The illusion of a choice

Are these polls really meaningful?  "Moderate Voice" isn't a conservative site of course, but that doesn't mean it isn't liberal, typically posing as a moderate.  Looking for another take, I went to Capt. Ed, formerly of Captain's Quarters blog, only to discover that the second coming of Newt has begun.  I kinda figured that much after the last debate.  But the liberals are already loaded for bear if Newt gets the nod.  They'll go after his character, like they are trying to do with Cain.

I can't help but think that we are being manipulated.  This Cain business has been a case in point.  It is so bad that it ought to be offensive, but funny how it isn't.  There's some insight into why it doesn't appear to be.  Evidently, Cain has a pattern of gaffes.  I can believe that since I don't agree with how he handled the sexual harassment charges.  It is galling that this seems to have worked to slow down his momentum.  He may even be on the way down, which is also hard for me to believe given the rather thin nature of the accusations.  Frankly, I am suspicious that this is only being used as an excuse, or is being made to appear so.  Which makes me think of manipulation again.  We are being told what to think and we're falling in line- provided that you let yourself be persuaded by these polls.

We may have to wait until the first results start coming in.  When that happens, a lot of the weaker candidates will start dropping out.  The ones that have the money will be the ones with the staying power.  Romney can stick around.  So can Perry.  Newt doesn't have the money the other two have, or so I hear.  If you can believe half of what you hear, that is.  I figured after that debacle at the debate that Perry could be toast, but not so fast.  It is said that he's got plenty of money, so he has staying power.  That may be good enough for the anti Romney vote to start coalescing around him when the less well financed candidates drop out.

It may sound a bit cynical, but maybe the main thing that matters is the money.  If Romney's got it, he just may go all the way.  In line with the aforementioned manipulative aspect of polls, the money in the war chest may  matter even more.  The money has to come from somewhere, which implies the Presidency is up for sale.  If you don't like the office being bought, you'd better start paying attention.  If nobody really gets interested in this until next fall, the die will already have been cast.  And it will be too late to change anything.