Pundits who once pronounced Republican voters satisfied with the field of presidential contenders may have spoken too soon.

Herman Cain’s difficulties in handling a flurry of sexual harassment accusations–albeit launched by an overzealous, unfair mainstream media–have shaken confidence in his candidacy. Gov. Mitt Romney’s increasingly bold policy pronouncements may be too little, too late to convince the conservative base.

Gov. Rick Perry seems to have faded, and Newt Gingrich’s recent rise may not be big enough to establish him as the latest alternative to Romney. The other candidates are still trying to break into double digits, but aside from Ron Paul–whose isolationist foreign policy makes him unelectable–none has succeeded.

That has some analysts wondering if a new candidate might yet enter the race–and if so, who that would be.

Source: The Public Interest - ABC 9 WTVC

Let’s consider the criteria that a late entrant would have to meet. (more…)

Donald J. Trump and Ross Perot are both billionaires- but that’s where the similarity ends. Perot is erratic, cranky and conspiratorial while Trump is outspoken, blunt and charismatic.

Ross Perot actually became a legal candidate for President, withdrew and became a candidate again in 1992. Even with his late re-start and with ballot access laws harsher and more difficult than they are today- after a decade of election law reform-Perot got on all 50 state ballots. Trump flirted with running-took himself out and now is sending signals he may still just jump in.

Talking of running a late Independent campaign for President ,Trump told Fox News,  ”If I’m not happy with what I see, I can very easily change my mind. I’m not happy with what I see, and I will make a determination sometime into the future, absolutely. There is no deadline. If I did it as an independent, I could do it very much better.”

Trump was preparing to show a net worth of $7.5 billion worth with over $350 million cash on hand, in his federal disclosure form. Trump’s companies are privately held. Clearly Trump has both the $5 to $7 milion it would take to get on the ballot in all states and the $200 million for an intense paid TV and Cable and innovative new media campaign.

Trump also had some tough talk for the GOP, saying they are setting themselves up to lose the next election. Trump seemed to be positioning himself for a Independent run.

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Unlike the “experts” on both sides of the political spectrum who will state with absolute certainty who the Tea Partiers are and what they stand for (invariably to support the reporter’s political persuasion), we will admit that at this point in time, we can only say for certain what the movement is not.  Like the storied Boston Tea Party of 1773 where the citizens of Massachusetts protested British taxes being imposed on them without any representation and dumped three shiploads of British tea into the harbor, the current movement is not a political party, at least not yet, and it probably never will be.

Of course every commentator and pollster is ready to tell us definitively what the meaning is of this unique new political movement.  Former President Clinton likened its followers to the odious Timothy McVeigh of Oklahoma City notoriety.   The former President knows better but as a loyal Democrat he apparently is willing to share in the heavy lifting to demonize the Tea Party.  Many Republican leaders say the movement is nothing more than an outcry against the policies of the current Administration, but in our view that would be an over simplification as well.

The common philosophical thread which does seem to run all through Tea Party adherents who speak out appears to be a sense that government has become too large, too overbearing, too much in debt and that it is muscling into our private lives as never before.  True, many attendees who are interviewed are outraged about specific issues like high taxes, the recently enacted health care bill and the tactics used to force its passage.  Divining coherency and consistency out of all of this is impossible even though we are treated daily to talking heads and newspaper analysts who state with absolute assurance what it all means.

Our take is that the movement can be attributed simply to frustration with the “political class” and a free-floating anxiety about whether any elected officials can provide inspiration and leadership in troubled times.  But any review of the history of the shifting political tides in our nation clearly shows that this movement has numerous antecedents . . . and that it is very healthy for our democracy.

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Today, in 1971, the Libertarian Party was founded.  Almost every year, for nearly 40 years, we’ve been told that we’re on the cusp of a “libertarian moment.” Alas. Saying it doesn’t make it so. Still, it was a good idea: