A Fun Field of Presidential Candidates

A cursory examination of the field of presidential candidates for those who desire their own sort of ideological pure-bred can prove quite disappointing. At least on the Republican side, ideological heterodoxy seems to be the greatest common denominator amongst the candidates. National Review made the telling (and humorous) observation that between Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee, one finds one solid conservative--the former representing the fiscal end and the latter the social. Mitt Romney is a rather recent convert to conservatism and John McCain has always prided himself in being a political maverick. The most consistent conservative in the field is Fred Thompson, but he currently has about as much motivation as a high school student when distracted by Playstation 3.

Conservatives bemoan the lack of a new Reagan, but forget that controversy becomes a great refiner of sound principles. By most standards, the Republican Party finds itself in disarray and at times, outright failure. While many theories are set forth to explain the current pheonomenon, a case could be made for apathy caused by the uniformity of the majority being a causative factor. The current plurality of thought amongst Republican contenders may prove to be a godsend for conservative ideologues, as an authentic discussion of the issues must ensue. The Republican field has not been this exciting in years. All that remains lacking in this era of change is a Republican who doesn't fit the rich, old, white stereotype.