Trial Balloons

In an attempt to gain traction in the presidential election Republican candidates have been furiously launching trial balloons. Previous balloons which failed to stay afloat were, for example, challenges to President Obama's citizenship, attempts to associate the president with alleged mob members, and even an attempt to discredit his academic credentials.


The latest trial balloons or hot button topics some Republican candidates are attempting to use to gain traction in the election include, of all things, attacks on women's healthcare, and abortion-rights issues thought settled and buried years ago.


To say these Republican candidates are "pandering" to their base is to use far too weak a word. Groveling is closer, but the most accurate word one could use to describe these people is that they are actually debasing themselves.


Why these candidates feel they need to swing so far out on the extreme right limb is because that is where the money is. Republican candidates, with the sole exception of Ron Paul, have no viable funding sources save one, the fat cat billionaire. Without the infusion of millions of dollars from billionaires only Romney would have the wherewithal to compete in a national election against an incumbent president.


Once the primary process finally spits out a candidate, that candidate will have to convince women to vote against their own self-interest on issues like birth control and abortion. Otherwise, in order to get back in step with the real world, the last man standing will have to cause selective amnesia in over 50% of the voting public as some major flip-flopping over womens' rights issues takes place.


Romney will be that candidate. He is probably the best flip flopper the nation has ever produced.