Top 10 non-$$ reasons why Mitt should be Mac's VP

[Buckeye GOP]

In response to a board member's question regarding whether speculation about Mitt as VP is due to his ability to raise money I answered as follows:

I think that there is no question that one of the main factors behind the calls for Mitt to be on the ticket is his ability to raise money. If I am not mistaken, Mitt raised more money in Ohio than any other candidate (there is that little technicality that Huck and Mac got more actual votes). In fact, Hannity raised the issue and Mitt said he was already in the process of turning his fund-raising team over to Mac.

I think other major factors, in order of importance, are as follows (I am not sure where the ability to fund-raise would be):

1. the fact that Mitt comes across as a leader, someone who could fill in on short notice in a crisis

2. the fact that institutional conservatives are pushing him and Mac needs to shore up the conservative base

3. his executive experience - I think Mac, should read your editorial referenced on this board where it was pointed out that the President needs executive experience…I would extend that to the VP slot now that Mac is the nominee,

4. his ability to energize voters in the Western states - he would be very useful in Nevada, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and even Arizona which are purple states,

5. his ability to put Michigan in play in a year when it should be in play but for Mac’s writing off the auto industry,

6. his experience with job creation in a time when the economy will likely be a major issue,

7. his image as a non-Washington insider (in fact, having someone who comes from the business world rather than political world is key in a time when people want reform and results – change will be a key issue in the election, Mac’s ticket will have to offer a different kind of change than Hillary or Obama – Mac is a maverick, but has been in Washington for years)

8. his success with reforming health care (having a private sector solution that worked will be the Republican answer to a massive overhaul that the Dem candidate will push, but health care will be a big issue and the Rs need to be able to address it),

9. the fact that he is somewhat vetted, and

10. the fact that he has a squeaky clean image (and in fact cleaned up a corrupt Olympics) will also help.

[httpSpeedzzterblogspotcom]

The clubby New York-Boston-Washington Ivy League golf & thingytail circuit has settled on Romney because he’s from that discrete and insular social strata. The Ivy League snobs simply can’t risk someone in power who didn’t matriculate at a selective Eastern college or who hasn’t genuflected to the REAL powers on Wall Street and Madison Avenue.

Of course, the only reason anyone is talking about a focus-grouped stiff like Mitt Romney (who before this year had only one successful election under his belt and less than five years of elected experience) is his “Citizen Kane” act – attempting to buy the election with tens of millions of his own dollars.

Yet serious watchers of the GOP debates noted that Romney’s almost legendary ability to flip-flop was on stark display, such as in the Florida debate.

For example, Governor Huckabee (a rock-solid gun rights candidate) asked Mitt-the-Flip a simple question: Do you support the “so-called assault weapons ban and the Brady Bill?”

(Huckabee’s question was technically correct because t the ban wasn’t really about true military assault weapons, but about scary-looking assault-styled semi-automatics)

Mitt’s struggling answer was a salient window into the vacuity of Romney when he’s off his stump speech script. First, Mitt extolled his support for renewing the ban (ignoring that the proposals he supported could have affected virtually all ordinary semi-automatic shotguns and other common weapons), and lamented the failure of renewal. Then Mitt proclaimed the glories of the Massachusetts “assault weapon” ban.
But in a breathtaking flip-flop, Mitt then said we don’t need any more gun laws.

Huh? Did Romney forget the first couple of paragraphs of his answer that touted his support for more gun laws?

Another bizarre moment for Romney came when he endorsed a “national” catastrophic property insurance fund to address the Florida insurance “crisis,” but then said that people in Iowa shouldn’t have to pay for it.

What exactly does “National” mean to Mr. Romney? Is Iowa not part of the Nation? Obviously, if the fund is only paid for by people in hurricane states or regions, it’s not a “national” program.

If Mitt’s the job-creating, economy growing “mouse trap,” then where are the mice?

According to a story in the Boston Globe, quoting Northeastern University economist Andrew Sum, Massachusetts “lagged the U.S. average during that period in job creation, economic growth and wage increases” during the Romney years.

"As a strict labour market economist looking at the record, Massachusetts did very poorly during the Romney years, he said. "On every measure you've got, the state was a substantial under-performer."

"There's never been under his watch an economic turnaround to speak of," Michael Widmer, president of the independent Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, told Reuters.
"We added a few jobs over the last three years of his tenure but very few. He also raised corporate taxes and fees and the (deficit) gap turned out to be less than $3 billion."

But that doesn’t stop Mitt from erroneously claiming that he " ‘closed a nearly $3 billion (1.5 billion pounds) budget deficit without raising taxes’ during his term in Massachusetts.”

The Boston Globe story also reported the rate of job creation under Romney “ was the third-lowest in the nation after Hurricane Katrina-hit Louisiana and Michigan. At the same time, wages in the New England state stagnated during Romney's term.”

