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Throughout recent history the GOP has played an important role in U.S. politics, and the nation has been blessed with illustrious Republican presidents, notably Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Reagan and Bush Sr.

Contrast this with the mediocre leftovers from the GOP primary campaign, notably Romney and Gingrich. For weeks the country has endured a nasty mudslinging and gaffe-loaded contest between these top contenders; the robotic flip-flopping “I’m not concerned about poor people” Romney, and the lobbyist — oh, sorry — “historian” for Fannie Mae, Gingrich. They have used more than 90 percent of their PAC-funded, sound-bite TV ads and statements to slander each other, and occasionally President Obama, to a degree seldom seen in U.S. politics.

Very little has been said about their plans, if any, to improve the economy, although one can assume they are strong adherents of the tired old policy of “trickle-down” economics, which has not worked in the past and will not work in the future. No wonder some GOP leaders, pundits and voters are scratching their heads thinking, “Is this the best we can field to try to capture the presidency?”

Ole Giese
Greensboro

Sawdust

February 9, 2012 - 7:09 am EST

I suspect that the conduct mentioned in the letter had a little something to do with Santorum's victories this past Tuesday. It seems to me that the character attacks on Mitt do not endear anyone to Gingrich, and vice versa.

Santorum, meanwhile, has refrained from those tactics. I hope he continues to do so. He seems to me a decent man, reasonably conservative, and with few skeletons in his closet. Better than Obama? You betcha.

dubya

February 9, 2012 - 7:36 am EST

Clones of T. Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Reagan could comprise the republican field and we'd get the same old same old from the left.

With nothing to toot their horns about for their boy except $5 trillion in new debt, they are forced to sling mud at everyone else and hope enough of it sticks.

destinys mother in law

February 9, 2012 - 8:53 am EST

Clones of T. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Reagan would be accused of socialism were they to run now.

February 9, 2012 - 9:44 am EST

No, they'd be accused of being right wing extremists who wanted to starve our shillrund and kick the elderly out on the street.

In fact, Reagan was accused of such tripe by the left. Roosevelt and Eisenhower were pre-welfare state presidents.

Snapper0274

February 9, 2012 - 9:37 am EST

"...sound-bite TV ads and statements to slander each other, and occasionally President Obama, to a degree seldom seen in U.S. politics."

I guess the writer has been asleep during previous elections.

Anyone remember the NAACP ad that portrayed the dragging death of James Byrd in Texas, with his daughter saying:

"My father was killed. He was beaten, chained, and dragged three miles to his death, all because he was black. So when Governor George W. Bush refused to support hate-crimes legislation, it was like my father was killed all over again."

No mention that two of the perps were sentenced to death and another given a life sentence.

Conundrum

February 9, 2012 - 11:04 am EST

How is the young woman's statement not factual? Bush did refuse. The legislature drafted a bill and Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill. I would imagine that the local prosecutor/district attorney or a US attorney would have decided to charge Byrd's murderers with a hate crime.

rooster8786

February 9, 2012 - 10:30 am EST

"...nasty mudslinging and gaffe-loaded contest..." I guess this letter writer cannot remember the flying mud of 2008 nor the current president visiting 57 states. Mud slinging and gaffes have been around for as long as their have been candidates. It's just that with the instant availability of media today we hear about it.
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camera lens

February 9, 2012 - 3:26 pm EST

There is one candidate on the stage that has proposed a bold plan to cut spending and get the government out of the way so we can create jobs. Here is a link to what one economist has said in regard to this plan to restore the economy would be the world's BEST for restoring our economy.

http://www.examiner.com/finance-examiner-in-national/wsj-economist-ron-p...

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