Trump v. Romney

"Why did Mitt lose? Many think it was the culmination of the Republican putting up a series of good men who were lousy candidates."

How time flies! It just seems like yesterday that Mitt Romney was running against Barack Obama. Was Mitt a good man? Very good. Did he have a good running mate? Yes again. Paul Ryan is a very good man. Were either of them good candidates against the Obama/Biden team? Nope. They both stunk. And four years ago Obama was very susceptible to an upper cut during the debates. Mitt could barely spar.

Why did Mitt lose? Many think it was the culmination of the Republican putting up a series of good men who were lousy candidates. The best candidates since Ronald Reagan were Bush senior and Bush junior. And they were not that good either. Bob Dole, John McCain and then Mitt Romney. Yuck. But in 2016 a maverick came along. A candidate like we have never seen before. One who has excited the non-establishment part of the base like no other - that is, since the days of the "Gipper". 

In fact it was so bad when Mitt was running, almost 4 million fewer Republican voters showed up than in 2008. They just did not care. No excitement. Some pundits think the same could have happened this year if the Republicans had put another "establishment" candidate like Jeb Bush on the ticket. Yuck all over again.

Now I will be the first to admit that Donald Trump is a real wild card. There are a whole bunch of us right now who are supporting him who did not start out that way. Many supported Rubio. Or Cruz. Or Carly. Or Rand. But none of them are in the race anymore. Donald Trump is, and he has a vision. Can he deliver on this vision? Maybe. But we know with certainty what the vision is from the other side - the Clinton side. And it stinks.

Donald Trump has said his candidacy is a once in a lifetime event. I tend to agree. I don't recall ever seeing a candidate like him before, and probably never will again. Donald Trump can excite the base, he can get out the vote. If he is good to his word, and truly drain the Washington swamp of all the crap that exists there, his election would be so worth it. If it turns out he cannot deliver, he will be a one term President. 

One more thing. Americans have grown weary of dynastic Presidents as well as establishment Presidents. Americans have grown tired of progressive Presidents, regardless of which political party they come from. Mr "Hope and Change" gave this country nothing more than a strong dose of socialism.

We need real change. We need Donald Trump. If I may quote an old Nixon adage, "Now more than ever..."