Yes, I have been missing from the battlefield for the last six weeks.  I must extend my apologies to those who have enjoyed reading my blog.  I will reluctantly admit that I will have future absences as well.  I have taken a foreign assignment that is in a remote location without reliable Internet reception.  I will return to that assignment next week.  In the meantime, I think it necessary to evaluate what has happened with the GOP candidates who were in the race at the time of my November departure. 

Herman Cain - I was tremendously disappointed to see Herman Cain remove himself from the race.  In my opinion, this demonstrates the worst traits of American politics.  It is not until someone becomes prominent that suddenly people come from the woodwork and claim the candidate committed human atrocities.  The news is all too eager to concentrate on the accusations regardless of available proof or even demonstrations of something greater than he said- she said statements.  It is the accusation of wrongdoing that is important, not whether there is proof that it actually occurred.  There were multiple accusations, not just one.  Similarly, there were multiple accusations trumpeted against William Jefferson Clinton.  The only difference was that in the case of Clinton, there was evidence, there was substantiating testimony from people like Arkansas troopers and Linda Tripp but somehow the press chose not to trumpet that evidence and it wasn't until the stained blue dress was submitted that any of the evidence of Clinton's dalliances with one Monica Lewinsky were accepted as fact.  Contrast this to a prominent GOP candidate who has had apparently multiple women come forward and talk about his advances and flirtations.  Suddenly Herman Cain was among the most evil men in the world.  He had flirted with a woman.  No, we cannot have that.  Suddenly Cain's message, 9 - 9 - 9 was lost forever to the remaining candidates in the GOP debates.

Newt Gingrich - From all indications, Republicans are savaging Newt Gingrich.  From the beginning, Newt entered the race with a philosophy of fighting fair.  It is his ideas that are resonating with the Republicans and Independents of America.  All evidence remains that he is a brilliant man, entirely capable of becoming President of the United States.  His personal life has included some infidelity and acts that Gingrich admits he is not proud of.  Whose life doesn't include circumstances we would rather no one ever remember?  I continue to regard Gingrich a viable candidate that I can easily support however I am not yet willing to endorse.  

Mitt Romney - Mitt has been solid, almost stoic in his rise to 25%.  Could I accept him as President of the United States?  Yes.  As a conservative, tea party activist, I could accept Mitt Romney.  I care not about Romneycare because he supported this in Massachusetts and he recognizes Obamacare as an unauthorized intrusion against the civil liberties of all Americans.  I care not about his Mormon faith.  I would certainly trust the LDS Church over the church of Jeremiah Wright that swings so far to the left that they have made Communism a faith.  Mitt's demonstrated leadership in the Salt Lake Olympics and his success in other business ventures indicate he would be friendly to the business world, remove onerous regulations, and return this economy to work and remove the disease that now plagues Washington D.C. 

Michele Bachmann - I was sad to see that Michele Bachmann has not done well since the Iowa Straw Poll.  I largely blame the entry of Rick Perry into the race for this failure to gain momentum.  I regard Michele as high among the candidates I am still considering.

Rick Perry - Perry disappointed me too many times before I went on assignment and it appears he has not regained any of the strength he had when he initially entered the race.  I did not like his early cheap shots against other candidates.   I will not vote for Perry in the primary.  Of course, I would vote for him if the choice were he or Obama.  

Ron Paul - He apparently can boast of recent gains in the polls in Iowa as others like me seek a more conservative alternative to the constantly hailed front-runner, Romney.  I do not regard him as a viable candidate.  No matter how much I love his domestic and fiscal policies, his foreign policy would deal a crippling blow to national security.  I would vote for him over Obama only because my choice would be Obama who is bad on foreign and domestic policy and worse on fiscal policy versus Paul who is bad on foreign policy but good on domestic policy and fiscal affairs.  

Rick Santorum - I am pleased to see Santorum is finally showing some strength in the polls.  I do not know yet that he has the horsepower to gain the nomination but I could easily support Rick Santorum.

John Huntsman - I cannot take Huntsman seriously.  Any person who would endorse Cap and Trade legislation or who regards Global Warming as a legitimate science simply has no credibility with me.  

As we look forward to the Iowa caucuses, I hope we can all keep our eye on the ball.  Although I continue to believe that more than one of these candidates, perhaps all except Ron Paul could defeat Obama in a national election as citizens we cannot let our guards down.  If you live in Iowa or one of the early primary states like New Hampshire or South Carolina, work to get just one more person to the poll who believes in conservatism.  Remember, Democrats win elections the old-fashioned way, by cheating.  Democrats oppose Voter Identification initiatives for one reason only; Voter ID Laws make it harder for them to cheat.  ACORN did not send hundreds of its minions out in the world to create voter registration cards that would never be used.  Registering the Dallas Cowboys and Donald Duck was a ruse in my opinion.  When people find these kinds of names, they eliminate them as they should eliminate them from the voter rolls.  However, what about Mary Smith or John Carpenter?  Henry Farmer or John Doe?  How many fake names that do not immediately draw the eye were hiding behind those obvious fakes that went unnoticed and then actually voted?  This is my concern, this and the ability that some states still provide their citizens to cross over and vote in a party primary that is not theirs?  Therefore, it is important.  If you are an Iowa citizen, do not simply sit in front of the TV, watch the caucus reports, and scream how they did not get it right.  If you want this to be done right, go to your caucus.  Give up one evening out of 365 and be involved in this election.  Involve yourself and involve a neighbor.  Ask your neighbor to ask a friend and get yourself and your neighbors to the caucuses and to the polls.