Time for the old "heave-ho" - Brownback and Paul first - Granite Grok

Time for the old “heave-ho” – Brownback and Paul first

OK, it IS time….for those candidates that have absolutely no chance at winning to winnow them down. First to go for me?

Dr. Ron Paul.  He’s been amusing during the debates, and on some issues I believe he is right but his portrayal of them is, well, different.  His followers, however, have been an absolute pain online.  And then, when identified, or called out, or catching anyone (including this post) they think is  "dissing" Dr. Paul, well, they will let invective flow.  There is no mildly supportive with these folks – if you like him, it’s pedal to the metal, throttle to the firewall, full ignition time.  They will swamp the online polls, but then get upset when the real life polls show him barely a blip.  Sure, he raises millions, but as far as convincing actual real voters to fork theirs over for him….zip chance.  And his supporters really have hurt his chances with those of us on the ‘Net.

Next on my list – Brownback.  Especially with this.  I at least can say Dr. Paul stands ever resolute on his stances – Brownback is now proving to be nothing but a panderer for votes:

Senator Sam Brownback, a Republican trying to inject new life into his beleaguered presidential campaign, plans to offer a resolution this week for Congress to apologize for slavery and segregation.

Sorry, but this is a non-starter for me

I wasn’t here, my parents weren’t here, and my grandparents weren’t here.  I haven’t traced it back, but I would not be surprised if my Swedish / Viking ancestors had some of my Irish ancestors as slaves from raiding parties.  I do not expect any apologies from Sweden to Ireland any time soon.

Such a wonderful thing, this white guilt – not.  But it isn’t about guilt – it is about getting votes. 

Brownback, in a wide-ranging interview yesterday, conceded that his campaign has languished since finishing a disappointing third in August in the Ames straw poll in Iowa. The 51-year-old Kansas senator remains in the trailing group of Republicans in the polls and in fund-raising, and says he will drop out of the race unless he places in the top four in the first-in-the-nation caucuses in Iowa.

And not a moment too soon.

He divulged his plan for a bipartisan slavery apology just days after reaching across the political aisle to join a Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, in pushing a proposal for a federal system in Iraq – with strong Kurdish, Sunni, and Shia regional governments – as a way to end the bloodshed and allow US troops to withdraw from combat patrols.

Great – one non-starter reaching out to another hoping to start a fire.  Sure, this will get you points with the base….on either side of the aisle.

"This softer approach may make a Republican candidate more attractive," Graham said. "But in a partisan political world, I’m not sure how much resonance these issues are going to have among a Republican constituency."

"Brownback finds himself in a failing campaign with no hope under the sun of being elected and he is reaching out and exploiting blacks and using them to try and get a few votes," Massie said. "It’s not going to work."

Brownback also praised Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, for helping lead the push for the immigration bill.

"It’s been very hard," he said. "I have never been beat on so much in my entire life as during this immigration debate."

Great – oh-for-three as far as being on my side of the issues….

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