https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/13/politics/mitt-romney-not-running-reelection/index.html
I consider myself an independent voter. I believe in voting for a candidate - not a party. I ... strongly dislike Trump and and I've never, ever been a fan of Joe Biden. If Mitt Romney were to run as a third party candidate against the present circus, I'd vote for him in a nanosecond.
Before you start pointing out all that is wrong with Romney, start a scorecard with him, Trump and Biden. There's not a perfect candidate out there. But Mitt's not running, so your critique is moot.
In announcing his retirement (or choosing not to run), Romney says that what we need is some new, younger blood. I agree with his assessment that all of these geriatric career politicians (and Trump) need to be replaced by a generation who get to dictate the tempo of the world that THEY will be living with.
It looks to me like a 3 party system has emerged in recent years - Republican Democrat & Trump
like Jimmy Carter, he came in as an outsider but was voted out after one term
or was he? That’s what I question - his name is continuously out there as if he never left the Oval Office
I too wouldn’t want to see him return, mainly for the reasons mentioned by Mitt - heck Reagan was almost a youngster compared to Donald & Joe
if re-elected Trump would start his second term at age 78 - that imo is too old - said the same thing when Joe began as president at age 78 in 2020
mayb a younger unknown “charismatic” candidate will emerge & “capture the imagination” of the voting public the way Jimmy did in the mid-70s
@stephen There was a discussion in the guitar thread about name recognition among guitars - citing that if a guitar ain't a Fender or a Gibson the resale value is somehow marginalized. We doo the same thing with our fearless politicians. A vote for anybody who doesn't happen to be a Republican or a Democrat is seen as a wasted vote. I blame the American press as much as anything. Third party candidates are ignored and snubbed in and by the media.
States with closed primaries, where you can only vote if you're registered for a party and only vote for that party's candidates, prohibit a third party from gaining traction. When I lived in WI I could vote for any candidate. Perot had the most success, and managed to take a big chunk out of GHWB's supporters. The GOP and the Dems don't want that kind of competition, it's Duopoly(?). I blame the money.
It's crazy how much the GOP has shifted to the right since Romney ran in 2012. His campaign felt old-fashioned and out of touch at the time, but today he sounds like a reasonable man who isn't afraid to speak out against the extremists morons in his party who don't know what this country was founded on.
I too have been an independent voter for years, many things I don't like about either party. In my state you have to know you can (poll workers don't tell you), in primaries you can ask for either of the two party's ballots. General elections, obviously, all candidates are on the ballot.
Although an independent, after the events of the Capitol riot, the attempted coup and the Republican party still not to have the backbone to stand up for democracy, I'll never vote for one again regardless of the race. I may not vote for the democrat but it's never again going to be for a republican.
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
@oldcoot I'm pretty sure that here in Georgia, you can ask for either party ballot when voting. I'll fess up to having done the crossover voting thing a time or two!
Yeah, Mitt's kinda like the Pat Boone of politics. Vanilla. Not flashy - not a lot of drama. Currently, the two major parties are engaged in a never ending $hit-slinging contest. When's the last time either addressed an actual issue? IMO - politics should be like vanilla ice cream. Basic and pure. We don't need sprinkles. 😉
if re-elected Trump would start his second term at age 78 - that imo is too old - said the same thing when Joe began as president at age 78 in 2020
mayb a younger unknown “charismatic” candidate will emerge & “capture the imagination” of the voting public the way Jimmy did in the mid-70s
she Has emerged in the person of VP Kamala Harris - Pres. Biden saw the big picture, adjusted accordingly, now Americans will vote the same & at the end of the day, envision a Democrat president-elect
good Election Day Americans - if you agree, great - if you disagree, argue & hug - it’s all about the red white & blue
Yeah, Mitt's kinda like the Pat Boone of politics. Vanilla. Not flashy - not a lot of drama. Currently, the two major parties are engaged in a never ending $hit-slinging contest. When's the last time either addressed an actual issue? IMO - politics should be like vanilla ice cream. Basic and pure. We don't need sprinkles. 😉
There are a lot of good writings going back awhile - this is one - well wishes to the candidates
Mitt Romney has been in the news lately, predicting JD Vance as the GOP nominee in 2028, & that MAGA is now, in effect, the Republican party
supported by the majority, citizens now call for another acronym to accompany it moving forward
LABA
Let’s All Be Americans
idea being, de-emphasize the “partisan” in politics, & key down other impertinent stuff that disallows common sense & stalemates progress & consensus, like who sits on which side of the aisle & why, political ideaology, party affiliation blah blah
…..& instead, work together to perfect our unity - north & south, east & west - by developing an agenda - mandated by the people, supported by the president-elect - that emphasizes, & is conducive to, progress & consensus
how to go about attaining that, I don’t know
but electing Trump was a good first step imo
🇺🇸’vox populi’ is a keystone, a fundamental mechanism of freedom & the U.S. Constitution that protects America from insurgency, invasions or anything/anyone planning to silence the Liberty Bell, dismantle the Statue of Liberty, take down Washington Monument, the White House, Capitol bldg…..
…..& impose martial law/totalitarian dictatorship in this land
it should be a regular reminder🇺🇸
the president & president-elect are on the record in full agreement, & ‘on the same page’ about this, same Harris & Vance
🇺🇸’vox populi’ is a keystone, a fundamental mechanism of freedom & the U.S. Constitution that protects America from insurgency, invasions or anything/anyone planning to silence the Liberty Bell, dismantle the Statue of Liberty, take down Washington Monument, the White House, Capitol bldg…..
…..& impose martial law/totalitarian dictatorship in this land🇺🇸
”I am determined upon our system’s survival regardless of the cost, and regardless of the peril”
remark, every president solemnly swears adherence to this every time he takes office
we’ve been tested, but our system of democracy has always survived & thrived
& will continue to
…..& eventually, perHaps, lead to a 3rd party - it was the name of a previous thread
…..quote is JFK’s in aftermath of the April 1961 Bay of Pigs debacle
LABA
Let’s All Be Americans
idea being, de-emphasize the “partisan” in politics, & key down other impertinent stuff that disallows common sense & stalemates progress & consensus, like who sits on which side of the aisle & why, political ideaology, party affiliation blah blah
…..& instead, work together to perfect our unity - north & south, east & west - by developing an agenda - mandated by the people, supported by the president-elect - that emphasizes, & is conducive to, progress & consensus
how to go about attaining that, I don’t know
but electing Trump was a good first step imo
goes w/other thread - LABAns (hehe) espouse/advocate/support/endorse all this stuff
