I just finished watching the January 26, GOP Debate from Jacksonville, FL and it left me with one very large impression.  Rick Santorum is the real deal.   He stands tall in these debates and he looks people in the eye when he calls them out.  He called Mitt Romney out for Romneycare and he landed his punches.   He is absolutely right when he says that we don’t want to lose the Obamacare issue and that the GOP does risk doing that if Romney is the nominee.   I will support Mitt Romney if he is nominated but I will vote for either Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich in the Colorado primary.  

Tea Party people need to insert themselves in their state conventions and get themselves elected as delegates to the National Convention because this could go all the way.   No candidate has demonstrated the ability thus far to win the nomination prior to that convention.   What is at stake is more than simply an election of Republican versus Democrat.  What is at stake is that we have a unique opportunity to place a true conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan back in the White House where a real reversal of fortune can once again take place.  

I continue to believe that Obama is unelectable.   Say what pundits will about the electability of Gingrich, Paul, Santorum or Romney, the campaign will be about Barack Obama.

Barack Obama ignored the wishes of the American people by pushing Obamacare down the throats of the American people.   Games were played that ignored traditional legislative process with the belief that bad legislation was better than no legislation at all and Obama was more than willing to sign any legislation that Pelosi and Reid could lay on his desk.

Barack Obama pushed through a stimulus plan that cost the American taxpayer $800 billion. 

Barack Obama increased the 2009 budgets of several federal agencies by as much as 25%.

Barack Obama fired the CEO of an American corporation without any such authority, assumed the reins of that organization and delivered ownership rights to the UAW over the rights of GM bondholders.

Barack Obama has demonstrated a callous disregard for our Constitution and continues to violate his oath of office.  He refuses to enforce immigration laws.  He and his attorney general refuse to enforce election laws.   He has hired multiple czars without Senate advice and consent to enact White House policy.  He made recess appointments when the Senate was not in recess.   The fact that Congress allows him to get away with this is a mystery we will discuss another day.    

The results of his failed leadership have been an almost constant 9.9 – 10.1% Unemployment Rate.   The housing market has not recovered because people are without jobs and they cannot afford to buy homes.   Those already in homes are losing them to foreclosure left and right.  

The value of the dollar can be seen against other world currencies.   Only a few years ago, just prior to Obama’s election, the Canadian dollar could be purchased with $.84 USD.  Today this purchase would require $1.00 USD.   This is a loss of almost 25% of the buying power of our currency when we trade with our closest neighbor. 

Obama has added more than $4 Trillion to the National Debt and he demonstrates an unwillingness to do anything to curb his appetite for spending.   He pits American against American by pointing to those who have been successful and pretending to believe they haven’t paid their fair share.  His attempts to make people dependent on government to enable him to buy their votes is blatant and despicable.   

This list isn’t exhaustive.  I saw one in an e-mail the other day that was exhaustive and it took more room than I want to devote in this article.  The point is that Barack Obama has ushered in four years of calamity.  The change people hoped for in 2008 has been a change like no one would have wished on their neighbors or themselves.  

Look at the electoral map.  What reason has Obama given any of the states that voted for John McCain to vote for him in 2012?   Those states have to be regarded as safely in the hands of the Republican nominee.   Thus the Republican nominee will begin with 173 votes and must get 97 more. 

Let us look at some of the larger states that Obama won in 2008.  Let’s look at Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and New Jersey.   Are things going so well in these states that the margin of victory won by Obama in 2008 will place these states in his corner again?  I don’t believe so.   Look at these results from 2008:

Indiana  - 11 Electoral Votes – Obama 50, McCain 49 – Since this election Indiana has elected a Republican governor and traditionally this is a Republican state.

N Carolina – 15 Electoral Votes – Obama 50, McCain 50 – The N Carolina governor is unpopular and will likely be replaced in 2012 with a Republican.  N Carolina is traditionally a Republican state.

Michigan – 17 Electoral Votes – Obama 57, McCain 41 – Since this election Michigan has experienced an exodus of its citizens leaving to find jobs in other states  Michigan now has a Republican governor.

Virginia – 13 Electoral Votes – Obama 53, McCain 46 – Since this election Virginia has elected a Republican governor and legislature.  Expect Virginia to go GOP.

Pennsylvania – 21 Electoral Votes – Obama 55, McCain 44 – Since this election Pennsylvanians elected a Republican governor.  Expect Pennsylvania to go GOP

Ohio – 20 Electoral Votes – Obama 51, McCain 47 – Since this election Ohio has elected a Republican governor.  Expect Ohio to go GOP.  

Florida – 27 Electoral Votes – Obama 51, McCain 48 – Retired people and those associated with the Space Program have been hurt by Obama’s policies.  Expect Florida to go GOP

Wisconsin – 10 Electoral Votes – Obama 56, McCain 42 – Wisconsin has since elected a Republican governor who is supported by the electorate and is taking control of the Wisconsin budget with positive results.

New Jersey – 15 Electoral Votes – Obama 57, McCain 42 – Since this election, New Jersey elected a Republican governor who is popular with the taxpayers of New Jersey.   Expect New Jersey to go GOP.

These states will provide 149 Electoral Votes that I expect the GOP to take from Obama in 2012.  The GOP candidate may not get all of these but I expect that we will get far more than the 97 McCain needed and there could be more.  I have hopes for Colorado and Iowa.  I even have hopes for some of the New England states but call me an optimist. 

I expect a landslide election similar to 1980 which spelled the end of the Carter Administration.  For this to happen we must all continue to do our part and be sure we keep people aware of the consequences of re-electing Barack Obama.   Remember Keystone, the moratorium in the Gulf and the refusal to allow energy production that have driven the cost of gasoline to more than twice what it was four years ago.   Remind everyone why this has happened.  They will vote their pocketbooks.