Underwhelmed

Despite the killing of Osama bin Laden (for which President Obama DOES deserve credit, despite my Republican friends' grudging him that), I think President Obama is VERY vulnerable in the election of 2012.

The fundamentals of our country continue to be very weak. The housing market is terrible, gas prices continue to be very high (and while they will likely drop some now, will probably climb again), unemployment is still high, the national debt is up over $4 trillion more on his watch, and the dollar continues to plummet. (A $5 Euro donation was worth $7.10 in USD on my pig jar donations.)

The only problem is this: the field of Republican challengers is underwhelming at best.

Newt Gingrich? Ron Paul? Tim Pawlenty? Herman Cain? Mitt Romney?

You've got to be kidding me. In a country where close to 80 million people are Republicans, this is the best we can come up with?

Gingrich is already sunk and he just started last week. Ron Paul is certifiably insane. Tim Pawlenty is boring. Herman Cain can't answer a basic question about the Middle East, and Mitt Romney wears magic underwear. And his hair is perfect. I don't like candidates who have perfect hair. It makes me nervous.

On a serious note, none of these guys bring vision to the table. America is in need of a vision. We need direction. Instead of just giving policy proposals and throwing crap back and forth, we need can put the necessary sacrifices that lie ahead in the context of a vision.

And I'm not talking about Eurovision (Obama's version). I'm talking about someone who can make a compelling case for us to move forward together and do something significant. The candidate I'm looking for is going to:
1. Develop and detail a plan to leave the next generation of Americans debt-free.
2. Craft an energy plan for the next 50 years that will free us from foreign dependence.
3. Deal with the entitlement culture of our country.

I think there are two guys with the intestinal fortitude to do this: Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey. Ryan is the only one who has stepped forward with a long-term budget plan and takes a lot of arrows from some pretty weak-minded people who don't have the chutzpah to put a plan forward themselves. Christie's penchant for truth-telling is pretty well documented. I'm really hoping that one of these two guys steps forward because if they don't it's going to be a tough, upward slog for those of us who think that this President is taking us in the wrong direction.