Presidential Predictions 2012 Headline Animator

Friday, February 25, 2011

My 2012 Forecasting

With the balance of power in government being so delicate and next year, 2012, be such a critical year with regard to the same, it is important for those interested in politics to engage in debate, discussion, and conversation about the elections and events which lead up to them.  This is something which I will once again attempt to do, hopefully more consistently.  As a result, I will attempt to shed some light on House, Senate, and Presidential races on a state to state basis.  In doing so, I will attempt to take various different resources, sites, and views to draw up a bigger picture take on the politics at play and the impact they will have on the elections over the next two years.  Over the next couple of days, I will be posting on different races that peak my interest and where they stand now.  Be on the look out!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Republican Chances

So, just perusing my blogroll and two headlines jumped out to me.  The first was from MSNBC saying that Senator John Thune (R-SD) will not run for president and that in a Minnesota poll Donald Trump (all of a sudden R) is beating Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK).  What these two headlines say to me is that the Republican field of candidates is very weak, and their chances of winning a presidential election are not good.  Now you might say, why would these two headlines be so telling well I have my reasons.

First, John Thune is a great looking candidate.  Well spoken, young, he's been in the Senate for seven years, spent nothing on his re-election last year, and would make a great candidate for the Republicans.  This being said, by him not jumping in, he's reading the tea leaves, and they're saying that the Republicans have no shot in 2012.  If they did, he would have jumped in, the time would have been ripe for him, but he chose to forgo this cycle and I believe he will shoot for 2016.

Second, if Donald Trump, someone who can not be any less serious about or interested in politics, is defeating Sarah Palin, who obviously has her flaws, but is a political figure, in a Republican primary poll, you have to ask yourself...what are the Republicans thinking?  They seem very disorganized and very scattered with regard to who they want to represent their party and what kind of candidate they want to run for president.  The question for them becomes purity or popularity, and if they choose purity they will certainly lose the election in 2012.

Now I'm not saying that its a slam dunk for Democrats. They certainly have their own problems, but its really all about the candidate, and given these two articles at least it seems the Republicans can't figure much out.   I believe if you see less and less 'establishment' Republican candidates decide to forgo this cycle, it will just prove my earlier point, and the chances of a Republican president in 2012 will continue to diminish.

Monday, February 21, 2011

A Question For Everyone...

Often times when thinking about history or politics, we come into the discussion with preconceived notions that shape or guide our viewpoints.  My question is where do these viewpoints come from?  More specifically, what shapes how YOU see the world around us and the views YOU take on the political issues of the day?

What it's All About...For the Foreseeable Future

In this blog, I will comment on news worthy political stories and their real impact on people, as well as its place in history.  I love history and politics, and have very strong stances about the study and implementation of both.  I will use this interest, along with my intense interest in elections, to hopefully make insightful and useful comments on the events which shape our everyday lives.  I have a bias, as do we all, but as future teacher and serious follower of history and politics I will attempt to be as partial as can be!