Narrowing Down the *Most Likely* GOP Candidates for 2012

Now that I have a general idea of the potential GOP contenders in 2012, I want to narrow it down to a select few who I believe have a good chance of ending up on the ballot. I've done much research on the 3 politicians who are currently doing a lot to raise money and garner attention in order to start campaigning. Next to each candidate, I'll provide a limited, but comprehensive summary of his/her political views and ideologies on critical issues that will define the 2012 election (the economy, unemployment, immigration, etc.)

Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor

• On the economy/jobs: Huckabee believes that infrastructure projects should be started immediately in order to promote economic stimulus... "The engineering is done. The eminent domain is already done. Environmental impact studies have been done. The only thing that we lack is funding. If we had the funding, we've got projects we're ready to pull the trigger on tomorrow."
• On taxes: Huckabee believes that the tax system (and taxes in general) unfairly punish the American people for working and for their productivity.
• On immigration: Huckabee believes that illegal immigrants should go home and start over... "The [illegal immigrants] who are here would have to go to the back of the line and start over. It's not to be cruel. It's to make that everybody living in our boundaries lives in the light, not the darkness, and doesn't run and hide every time they see a police car... We owe it to those who do want to live and work here, and create a system that is legal, that makes sense and actually protects our borders but protects the dignity and worth of every person."
• On the War on Terrorism: Huckabee believes that "Islamofascism" must disappear from the face of the earth and that America should only leave Iraq until we are certain that terrorism has significantly subsided, even if it means we use "overwhelming force".
• On energy and oil: Huckabee has been quoted as saying that "for too long, we have been constrained because our dependence on imported oil has forced us to support repressive regimes and conduct our foreign policy with one hand tied behind our back. I will free that hand from its oil-soaked rope... I want to treat Saudi Arabia the way we treat Sweden, and that will require the U.S. to be energy dependent... We will explore, we will conserve, and we will pursue all types of alternative energy: nuclear, wind, solar, ethanol, hydrogen, clean coal, biomass, and biodiesel."

Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts Governor

• On the economy/jobs: Romney believes that applying Reaganomics to the current economy will help turn back America's fiscal woes... "There are two things that I’d add to the legislation that relate to long-term growth incentives. One is to say to people who are making under $200,000 a year, they ought to be able to save their money, tax-free, no tax on interest, dividends or capital gains... Secondly, for people 65 years of age & older, my view is that they should not have to have payroll taxes taken out of their incomes."
• On taxes: Romney supports the Bush tax cuts, he says that he would prevent (further) economic recession by implementing immediate middle-income tax cuts, and he believes that "fees" are appropriate for government(s) to provide the people with essential services. (John McCain criticized Romney in 2008 for raising taxes in Mass. by more than $700M which Romney himself called "fees", he never referred to them as taxes.)
• On immigration: Romney currently believes that "comprehensive reform" for immigrants is nothing more than an "amnesty plan". He has said that illegal immigrants currently residing in the U.S. should be deported back to their home countries.
• On the War on Terrorism: Romney has been quoted as saying that "the greatest challenge facing America [is] the threat of violent, radical Jihad... Jihadists will battle any form of democracy... They find the idea of human equality to be offensive." Furthermore, Romney does not support a specific timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. He has said that if presented with a legislative bill calling for timetables and milestones, he would not support it.
• On energy and oil: In early 2008, Romney proposed a $20 billion package to promote energy research and new car technology.

Sarah Palin, former Alaska Governor

• On the economy/jobs: Palin firmly opposes Obama's stimulus package. She has called for the remaining money from the "failed" stimulus package to be rolled back so as to prevent recklessly spending it where we don't need to. (However, Palin has been criticized because her home state of Alaska is highly dependent on federal stimulus money.)
• On taxes: In general, Palin believes that "everybody does benefit when government takes less... because our businesses and our families are able to keep more of what they're earning, reinvest in what they have as priorities... That's how jobs are created. And that's how we're going to grow our economy."
• On immigration: Palin's philosophy is somewhat ambiguous in regards to immigration, amnesty policies, and paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants. She doesn't believe that all undocumented aliens in the U.S. should be deported, citing that "there are about 12 million of the illegal immigrants, not only economically is that just an impossibility but that's not a humane way anyway to deal with the issue." Subsequently, when asked if she supports amnesty for illegal immigrants, she goes on to say "No... not total amnesty... people have got to follow the rules." Furthermore, she does support a path to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., saying that she "understand[s] why people would want to be in America."
• On the War on Terrorism: Palin opposes an exit strategy in the Middle East. Similar to Romney and Huckabee, who oppose congruent "timetables" and "milestones".
• On energy and oil: Palin believes that it is critical that America becomes energy dependent. She also firmly supports offshore drilling; just recently, Palin criticized President Obama saying that White House energy policies will undeniably increase gasoline prices by slowing offshore drilling and relying on "vague promises" about alternative energy.

*Personally, I'm a bit torn between Huckabee and Romney. However, if it came down to it, my vote would undoubtedly go to Huckabee, only because I feel that Romney wasn't straightforward enough in his policies as Massachusetts Governor; I mean come on, calling a huge raise on taxes "fees", that's straight up pathetic. Plus, he's Mormon, and I come from a long line of stalwart Catholics (wouldn't work out too well in my book.) When it comes to Palin, she's too much of a celebrity and she needs to be clearer when it comes to expressing her stance on certain issues. Popularity won't ensure her a place on the ballot come 2012... at least I hope it doesn't.