Ranking the Presidential Candidates

Here's my ranking of the announced candidates for President in 2012.

1. Buddy Roemer - R - The only candidate who has vowed to get the special interests out of Washington, IMO that is the biggest issue facing this country.  He'd also push for 'fair trade pacts' that wouldn't put American workers at a disadvantage.  He's got no chance but I like what he stands for (and I'm a pretty liberal). If he could get his word out to a larger audience I think it might resonate (corporate interests are in no hurry to help him out though). He's also got experience running a state (he's the former Governor of Louisiana), working in the U.S. Senate and working in the private sector..  

2. Barack Obama - D - Considering the mess he walked into I think that he has done a very good job.  Sometimes too willing to compromise and sometimes gives up too much in his desire to appease the right but the fact that he's willing to work with both sides is a positive IMO.  

3. Gary Johnson - R - Former Governor of New Mexico so he has experience running a government, more pragmatic than ideological, pro choice, favors civil unions, favors bringing the troops home, anti water boarding, favors legalization of marijuana and wants to simplify legal immigration.  He seems pretty reasonable to me, that's not a good thing in the GOP though.  

4. Jon Huntsman - R - Along with Roemer, one of the few sane candidates that the right it running.  Oddly enough, that seems to be the reason he's not liked much amongst the GOP base.  He believes in evolution, he believes in global warming, he's worked in the Obama administration.  If the GOP was wise and decided that they wanted to run a candidate that stood a reasonable chance against Obama they'd make him their new Anti-Romney.

5. Fred Karger - R - As middle of the road as you can get for a Republican, he's pro choice, favors a path to citizenship for immigrants, supports the legalization of marijuana, he's pro LBGT rights.  Perhaps that's why he never stood a chance.

6. Ron Paul - R - He's running as a Republican but he's really a Libertarian.  He's an incredible intelligent and very likeable.  I agree with much of what he says, I have a bit of a libertarian bent myself on some issues, but I think he does take things a bit too far, he would dismantle (or attempt to dismantle) quite a few government agencies and in the end, I do think there is a place for the government in our lives. 

7. R. Lee Wrights - L - The official Libertarian candidate and as mentioned above, I do agree with some of what the Libertarian party stands for.  

8. Mitt Romney - R - When it get's down to it, despite what he says, he's much more moderate than most of the other GOP Presidential hopefuls, that's probably one reason many in the GOP seem reluctant to throw their support behind him.   I wish he would stand up for his core beliefs a bit more though (as of right now his core beliefs are not too clear to anyone, they tend to morph with the latest poll).

9. Rick Santorum - R - As a former U.S. Senator he seems to have a better grasp of the issues than many of the other GOP Presidential hopefuls.  Unfortunately, his stance on those issues are pretty ideologically rigid, that's no way to lead. 

10. Rick Perry - R - His biggest selling point is the fact that he has been Governor of one of the biggest states in the country for 11 years now, he's got extensive executive branch experience.  I'm not a fan of his stance on the issues though, he's a far right ideologue, he seems to take most of his cues from far right talking heads. 

11. Newt Gingrich - R -  The biggest neo-con of the group, I don't think anybody wants to go back to that, he's also got a TON of baggage. 

12. Herman Cain - R - Tea Party favorite with a pretty weak grasp of the issues, we can do better.  

13. Michele Bachmann - R - Another Tea Party favorite, most of her stances on the issues come straight out of the mouth of Sean Hannity.   Very divisive and ideologically rigid.  Not a fan. 

Sorry, Rosanne Barr but Michele Bachmann is the furthest 'out on the fringe' candidate that I'm going to rank. You can find all of the announced candidates here.