re: The Game: The GOP Field Is Practically Set

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The fact that the Senate is controlled by republicans is actually hurting their chances at the presidency in 2016.

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And hurting your connection with reality.

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I would like to know what you think about each candidate's stand on them and how that might affect his chances in the election.

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This has been at the heart of the GOP struggles in national elections, and they have to face that problem head on this time.

SCOTUS handed them a gift with the gay marriage decision. The problem however are the votes in fighting back against that cultural change.

Bush will give lip service to the social issues. I'm a Catholic and we believe blah blah. The SCOTUS ruled on this stuff though, and that's the law of the land.

Rubio and Kasich will likely take a similar tact. It's all in hope that Jindal, Cruz, Huckabee, and Santorum will fracture the religious vote to make it a non factor. The problem is Walker. He came out recently supporting an amendment to put the marriage decision back in control of the states. He's the only viable candidate with the bonafides to go conservative and get the religious right to get behind him. That will force the others to respond and pander to try and blunt Walker's conservative voting block.

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In light of recent developments concerning gay marriage and the confederate flag, I would think social conservatives are in a panic about what to pressure GOP candidates with in this campaign. It hasn't been a good year for them.

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Look at Trump's numbers and you'll see its a big deal to a large portion of primary voters. They want someone who isn't scared of the SJWs and PC police. As explained before, keep it fractured and you don't have real candidates having to go too far outside the mainstream. If not...these issues probably sit too much in focus for the Republicans.

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For the first time in a very long time we might see some actual debate about the item that should always be at the heart of any campaign, economics. Not since Bill Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid," strategy in 1992 has the nation's financial health been the central issue.

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It will be a large focus no matter what. It'll be tied to other issues. The TPP, illegal immigration, and healthcare. The last election focused a lot on economics, it is just the social issues made the difference.

The GOP needs to have a robust debate on fiscal policy though. From Rand Paul's libertarian streak to the pragmatic Kasich, we should see a vision of the conservative reformer that any nominee will shape themselves as.

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Walker has no shot.
I like him. He has no shot.

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Why?

I personally have quite a few doubts, but I want to see your conservative perspective.

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Kasich has the stage presence of a mollusk.
No shot.

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Almost certainly right on this one, but I like him so I'm going to choose to ignore this apparent reality.

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Lindsey Graham is running for no apparent reason.

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I forget he's running.

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Fiorina is lost in the shuffle.

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FIFY.

It's too bad, she deserves a closer look.

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Carson is already a non-factor.

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Indeed. He's got some support though, it's all about where his support ends up.

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Santorum and Huckabee need to have a public duel where they kill each other.

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Cage fight? The RNC can put it on PPV for fundraising.

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I'm not sure Cruz can gather any significant momentum. He can't out-crazy Trump.

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Agreed. He burned too many bridges in the party imho. He may would have a shot to take the Trump mantle and grab some non crazies but that ship has sailed and thus makes your statement true.

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Jindal - ha

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I know. I just like to hate on Jindal. Channeling my inner IB Freeman.

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SCOTUS handed them a gift with the gay marriage decision.

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Yep, but unfortunately for the GOP the voting base is too ignorant and/or uninformed to see it.

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It will be a large focus no matter what. It'll be tied to other issues. The TPP, illegal immigration, and healthcare. The last election focused a lot on economics, it is just the social issues made the difference.

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Yeah, I hope the religious right's stranglehold on the GOP is weakening. Younger generations are turned off by the thought of breaching the wall between church and state.

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The GOP needs to have a robust debate on fiscal policy though. From Rand Paul's libertarian streak to the pragmatic Kasich, we should see a vision of the conservative reformer that any nominee will shape themselves as.

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I hope so. It's time for social issues to take a back seat to fiscal issues at the national level. Unless a Rand Paul or Kasich type is elected and allowed to take control of the handouts and giveaways in D.C., and soon, this nation faces a point of no return financially.

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How do you see the gay marriage ruling helping a conservative candidate? A growing majority of Americans approve of SSM, especially younger voters. I also don't see how a candidate could use it now that the Supreme Court has ruled.

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Because it is off the table. You can campaign to overturn legislation (see Obamacare repeal efforts) but not court rulings. Now a candidate doesn't have to address the issue at all so he's more palatable to a voter that's center-left on social issues but center-right on fiscal ones (and there are a ton of those voters).

Pretty much ditto for Obamacare. He doesn't have to talk about repeal, but can instead campaign on fixes.

On immigration, I think you're completely wrong. It is one issue that really crosses party lines. There are huge chunks of voters (probably an overwhelming majority) that really want to see the issue addressed but they don't agree with the let them all in or the throw them all out platforms of either party extreme. Both Jeb and Rubio espouse platforms that are poised to appeal to those voters.

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He didn't finish college. End of discussion. Right or wrong, the field is too crowded. And when the field is crowded, people look for reasons to exclude you as a candidate than include you as a candidate.

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Ok. We're on the same page completely. I do see a path where he can win the nomination though if he can tap all the conservative rage.

Much much easier said than done and and detriment in the general.

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I think Paul doesn't have the military-industria or social conservative support to mount a serious challenge to the nomination which is really awful. He's far and away the best candidate and the best contrast with Hillary's statist views.

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Yep. The power structure won't back him to win.

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When you put Jeb or Rubio up against Hilllary, their argument is "well, we're not Hillary." There's no positive argument there.

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There's room for a positive message. Conservative reform. Lower taxes. Simplify the tax code. Revamp Obamacare. They can't however go full reform around the idea of freedom.

Not being Hillary might be enough though to win. I just hope in that case some conservative reforms happen, but I'm not betting on it.

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On immigration, I think you're completely wrong. It is one issue that really crosses party lines. There are huge chunks of voters (probably an overwhelming majority) that really want to see the issue addressed but they don't agree with the let them all in or the throw them all out platforms of either party extreme. Both Jeb and Rubio espouse platforms that are poised to appeal to those voters.

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Thanks. I hadn't considered that approach. Hope it works.

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Doesn't Rubio have a history with being financially insolvent?

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What I read didn't really paint his as insolvent, just not very good with his personal finances. It was a pretty weak hit piece that didn't much traction, which it shouldn't have.