As for the branding. I agree I don’t like either. And I think that the branding was placed upon them by the media and not a self-chosen branding. Just like Red and Blue. I don’t like the use of either color for either party, but the media chose it, and we are stuck with it.

Nacil (can I call you that?), I agree. Too much compromise has lead to a left leaning government. Too far left, and it needs to change.

I looked at the image before I read your post. Oddly enough, my mind did not see a guy ripping open his shirt. In fact, I didn’t see that until I read your post. I saw a donkey right off, and I wasn’t even sure what your post was about.

As far as the absence of the GOP elephant, I’d probably go with your final suggestion. The pre-primary political season tends to attract grass roots folks that are more ideologically steeped. For the Utah GOP, that means the conservative wing of the conservative wing of the GOP.

The sentiment that has been sweeping the nation is not strictly an anti-Democrat thing. It’s an anti-establishment thing. Many conservatives detest the GOP establishment only marginally less than they detest the Democratic establishment. That’s true even in Utah. So, I’d say it’s probably safer for a Republican in Utah running in the pre-primary season to appear to be at least somewhat at odds with the GOP establishment.

Political observers have long known that as Utah moves into the primary season, more people that aren’t as deeply conservative as their more politically active neighbors get involved. That is why anti-Bennett forces had hoped to knock off Sen. Bennett at the state convention. They won’t have a prayer of doing that after the pre-primary season. The trend continues with the general election season being even less ideologically conservative. Still, I’ll bet that even then you will see fewer elephants this year than in previous election cycles. The anti-establishment anger is running pretty deep.

I realize that the parties are all about developing a brand. But it has always amazed me that the two major parties accepted and built on brands that came from a satirical 19th Century cartoon. Strictly as a matter of packaging, I can’t say that I find either party mascot very appealing.

You obviously don’t think it’s that important. And that is fine, that’s the great thing about being in America. We can have different opinions.

Seriously?