“Even if the conservative base wants small government, I do not think history supports the assertion that the Republicans are the party of small government — and yet they keep attracting the votes.”

Recent history, yes. Distressing, I know, but the party is shifting. These tea parties are full of newly minted libertarians. — whatever else may be said about this, that the democratic party is somehow more about limiting the authority of the federal government; cannot be of it. It seems counter intuitive for a rational person to go to the complete other side of political philosophy, merely because you lack company where you immediately sit.

“Also, I think we need and deserve a book-smart president. ”

We certainly do. I’m merely referring to the imperfect candidates that have/are/will be presented. It matters more* to me that someone can say how and why the government powers should be limited, then be able to give a lecture on George Orwell, which isn’t to say that this doesn’t* matter, but that it matters less*.

Principles. You can’t chuck them out the window because someone is charismatic and/or intelligent, because when a very intelligent nihilist that you elect creates a death star, you’re dead. Book smarts are*absolutely* forsakable in the face of prinipal. Not ideal, but necessary, or maybe to put it as lightly as it can be: Preferable.

“The last guy thought with his gut”

Pushing for principled leadership isn’t the same thing as saying “I want an emotionally driven leader”. It’s actually the opposite — There’s no case to be made that Obama’s source of influence over people is derived of anything other than Charisma. This is much less the opposite.

It blows my mind that people can give vocal support to someone like, say, Ron Paul, and then turn around and show support for Obama, and not contempt for the government initiatives happening. This is puzzling, apart from my lack of faith in humanity.

Even if the conservative base wants small government, I do not think history supports the assertion that the Republicans are the party of small government — and yet they keep attracting the votes. If I ever actually find small government supporters that are organized and aren’t crazy, I’ll vote with them.

Also, I think we need and deserve a book-smart president. The last guy thought with his gut and I don’t think it turned out so well. The United States is a business, not a family, and it needs competent leadership.

Vote Cthulhu in 2012. The world’s going to end anyway.

On the other hand, Obama might be intelligent, in that he can be sociable and manipulative, and he demands that the government be in charge of everything. That way, his stupid *principals* can fuck us up real good.

I’ll take less-book-smart, right-principals, every day of the week, and twice on sunday. But I’d rather have alan keyes. Shit, I’d rather have Clinton than what we’re looking at now, and that’s saying a helluva lot for me.