Mainstream Politics: 2012 Presidential Candidates

This year in the mainstream political realm, four Republicans and one Democrat, President Barack Obama, contend for the presidential election. Republican candidates Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Newt Gingrich of Georgia, Ron Paul of Texas, and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania have campaigned since last year for the GOP Party nomination.

Recent results from primaries and caucuses indicate the nomination may be a more narrow victory than first anticipated. President Barack Obama is perceived to be the virtual Democratic nominee, receiving eighty plus percent of the votes thus far with the backing of the Democratic Party.

The GOP nomination process early on seemed to lean in favor of Romney, though recent voting results show that Santorum may be a formidable opponent, possibly preventing Romney from obtaining the majority delegate count as long as Gingrich and Paul stay in the race and consistently obtain delegates.

Regarding the future presidential election, political polls indicate that all GOP candidates except Gingrich would be a solid opponent of Obama. It seems that if the Republican Party wishes to win, it will need to rally behind one candidate for better chances to obtain the Executive branch.

I have no preference for any of the Republican candidates. Romney and Gingrich are intelligent leaders, but I do not see them doing any better as president, more so Gingrich, which I base on his shrewd though shady rhetoric and economic practices.

Santorum is simply too conservative with current foreign policy. I grow weary of the supposed threats of nations such as Iran and Venezuela. I do admire him for his plain, genuine countenance.

Paul shares more of my views on domestic and foreign policy. Regardless, I know the GOP would never accept him as a nominee; this does not matter since he does not have enough popular support among Republicans for the nomination. A practical reason I cannot choose him over the others is that he is seventy-six. Yes, he is healthy now, yet the expected duties of the president accelerates aging.

What is the overall situation?  The GOP scrambles to select their man. Meanwhile, President Obama focuses on his duties, rightfully so, since his nomination is undoubtedly secure.

With the economy stabilizing and less hostile relations abroad, the people of the United States will surely keep their current president to maintain the calm, trying to avoid the uproar that comes with a new Executive and the shift of political power in the legislative branch. After all, the President only has the ability to persuade. If anything, the American people should focus on elections for their state and locality.