I am a registered democrat. That’s well known. As a naturalized citizen, I have only been able to vote in the last four presidential elections. I have voted three times for an independent candidate (Nader), and the other vote went to Barack Obama. In the past I never felt republican nominees offered me much as an option: thus they were minimally considered.
Next year we will encounter another series of republican primaries. You can round up the usual anti-Obama suspects. In the field we will find those who say nonsensical things like this: Obama is a socialist; or that Sharia law is coming; or that Obama was born and raised in Kenya; and Obama hates America. Take your pick. Stupid stuff carries the day, while millions of Americans are unemployed -or structurally underemployed (as is the case for almost half of the black-male population of this country).
Given the many complicated issues facing our nation, you would think that republicans -as one of the two major political parties- would go deeper than their daily mantra of tax cuts for the rich, the corporations and well to do businessmen. You would think that any republican who studied basic capitalist-economics, would realize that the heavy-handed cutting of government spending during a recession can lead to disaster. You would think by now they would accept the scientific evidence that exposes global-warming, so that willing minds can come together in search of some political remedies.
Year in year out, I try to scour the Republican Party for individuals who make sense; individuals who ignore the standard party-line(s). Individuals, who think, walk straight and chew gum, all at the same time. There are always those who you will disagree with on singular issues, and still respect for their honesty, human-decency and common sense; but when you watch republicans operate live in Congress (via CSPAN), you get the sense that most of them live in another world: they just don’t get it.
Sporadically, there were times when you “sorta kinda” like a few of them individually: like former senator Chuck Hagel on some issues; and Jack Kemp on some other issues. But all in all, it has been rather difficult liking republicans since I came to this country in 1973. I didn’t even like Ronald Reagan, despite his forty-nine state blowout victory over Walter Mondale. To me, his world view was horrible. The awful things he and his minions did in Iran, the Caribbean and Latin-America are nothing short of war crimes.
So this year, I kept hoping that I could find a republican I can like; and I think I have found one. Now, let me warn you that this is a preliminary assessment. I have only listened to this guy about a dozen times. I am still researching his positions while he was the governor of Utah. It’s just that whenever I hear him speak he seems to stick to issues. He offers common-sense ideas as solutions. He is apparently not caught up in all the republican sideshows and rigid-ideology (abortions, same sex marriage, guns, and such). He focuses on education, fiscal policy, international politics, trade, the environment, and other substantial issues.
His name is Jon Huntsman. He was Obama’s ambassador to China until recently. Maybe this column from a registered democrat -who is probably going to vote for Obama again- is the kiss of death for this guy; but let me tell you something: he seems as solid as a rock. Next week he will formally enter the republican presidential primaries: stay tuned-in folks.