There’s an expression on Wall Street to describe sideways movement in the markets during the time period between a crash and a recovery.  In article after article, financial pundits have labeled 2011 “The Year of the Crab,” because of the way crabs walk sideways across the sand. I would say it was the “Year of the Crab” in politics as well.  Republican voters moved side to side, reacting as one candidate after the other “popped” in polls, but voters stopped and shuffled instead of locking in on any one of these flavors of the month. At the end of the day, all roads seem to have led back to Romney, who is leading in the Iowa polls, one day before the caucuses there.  Of all the candidates, Romney was originally the most Moderate.  I just wish he hadn’t signed on to the anti-embryonic stem cell research movement that swept the party when he was Governor of Massachusetts, which is when Romney officially switched from being pro-choice to pro-life. Even if he wins in Iowa, the question is whether Romney can punch through the 25% ceiling in polling to make him a formidable opponent to Obama. Looking beyond this Tuesday, Newt Gingrich plans to make hay out of Romney’s earlier support for Planned Parenthood to try to reverse his own fortunes in New Hampshire.  It will be interesting to see what role abortion plays in New Hampshire, where Huntsman has focused much of his energy and efforts.  While Huntsman remains a favorite because of his record of job creation in Utah, his knowledge of foreign affairs and his creative ideas for reversing our economic misfortunes, he is the only candidate calling for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion.  He doesn’t talk about it much these days and our hope is he will stop talking about it all together or better yet, change his own mind! In the meantime, we socially liberal Republicans may have to agree this isn’t the year to get bogged down on single issues.  But it would be nice if Romney were elected, if he evolved again, and at least agreed not to overturn any laws on a woman’s right to choose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Romney leads in Iowa polls with Santorum rising

Gingrich complains he has been Romney-boated

Santorum needs to reach more than evangelicals