Republicans find themselves in a Pickle

I just finished reading a column by Dick Polman, a columnists with the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper. The headline for the column was, “Republican hopefuls risk alienating independent voters”. So true.
Polman quoted Mark McKinnon, an ex-George W. Bush strategist, as saying that Rick Perry and company “seem intent on putting an increasingly ideologically conservative and intolerant face on the party. They are pulling the primary contest so far right that the party will be far less attractive to the independent voters needed to win the election”. The independents are sure not enamored with the current crop of leading candidates.
It is the crazy talk that scares independents. I think this all has come from Perry: 1. Declaring that evolution is ‘just a theory that’s out there’. (I think Perry had a bit of a problem with school; guess he did not learn that part.) 2. Insisting that the scientific consensus on climate change is ‘all one contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight” (not much education showing here, either.) 3. Decreeing that revenue increases are unacceptable under any and all circumstances, and signing a pledge to that effect. (How about getting General Electric to at least pay some taxes?????). 4. Promising to fill all key Cabinet and executive jobs with foes of abortion, and signing a pledge to that effect. (There went a big chuck of Independents who have a brain.) 5. Asserting that “its time for us to just hand (America) over to God and say, ‘God, you’re going to have to fix this’.” 6. Announcing in a book that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional and should be scrapped. (There went Florida for sure.) 7. Contending that gay Americans are “part of Satan”. (That should be enough to have Perry declared a wacko!!) 8. Dissing the Bush appointed Federal Reserve chairman as “treasonous”. (He may be even paranoid to some degree.) 9. Insinuating (yet again) that Obama is insufficiently American and insufficiently in love with America.
Even Jeb Bush is showing concern with comments about no one being willing to even talk about tax reform with some paying more; like GE who pays nothing.
Mark my words, if the Republicans nominate someone as far right as Perry, they can kiss a good chunk of the Independents good bye. Obama will win by default. There has to be a better choice than from the field of nut cases.
Ummmm…… Gingrich or Romney come to mind. I think they both have brains, relevant experience, and are not part of the kooky, dangerous right wing of the Republican Party. Hear me Rush and Glenn!!!

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