“The average weekly wage of Massachusetts workers, Sum said, rose by just a $1 between 2001 and 2006 after adjusting for inflation, while the state had the third-highest rate of population loss in the nation between July 2002 and July 2006.”
Not a very good record for an alleged business wunderkind .

Moreover, Romney's life as a venture capitalist/corporate raider doesn't mean he has enough of a grasp on macroeconomics to transcend "politics as usual." Thus far, Romney's been a conventional, big government supporter.

Rush and the out-of-touch Country-Clubbers in the GOP like Romney because he will continue redistributing our hard-earned tax money to big corporate interests and will do NOTHING for the social conservatives and blue-collar/Main Street parts of the GOP.

That's simply not conservative.

Moreover, Romney is simply out of his depth when it comes to foreign policy. Remember, his modus operandi in a crisis is to "consult the lawyers."

His immigration plan is apparently involves hiring as many illegals for the Romney mansion as he can get by with.

And if it suits him, he will out "Kennedy" old Ted Kennedy in disregarding the concerns of social conservatives.

That's simply not conservative.

Another Ivy League MBA who cannot connect with the majority of GOP (much less the population a a whole) is exactly what the GOP does not need in these dangerous times.

Of course. there is the issue of Romney's flip-flops for political gain:

remaining GOP candidate who has actually employed illegal aliens -- at the Romney Mansion]

GUN LAWS

"We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them. I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety."
Romney in 2002 gov. debate, Boston Globe, 1/14/07

"I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I'm a member of the NRA [for less than one year] and believe firmly in the right to bear arms."
Boston Globe, 1/14/07

AMENDMENT TO BAN GAY MARRIAGE

"Mitt does not support it...As far as Mitt is concerned, it goes farther than current law, and therefore it's unnecessary."
Romney spokesman, Boston Globe, 3/22/02

[As governor, Mitt Romney issued an executive order forcing justices of the peace to perform homosexual weddings, or resign. Then he ordered marriage licenses changed to read "party A" and "party B" – instead of "husband" and "wife."]

"When I was Governor, we took every conceivable step within the law to stop, block or slow down this unprecedented court decision."
Speech to National Right to Life Convention, 6/15/07

"NO NEW TAXES" PLEDGE

"I'm not intending to, at this stage, sign a document which would prevent me from being able to look specifically at the revenue needs of the commonwealth"
Associated Press, 3/27/02

"Signing the pledge now sends a very clear message to those in Washington who have voted against tax relief and for tax hikes that such actions will never grow our regional and national economies."
Romney spokesman, Boston Globe, 1/5/07

MINIMUM WAGE

"I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation. I think the minimum wage is a good thing to have in our economy and I think it ought to be updated."
Boston Globe, 10/17/94

"[T]he challenge with raising the minimum wage excessively is it is a hurt to those that are entering the work force, the very poor, those that are trying to get early jobs, get those first jobs." Associated Press, 7/25/06

CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY

"I don't think you go back and rewrite the contract the government has with people who've retired."
Boston Globe, 10/17/94

"Personal accounts would be a big plus."... [Romney]also said changing the retirement age could be considered, as well as basing the Social Security cost of living adjustment on a different inflation gauge.
Union Leader, 6/7/07

ADOPTION NON-DISCRIMINATION

Governor Mitt Romney and a legislative leader yesterday delivered unwelcome news to the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts, who plan to seek permission from the state to exclude gay and lesbian parents from adopting children through its social service agencies. The governor said he was not authorized to give such an exemption...
Boston Globe, 2/17/06

"And then another slide along the slippery slope. The Catholic Church was forced to end its adoption service, which was crucial in helping the state find homes for some of our most difficult to place children... Now, even religious freedom was being trumped by the new-found 'right' of gay marriage."
Speech to National Right to Life Convention, 6/15/07

STEM CELL RESEARCH

[Romney]endorsed embryonic stem cell research, saying the controversial science might one day help treat his wife's multiple sclerosis...."I am in favor of stem cell research. I will work and fight for stem cell research. I'd be happy to talk to [President Bush] about this, though I don't know if I could budge him an inch."
Boston Globe, 6/14/02

"FACT: Governor Romney Opposes Using Taxpayer Money to Fund Embryo-Destructive Research."
MittRomney.com A Record of Protecting Life

BUSH TAX CUTS

Governor Mitt Romney refused yesterday to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program...In addition to refusing to endorse the president's tax cut, the governor surprised several people at the meeting by saying he is open to a federal increase in gas taxes.
Boston Globe, 4/11/0

[Romney] said it was "absolutely critical" to renew tax cuts proposed by President George W. Bush. Letting them expire would result in a "massive tax increase" that would retard economic growth, Romney said.
Detroit Free Press, 2/8/07

DESIRE TO SERVE IN VIETNAM

"I was not planning on signing up for the military. It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam..."
Boston Herald, 5/2/94
["As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon 'minister of religion' for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years.

