Super Tuesday Results

Ethan Miller/Getty Images, Brian Snyder/Reuters, Joe Raedle/Getty Images,Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Tuesday's race for delegates produced the following results. Mitt Romney won Alaska, Idaho, Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia and Vermont; Rick Santorum took Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota; and.Newt Gingrich has Georgia, the state with the most delegates, in his column. Ron Paul trailed behind in all 10 states.

With a total of 1,144 delegates. Romney leads with 361 delegates. Santorum in second place trails Romney with a total of 112 delegates; Gingrich has garnered 80 and Ron Paul 24. Just under half the delegates still remain in the race for the Republican nomination, and Ron Paul has little chance of a victory.

Ham on Wry wrote an earlier post about Ron Paul and believes he is the only one of the four that has stated his position clearly without wavering.  He might gain traction by running as an independent because it's clear that none of the Republican hopefuls have overwhelming support. This blog predicts that Paul will drop out of the race by tomorrow.

None of the nominees seem to grasp the importance that global issues should take on the political stage, instead opting for attacks on one another and spending time on social issues that have no place on their platforms. What a disappointing lot!  If this is the best the Republicans have to offer, it clearly illustrates a party divided and in disarray. All the better for President Obama.

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Republican Presidential Candidates Fail to Impress

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Ham on Wry gave up hope that a qualified, knowledgeable Republican candidate would emerge when Jon Huntsman withdrew from the race for the nomination. Monday night's debate did nothing to provide evidence that a trustworthy candidate still exists on the Republican side.

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney currently vie for the lead in the race. Neither impresses this blogger. Gingrich has demonstrated a character flaw that runs through much of his life. He married both his second and third wives after having affairs with them while he was still married. That doesn't affect his work necessarily, but it does indicate someone who lacks ethics in personal relationships. Maybe many Republicans who enthusiastically cheered him on his tirade at the debate directly prior to the South Carolina primary forgot that he already served as Speaker of the House in the 90's and resigned in disgrace. Fellow Republicans accused him of a failure to lead. Do we really want to revisit that in a time when so much turmoil exists globally? He also seems a bit fuzzy on what he accomplished during his time in Congress and attempts to distance himself from some of the bills he supported as a representative.

Mitt Romney has shown faithfulness and dedication in his personal relationships, but his success as a businessman comes with mixed reviews. The results of his tenure at Bain Capital show that some companies were created and others destroyed in his efforts. He amassed a great deal of wealth during that time, and he's not the only person to run for President who came from wealth. However, his reluctance to release his taxes until recently defies logic. One is left to wonder whether he truly understand the majority of citizens he wants to govern. He often seems ill at ease at the debate podium and appears out of touch with mainstream America. He accomplished some noteworthy aims as governor of Massachusetts, but now disavows some of the legislation he supported during his term in office.

The Republican Party has lots its way during the past quarter century and bears little resemblance to the party that existed several decades ago. It is characterized by intransigence and obstinance with a heavy dose of a "holier than thou" attitude. Candidates chant the mantra of no new taxes without offering a means of producing much-needed revenue to the federal government. The United States Constitution was not written to protect businesses or corporations; it was established to protect its citizens.

Registered voters have a duty to study all available information about candidates and then vote in the election. That requites more than watching political ads on TV or believing forwarded e-mails that attack a candidate without checking the facts purported in the ad. South Carolina evangelical Christian voters chose Newt Gingrich, a man whose infidelity is public knowledge. That directly conflicts with the marriage vows people often recite at their church weddings and illustrates a variance from stated principles.

Rick Santorum and Ron Paul do not have the background serve as global leaders or hold their own on the G-8 or deal directly with the issues in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, and other world hot spots. Do the homework Republicans.

The race for the Republican nomination resembles a wild ride on a roller coaster, and, when it ends, I foresee a no-win outcome.

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Ron Paul-The Republican Candidate with the Most Consistent Message

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The Republican Party's slate of candidates for president includes a majority of wannabes who'll say anything to capture votes, despite expressing opposing views in the past.  Ham on Wry has found Ron Paul the most consistent in remaining steadfast to his political platform of those candidates still in the running.  His positions have not wavered since he entered politics after Nixon departed from the gold standard in pegging the value of American currency.  Of his decision to run for office, Paul explained, "After that day, all money would be political money rather than money of real value. I was astounded."

Paul's views don't exactly coincide with either Republicans or Democrats, because he's an avowed Libertarian who has devoted time and effort to a thorough study of the constitution in developing his platform. Paul opposes both a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and one to make abortion illegal, because he believes that those issues should be decided by the states.  He considers himself a constitutional conservative and argue the federal government should not be in the business of legislating morality.

Before, after, and even during his terms in office, Paul practiced medicine as an obstetrician, delivering over 4,000 babies.  While he doesn't support a federal ban on abortion, neither does he believe that the federal government should guarantee women a right to abortion.  In his efforts to support the principles of limited government, he has proposed a term limits amendment to the constitution, a reduction to Congressional pay, and refused to take political junkets.  Whether or not readers support his actions, he has staunchly refused to depart from his conservative libertarian political stance.  What has changed?  Paul now emphasizes the relationship between his views and scripture, thus gaining some attention from conservative Christians.

Paul served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force for two years and then in the Air National Guard for three. He maintains, "America [should] not interfere militarily, financially, or covertly in the internal affairs of other nations", while simultaneously promoting "open trade, travel, communication, and diplomacy with other nations." (Wikipedia)  The darling of the Republican Party, Ronald Reagan said, "Ron Paul is one of the outstanding leaders fighting for a stronger national defense. As a former Air Force officer, he knows well the needs of our armed forces, and he always puts them first. We need to keep him fighting for our country."  Paul also advocates for spending our money on protecting our own borders and not those of other countries.  He feels that illegal immigrants drain money from Social Security and the welfare system that rightfully belongs to those who were born in the United States or are working toward becoming citizens after entering the country legally.


Ham on Wry has not presented a full picture of Paul's beliefs, but information is readily available online and in the library.  I am not not suggesting readers support his candidacy, but I do recognize that his beliefs don't "sway in the winds" of political expediency and find it a refreshing change when a candidate states his views with clarity.

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