Should Pawlenty give up?

Tim Pawlenty has really done nothing for the Republican Party at this point. Nationally, we don't know where he stands on many issues. In a party based on principles, it takes time to build trust. Maybe he should run, but I don't think he would win in 2012.

While Tim has the benefit of not being religiously polarizing as Huckabee and to some extent Romney are, Huckabee and Romney supporters have little reason to vote for him in contrast to "their guy."  In politics, religion can be a double edged sword.

It will be Pawlenty's challenge to give Americans compelling reasons to vote for him.  Can he compete with Romney on economics?  Not likely.  Pawlenty is simply fiscally conservative, where Romney is a fiscal genius.  Can he compete today with Palin or Huckabee on social issues?  Not at all, even if he IS socially moderate to conservative.  He just hasn't got the exposure, yet...  It would take a VERY well funded campaign.

Mitt Romney is a competent leader who can lead on more than just social issues, and gets those right, too! (Great family man.)  I can tell you right now, I plan to vote for Mitt in 2012.  (I wish I could put my vote on speed dial!)  The economy is just too important in the post-Obama era.

Pres. Obama has been the equivalent of Hurricane Katrina on our economy, taxpayers, and the dollar, and America needs a specialist who not only values the economy, but knows where to start.  The job of President in managing the deficit and spending is today no longer about guiding policy.  By 2012, it will be all out open heart surgery.

I wouldn't mind Sarah Palin as President. She would be refreshing and would keep the "first woman" as President distinction out of Democrat hands. I don't think she has what it takes to inspire Independents in extraordinary numbers, however.  She should pay special attention to this group if she wants to win, but may be too rogue to care what they think.  If she can do it, God bless her!

Newt Gingrich is plain vanilla at this point and doesn't seem that interested in running, just keeping his name relevant. He might make a good VP, but that would be up to whoever wins.  There are so many good choices...  He is definitely more colorful and respected than Biden!  (Who isn't?)  At any rate, that decision is miles away.

Mike Huckabee has a problem with faith-ism, my word for the faith based equivalent of racism. Huck thinks he is right and has a tendency to use faith as a hammer. I'm not okay with that in a country that is supposed to have freedom of religion and not support one faith over another, even if you agree with one and not the other. His coalition, I believe, is largely faith-ism based.

Romney was also a volunteer minister for many years (Stake President) and even served in France as a missionary for his church, but he doesn't hit people over the head with it. Mitt Romney's faith is simply part of who he is instead of who everyone else should be.

I worry that Huckabee will be religiously divisive even in office.  While some evangelicals and liberal media sources manufacture a big deal of Mitt's faith, Mitt's philosophy about faith in government is less abrasive, more unifying, more about being an American melting pot of good intentions and ideas.  To Mitt Romney, faith in the public square is about character, both personal and national, as I believe it was for the founding fathers--NOT denominational classism or doctrine.

I really liked Mitt's speech on freedom of religion in 2008. He came across as a Republican JFK who has more in common with Bush Sr. or Reagan than Bush Jr. (No disrespect for W. I still like him, and admire his work on AIDS in Africa!  He was loved by his troops, including me.)

Huckabee is also still an issue when it comes to economics and fiscal policy.  Like John McCain, he doesn't get it.

Other than Jon Huntsman, our current ambassador to China (very distracted), the remaining person I wish were considered is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who really has no chance because of recent "damage" to the Bush family brand.  Jeb Bush may be the smartest of our three Bushes, having benefit of hindsight on two prior Bush Presidencies.  I've never heard him speak in person, but he says a lot of the right things and would probably be more domestically focused than his brother or father.

I've watched Congressman Ron Paul, who has great ideas on auditing and possibly shutting down the Fed and going back to the Constitution.  I don't, however, agree with his foreign policy approach.  Paul is a unique voice with special insight into Taliban and Al Qaeda motives, that unfortunately, like many Democrats, does not take seriously enough the threat these groups may pose.  I have no doubt he will draw impressive support again in 2012, and am grateful for his leadership on many important issues.

So should Tim Pawlenty run?  Yes.  Should he expect to win his first time around?  Absolutely not, but any contribution he can make to Republican progress and ideas could form a platform for future victory.

Really looking forward to 2012!  (And 2010!)  Time to fix Dems' control freak problems and vote them out!

Use Twitter?  Follow me @ConsRepublicans or http://www.ConservativeRepublicans.com