'd be out and about, front and center,..... again. There was a call for him to resign after the Scripps Research Institute scandal.

[MovingForward]

Originally Posted by xlabel

I'm not Republican and find the current pool of potential candidates repuslive but if they put Jeb Bush on the ticket ,I'd vote for him. He did a pretty good job of running FL while he was Gov.

He also did a pretty good job of helping his brother steal the election in 2000. Isn't it funny how it just happened to be Florida that had so many voting problems? Tsk, tsk. Another Bush in the WH? Yeah, exactly what we need. Are you kidding me?

[pghquest]

Newt Gingrich, we already know he has the ability to balance the budget..