Mitt Romney

Democracy in the United States is in disarray. While both parties are in strikingly scary agreement on some of the worst aspects of U.S. foreign and domestic policy, while being drastically opposed to each other on numerous other issues that could potentially bring about meaningful change, there isn’t a lot to be optimistic about in the future.

American citizens are stuck choosing between two parties, moderate Republicans (also known as Democrats) and the new radical incarnation of the Republican brand that’s become so far right wing they make Ayn Rand look like Michael Foucault.

So as the 2016 elections inch closer and closer, everyone is wondering who will challenge Hilary Clinton.

Out of the pool of Republican hopefuls there’s hardly any hope to be found.

As more candidates like Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz throw their name into the political ring, it becomes clear just how badly the Republicans need someone with a streak of sanity running through their veins.

That’s where Mitt Romney would have come back into the picture.

Despite the polling numbers being better than any other Republican in the race, he’s decided not to run again for the nomination.

Worse, he’s actually a moderate who can support reasonable policies.

It’s important to remember that when the talks of a minimum wage increase were being brought forward by the president last year, Romney was one of the few significant Republicans to actually support the increase.

It’s a small step, but one that shows some of the flexibility needed right now.

It’s frustrating to see how much of the media covered Romney’s potential return as a joke, especially the right wing media that seems to crave the most stringent neo-conservative candidate it can find in order to hype them up to an eventual loss. It boggles my mind how people like Rand Paul, who genuinely believes charity can replace any social program, can capture the hearts of so many people.

And then there’s Ted Cruz, who I’m not sure realizes he’s not actually qualified for the position of President, but can draw a crowd of potential voters by championing the wackiest of economic ideas.

I think Republicans need to face the fact that America has become more left wing, and compromises need to happen if the Republicans are to win some of the other battles in the socio-political landscape.

I know that’s spitting in the wind at this point, considering this advice should have been followed six years ago, but with a new President comes new possibilities for change — and economic change is what America needs most.

I’m worried about the nomination race. The gong show two years back showed how difficult it is for a reasonable Republican to survive, even with massive amounts of corporate backing.

Half of the Republican base itself is so opposed to anything resembling change, that connecting with the rational conservative voters has become a daunting task.

Overall there really isn’t a candidate that is better than Romney. Chris Christie maybe, but he seems unsure about running at this point.

I don’t even like the Democrats, but this cycle of hard-right political fire bombers calling themselves conservatives is playing into the left’s hands.

What we can be sure of is the new base of the Republicans that Karl Rove has reached out to will once again stop the party from redemption in the mainstream.

As more conspiracy nuts and uber-nationalists gain influence and elect members to congress, we’ll have to deal with obstructionist measures and crooked politics.

There’s a fine line between crazy and radical, and the U.S. has become a place where these people can take millions of dollars worth of donations, ruin the country from Washington and win reelection.

If Romney did decide to run, he would have at least saved the public from an embarrassing election, and even if he lost, we might’ve gotten another great movie out of it.