I have a theory, and may the FSM help us all if it turns out to be right.
Pretty much everyone you speak to agrees that every member of the current crop of Republican wannabe Presidential contenders is unelectable, if not certifiably insane.
The GOP base may be dumber than a box of rocks, but let's face it: the Republican leadership is anything but. They're shrewd, underhanded, and as we have seen time and again, downright fucking evil. They hate Obama and the ideals of our democracy with a burning passion, and aren't going to put anyone up against him who doesn't have a reasonable chance of winning the presidency in 2012, and none of members of the Republican Clown Car has a chance in hell of pulling that off.
My theory is that they're going to pull an "August Surprise" next year. They're going to roll out their true anointed one during the national convention, someone as ignorant and as malleable as their base, but with an outwardly agreeable personality that will appeal to the masses; someone guaranteed of giving Obama a real run for his money.
Two names immediately come to mind, and both scare the living crap out of me: Sarah Palin and Jeb Bush. Yeah, yeah, neither one is supposedly interested in the job, but that doesn't mean shit. Remember Republicans lie. That's all they know how to do. So you can safely ignore what we're seeing now. It's nothing more than a diversion, a freak-filled circus sideshow existing only to make the chosen one all the more appealing to "mainstream" Republican and Independent voters when the time comes.
I hope I'm not right about this, because if it happens, our nation—already teetering on the edge of the the corporate/fascist abyss—will go right over. Hitler didn't have the technology or resources to succeed at this and Orwell's 1984 was 30 years premature. If we end up with another Republican president and Congress, you can kiss everything this country has supposedly stood for over the last 200 years goodbye.
Alexander…you are very right…no telling what the Republicans will pull out of their collective asses….God help us ALL……….
Pulling someone out at the last minute sounds very risky: it would be rather bold of them to do so.
If there is no consensus candidate, I hear Newt Gingrich will be said compromise, as he has the track record, and of course other records as well!!!
With no consensus on the budget, watch the democrats use that against the Republicunts and their 1% representation. And it was very interesting the timing of that piece on 60 Minutes yesterday regarding the "no tax increase" pledge.
TJ, remember rules are for the 99%, not for the arrogant bastards who have the hands of the 1% pushed firmly up their rectums.
I do hope you are NOT right about what they are planning. And on a hopeful note, I had heard a couple of weeks ago on the Thom Hartman radio show that the deadline for registering for the Presidential campaign next year WAS on Halloween this year. I can not guarentee that this is true, but hopefully that means that they CAN NOT pull a last minute change.
One of the reports I've seen regarding why the special committee for debt reduction failed says the Republicans are fully expecting on controlling both houses come next election year so they weren't worried about this negotiation. That alone will screw us all over in so many ways.