I predict NOW that the 2016 GOP Nominee will be Jon Huntsman

[Still Sensible]

53. I'd have to take that bet

because I just can't see it happening. I believe Rmoney WAS the candidate of the "people who OWN the party." He was supposed to be the moderate, electable one (when compared to Gingrich, Bachmann, Santorum, et al). He was the guy that the plutocrats thought was most electable and they spent a lot of money getting him nominated.

Unfortunately for his campaign, all that money in the primaries--by itself--was not enough. He still had to join the wackadoodle circus and tie himself in knots pandering to the Limbaugh-loony faction, and the Beck-loony faction, and the Robertson-loony faction... in order to get enough primary votes. Whatever level of credibility Rmoney may have started with as a "moderate" or "centrist" was worthless after that primary process was over.

All that is to say that I don't believe the powers that be in the GOP can change enough of the landscape, nor the primary rules, etc. to not be in the same boat in 2016. Will they try to get a more electable, centrist candidate? No doubt. To be successful, they'll first have to beat back the wackadoodle argument that Mitt wasn't conservative enough.

In any event, even if they try the same strategy I can't believe it would be Huntsman. As opposed to Rmoney this cycle, I don't believe Huntsman could get enough of the fire-breathing lunatic vote in the GOP primaries to get the nomination.