Before and after his missionary deferment, Romney also received nearly three years of deferments for his academic studies. When his deferments ended and he became eligible for military service in 1970, he drew a high number in the annual lottery that determined which young men were drafted. His high number ensured he was not drafted into the military.

The deferments for Mormon missionaries became increasingly controversial in the late 1960s, especially in Utah, leading the Mormon Church and the government to limit the number of church missionaries who could put off their military service. That agreement called for each church ward, or church district, to designate one male every six months to be exempted from potential duty for the duration of his missionary work.

Romney's home state was Michigan, making his 4-D exemption as a missionary all but automatic because of the relatively small number of Mormon missionaries from that state. . .

By serving as a missionary and being given the deferment, Romney ensured that he would not be drafted from July 1966 until February 1969. Romney's draft record from the time describes him as 'minister of religion or divinity student.'" Boston Globe, 6/27/07]

"I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam."

Boston Globe, 6/24/07

REAGAN REPUBLICANISM

"I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush."
Boston Herald, 10/27/94

"Ronald Reagan is ... my hero. ... I believe that our party's ascendancy began with Ronald Reagan's brand of visionary and courageous leadership."
Boston Globe, 1/19/07

There are many more examples of flip-flops by Governor Romney which appear to be motivated for political gain.

Selecting Mitt Romney as vice president is a sure-fire way to torpedo McCain's chances in November.

But here's the "executive summary" for those otherwise occupied at the "19th hole."

Romney is a flip-flopping political novice who used his huge personal fortune to attack fellow Republicans.

"Bishop Mitt" alienates at least 1/3 of the GOP base.

Mitt-the-Flip lost in many of the Red States where the GOP must win.

"Slick Willard" stands for almost nothing solid (he's grossly flip-flopped on nearly every issue important to social conservatives).

The Vain Bain Capitalist also is the perfectly-coifed poster child for almost every negative stereotype the electorate holds about the GOP.

If Five hundred million dollars worth of free media from Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and a host of other GOP "attack radio" stars couldn't sell "Mitty" to the GOP base (who were primed and ready for SOMEONE to rescue the GOP in 2008), why does Fred Barnes believe that Romney would sell any better among the more moderate general electorate?

Mitt as Veep would be a disaster (and a guarantee that this Republican wouldn't even put a McCain-Romney sticker on the old SpeedWagon . . .)

Central to the Romney-ian argument for the "superiority" of Slick Willard as Veep is the claim that he's been anointed by Karl Rove and George W. Bush.

Rove, of course, has been an in-the-tank Romney-ian for months.

And , given the obvious fact that Rove and Bush have lead the GOP nearly to the abyss (including with sterling picks such as Donald Rumsfeld and Bush's negligence in using the veto pen to stop profligate spending while the GOP still had control of Congress), it's hardly a ringing endorsement of their collective wisdom in selecting personnel or sensing the direction of the political waters.

But Rove and Bush pushing the Gucci Chameleon is certainly a fact that will make for a nice Democrat attack ad in the fall.

Mitt Romney is only the "obvious" winner of the Veepstakes if the GOP has a death wish in November.

[sbm]

What on Earth was that? I've got to disagree with httpadvertisingforyourownblog.

No one wants to read a long post breaking down how everything you just said is deceptive, so I'll keep this short. If you want more, let's take it to a thread that's on-topic.

Most of the statements in the flip-flop section aren't directly contradictory. (e.g., Saying MA has decent gun laws doesn't mean he isn't a member of the NRA.) The quotes that are contradictory are years apart. I'd hope a governor doesn't hold the same economic plans in good times and bad.

The gay marriage one shocked me the most. He did everything in his power short of ordering the national guard to seize the judiciary. When legislative approaches failed he carried out the law; that the executive's job. Maybe he should have asked Musharraf for some advice.

Your claims that he botched Mass.'s economy are questionable. All your data comes from the Boston Globe, which ran about a dozen anti-Mormon articles in the last year. I'd guess it's biased, but I'm not the best prepared to say what happened on his watch; I'll leave that for someone else to discuss. You may be right, but the momentum is against you.

And most of your other complaints against Romney are unsupported, vague paraphrases, spliced words, or loaded language masquerading as argument (I was going to count the quips, but got bored around 20). It just lowers the thoughtfulness of the debate. We're not debating ideas, just crafty editing techniques.

[Buckeye GOP]

I thought that speedy and sbm both did a great job in their posts. I hope that I get time to answer speedy's well-thoughout and researched, though somewhat rhetoric-filled, post. Sbm represented the Romney position well too, and brought some humor as well. In the mean time here is another pro-Mitt argument from another author unitethegop.com/sense.html.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE THREAD ON RCP! www.realclearpolitics.com/readerarticles/?period=all