We’ve now had a few republican primary debates, and I’ve widdled some out of my thoughts.

Mitt Romney
I’ve not wanted this man to win the primary since the beginning. He was weak in the last presidential race, and he’s weak now. He has the Massachusetts health care law to hold against him, for one. I do think states can be used to find out what works and what doesn’t, but from what I’ve read, they are losing money because of it. Still, he continues to defend it. Not to mention that the media seems to be pushing him to win, and that turns me off big time. Speaking of the media pushing people to win, that brings me to the second person that I don’t endorse by any stretch of the imagination…

Rick Perry
Rick Perry is just another one of what the Bush people call a “compassionate conservative,” which only means “more liberal leaning.” No, I don’t think Perry is a socialist or anything like that, but he seems to have a streak inside of him that kind of likes big government. He doesn’t mind that the American taxpayer is on the hook to pay for the higher education of illegal immigrants, and he “errs on the side of life” when it comes to a vaccination. That vaccination isn’t about an illness that is contracted through casual contact. The people that could contract that illness have to decide to make a lifestyle choice that would BRING ABOUT that illness. I understand his argument about opting out, but I think it’s not proper that the people would have to tell a government, “No thank you,” instead of not having to worry about that in the first place.

Gary Johnson
I like a lot of what this guy says, but, man, has there EVER been anyone so damned fidgety on-stage as him? I feel like he doesn’t quite have the… hmmm… balls(?) to be an American president. Yes, this is a short talk about him that I give to you, but it seems to me that he would feel more at home in a Sunday dress than in the White House.

Michele Bachmann
I like this woman, but after viewing the last couple of debates, I feel like she is a bit out of her league now. She doesn’t quite have the right messaging… or something. I can’t even put my finger on it. I just don’t feel as good about her as I did before.

Jon Huntsman
Fuck this dude. Yup, that’s right. I haven’t liked him since the first debate I’ve seen him in. Seriously, look at those eyebrows! This man is a snake oil salesman if I’ve ever seen one. One of the very first things I heard this man say was, “I will talk to the Chinese, while speaking Chinese!” What!? Yeah, Mr. Panderer. Get away from the Conservatives, chump-master.

So, the people that I am still keeping my eye on are Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, and Newt Gingrich. I think Ron Paul and Herman Cain are a bit less attractive to me at this time. The reason being that I think they are both weak on foreign policy, but in different respects. I think Paul is too passive, and I think Cain is kind of lost in these regards. Cain says he will rely on others to tell him what to think, while Paul says he’s the commander-in-chief, and people should do what he tells them. Both are stances that kind of make me shy away from them.

Santorum has been the guy that I have supported from the beginning, but through all of the debates, I think Gingrich has been the most solid. Actually, I wasn’t surprised when Santorum said he would like to have Gingrich as his vice president. They both seem to be on about the same page.

As for two different individuals that haven’t entered the race yet, if at all; Chris Christie and Sarah Palin.

Palin, I have come to admire. She has been utilizing social media to put out her thoughts on everything for a long time now. She has been at many venues, attracting large crowds, and speaking her views. From what she has said so far, I would have her in my “I’m still looking at them” category.

Chris Christie, on the other hand, I cannot endorse. One of my favorite bloggers that I read daily, John over at Verum Serum, loves Christie. So, a lot of what John says I agree with, and take to heart. In regards to Christie, I too like some of his stances, but dislike others. The more I have thought about a certain thing that he does, however, makes me dismiss him. I dislike unions, and especially public unions. I have seen Christie put the Youtube smackdown on some of these union people, and in the past I loved it. But the more I think about it, the more it irritates me. See, this is just another person that will put a divider between us, I think. We don’t need a person in the Presidency that will talk down to certain Americans and not others. We need a uniter. I don’t think he can do that.

So, here is the list of possible candidates (first name ABCs and junk):

• Chris Christie
• Gary Johnson
• Herman Cain
• Jon Huntsman
• Michele Bachmann
• Mitt Romney
• Newt Gingrich
• Rick Santorum
• Rick Perry
• Ron Paul
• Sarah Palin

I’m getting antsy to see how it plays out further! I do wish that John Bolton would pull a Bill Buckley, though. You know, throw your hat in the ring just to get your views heard? I think foreign policy is being shoved aside at a time that it shouldn’t be.