Our 2010 elections are just over, but already it’s time to begin asking a big question: Who should be elected president of the United States in 2012?
The subject is pertinent because presidential campaigns take a lot of time to organize.
The choice of someone for the White House requires the sorting out of candidates, and competition generally must be reduced to two major ones. Lots of contributions must be raised, and candidates must inspire enthusiasm among a majority of voters.
We probably know half of the answer of “Who for president in 2012?” Short of some unexpected adverse health or other catastrophe, President Barack Obama almost certainly will be the Democrats’ candidate.
But who will the Republican nominee be?
After some struggling, you may come up with several possible names. But there is no “sure shot” yet in sight.
Obama obviously is not very popular with many prospective voters. We are suffering an economic crisis. We have high taxes. Who wants to cut taxes — and who wants to raise them? There are huge budget deficits. Who wants to cut spending — and from what parts of the budget? There are lots of other issues, too, that Obama is mishandling. Many Americans would welcome a strong alternative candidate — and “change.”
But any candidate who hopes to defeat even an unpopular incumbent president must emerge from a potential field of hopefuls, enunciate an inspiring “message,” raise lots of campaign cash and run hard. Those things don’t come together overnight. So the next presidential campaign surely will begin pretty soon.
Who comes to your mind as the most suitable challenger for Obama in 2012?
If you try to answer that question today, you may have to think awhile to come up with a realistic, and potentially successful, Republican. So the process clearly must start soon.
There is no lack of issues.
Are you satisfied with our economy? Are you troubled by the current economic crisis? What do you think about our tax rates? Do you expect lower taxes — or higher taxes? Do you want spending cuts? Which ones? What do you think about our high unemployment, and how to cure it? Are you comfortable with “bailouts” of failing companies? What about health and medical costs, and what about ObamaCare? How do we begin to pay for it? What other issues are important to you?
Isn’t it already time to think seriously about these things — and to consider who might have the character, wisdom, judgment, stature, ability and principles that most of our people might want to see in our next president?
Big decisions must begin to be made soon if we expect to have the best leadership to move our country and our people in the right direction in the challenging years just ahead.