Friday, February 5, 2016

GOP Regresses Toward Its Mean

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

Okay, it's the Republican Party after all.  Yes, they got a little press attention this year when both a woman and a black man declared as GOP candidates for the nation's highest office, but that was then - before things started getting serious.   Now, when votes are actually being counted, and every vote is critical, it's time to jettison the outliers and get down to the serious business of deciding which white man should be selected to run the nation.

Though Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson are quickly being shunted aside by the party regulars, the bosses deserve a bit of credit for keeping the welcome mat out for two prominent Cuban Americans - again, men.  They would like a way to tap into that potential Hispanic vote without appearing too open to the immigration issues of Mexican Americans.

Fiorina is being kept off of Saturday's night's debate by the host, ABC News.  Even though enough Republicans have already dropped out of the race to where room on stage shouldn't be an issue, ABC had criteria in place - and Fiorina failed to pass muster.  The criteria included placing in the top three in Iowa, or placing in the top six in national polls, or placing in the top six in New Hampshire polls.  Those who will be in the New Hampshire debate on Saturday include:  Trump, Bush, Kasich, Christie, Carson, Cruz, and Rubio.

Carly Fiorina said that her exclusion from Saturday's debate was "an insult to voters."  Trump has said that he "wouldn't mind" if she was in the debate, but the other good old boys on stage are keeping quiet.

Ben Carson, who is in the upcoming debate, will likely use as much of his microphone time as he can to rail against Ted Cruz.  Carson feels that he was punked by the Cruz campaign in Iowa which reportedly spread the word at caucus meetings and over the internet that the neurosurgeon was on the verge of dropping out of the race.  Don't waste your vote on Ben when Ted needs it.  Cruz has apologized to Carson over the dirty trick and blamed it on rogue staffers.  Carson, who complained of feeling "robbed and violated" by the Cruz campaign, says he won't be satisfied until those responsible are fired.

So while a couple of candidates felt they had seen at least an outline of a welcome mat at the Republican Party door, that mat has been yanked as the party quickly reverted back to its mean (average) and its mean (nature).  The best hands that Fiorina and Carson can hope to be dealt by the GOP in 2016 will consist of little more than victim cards.

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