As a perfect electoral storm for constitutional and fiscal conservatives rapidly approaches, GOP establishmentarians are hell bent on prioritizing their commitment to abstract "moderatism" above a clear opportunity to achieve landslide, conservative political victories in 2012.
Based on most verifiably valid opinion polls and reports, the organic, leaderless, grassroots citizen movement that ushered in epic political victories not seen in over eighty years, continues to grow ever more significant in terms of volunteers, political activism and public influence. Given all empirical evidence of the swelling, anti-establishment ranks fueled by impassioned civic involvement, the recalcitrant, tin-eared, GOP "leadership" has resolved themselves to ignore their base's enthusiastic call for true conservatism. Instead, the GOP establishment is offering their base voters a northeastern, Harvard educated, former blue state Governor and quintessential mainstream media darling, Mitt Romney. MSNBC, Jimmy Carter and the New York Times immediately issued their approval.
Talk about giving a political party's base the middle finger. The GOP establishment's thinly veiled, total endorsement of Mitt Romney, in spite of the tea party movement's demonstrated horsepower and majority influence, is an act tantamount to removing the batteries from a dimly lit flashlight. If the GOP establishment somehow manages to "win" the 2012 primary battle with Romney as its standard bearer, they will have delivered a self-inflicted death blow from which their party will most probably never recover. Even the DNC and progressive left recognize the demoralizing impact a Romney nomination will have among grassroots conservative organizations.
The basis of the conservative movement's muted enthusiasm for the GOP's "anointed one" is summarized via a Real Clear Politics segment quoting a former Romney administration adviser and current MIT professor, Jonathan Gruber; "The truth is that the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is essentially based on what we accomplished in Massachusetts. It's the same basic structure applied nationally. John McDonough, one of the other (RomneyCare) advisers, who work in both Massachusetts and advised the White House said 'it's the Massachusetts (plan) with three more zeros.' And that's basically a good description of what the federal bill did."
Never in US history has one single piece of legislation more clearly symbolized such an extreme, corrupt and grotesque government encroachment into our personal liberties
Never in US history has one single piece of legislation more clearly symbolized such an extreme, corrupt and grotesque government encroachment into our personal liberties. ObamaCare represents an egregious, intrusive and intolerable infringement upon the inalienable rights immortalized into our Declaration of Independence. "ObamneyCare", a term cleverly introduced during a 2011 Republican Presidential debate by former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, forever links the absolute worst legislative accomplishments of two big government, liberal politicians. Just as night follows day, the like-mindedness of ObamaCare and RomneyCare singularly explains why Mitt Romney continuously fails to break above the 28% GOP voter approval ceiling. As far back as the 2008 primaries, Mitt Romney rarely, if ever, exceeded a 30% primary voter approval level with only three candidates - McCain, Huckabee, Romney - remaining in the race.
A clear political analysis requires no Harvard education or Karl Rovian calculation. More than 70% of conservative, libertarian, independent and outside the beltway republican primary voters have little to no enthusiasm for Mitt Romney, either in spirit, philosophy or his governing approach. During the previous four years, Romney and his public record have been weighed, measured and found wanting.
Today, a remarkably high level of public sentiment exists in support of reversing decades of extreme governmental bloat and over regulation enacted by both political parties. With ObamaCare serving as "Exhibit A", the GOP elder's brilliant answer to the swelling tea party, libertarian, grassroots reform movement is to offer conservative voters the "let's take moderate baby steps" Godfather of ObamaCare.
This single act of political hubris, one clearly steeped in remarkably blinding narcissism, will prove to be a futile, last ditch GOP attempt at preserving political power, status, perks and privileges, public opinion polls be damned.
If the GOP does in fact rig the nominating process in Romney's favor, struggle as they might, their ultimate fate will be sealed. The emergence of a new, highly organized, well disciplined and powerfully funded conservative/libertarian third party will emerge on the national scene. If the GOP believes a Romney coronation will protect their party from the tea party movement, they will have drawn the absolute wrong conclusion. A GOP engineered, Romney coronation will forever be known as "Romneycide".
Rob is a writer, filmmaker, small business owner, constitutional activist and blogger at RobCunninghamUSA.com. He’s co-founder of a leadership and training company with his wife, previously worked as a investment banker and mortgage industry consultant, flew as a Delta Air Lines pilot and served seven years in the USAF, including 33 combat missions during the 1991 Gulf War. He holds a degree in management information systems from the University of Georgia. You can follow him on Twitter @Rob_Cunningham.
