What Does Mitt Romney Stand For?
Asking just shy of two dozen Senate staffers, reporters, and observers what they thought of the question, on background, the answers ranged from bewildered to hysterical to depressing.
Christopher Bedford
The Federalist
What does Mitt Romney stand for? Not what is he against — we know that — but does he stand for.
It’s a serious question: What motivates Mitt? Why did the junior Republican from Utah come to Washington? Was it for the military? Families? Business? Abortion? Guns? The old Reagan-Republican way? It’s truly hard to say.
He’s generally toed the line on the military, failing to distinguish himself as either a hawk or a dove. He sure likes his family, but he voted to shut down Catholic adoption in Massachusetts a full 13 years before President Barack Obama followed suit. He’s generally pro-business but no outspoken champion, and he actively opposed an Arizona law that protected religious business owners from having to violate their consciences.
On abortion, he went after nuns for opposing it in Massachusetts (once again, before Obama made that policy popular), but voted against federal funding for abortion when he came to D.C. He’s gone back and forth on guns as well, and was actually against Ronald Reagan before he was for him.
See? This is hard work. When he launched his Senate bid two years ago this month, Romney touted his experience from the Winter Olympics, called Utah beautiful, lauded its character, expressed an open-armed embrace of immigrants, and made a promise: “If you give me this opportunity, I will owe the Senate seat to no one but the people of Utah.”
Showing posts with label Romney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romney. Show all posts
Saturday, 15 February 2020
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Letter From America (Predicting the Election)
Sticking The Neck Out
At least one pundit is predicting a Republican landslide next week. We shall see.
Opinion: Here comes the landslide
By Dick Morris - 10/30/12
The Hill
Voters have figured out that President Obama has no message, no agenda and not even much of an explanation for what he has done over the past four years. His campaign is based entirely on persuading people that Mitt Romney is a uniquely bad man, entirely dedicated to the rich, ignorant of the problems of the average person. As long as he could run his negative ads, the campaign at least kept voters away from the Romney bandwagon. But once we all met Mitt Romney for three 90-minute debates, we got to know him — and to like him. He was not the monster Obama depicted, but a reasonable person for whom we could vote.
As we stripped away Obama’s yearlong campaign of vilification, all the president offered us was more servings of negative ads — ads we had already dismissed as not credible. He kept doing the same thing even as it stopped working.
At least one pundit is predicting a Republican landslide next week. We shall see.
Opinion: Here comes the landslide
By Dick Morris - 10/30/12
The Hill
Voters have figured out that President Obama has no message, no agenda and not even much of an explanation for what he has done over the past four years. His campaign is based entirely on persuading people that Mitt Romney is a uniquely bad man, entirely dedicated to the rich, ignorant of the problems of the average person. As long as he could run his negative ads, the campaign at least kept voters away from the Romney bandwagon. But once we all met Mitt Romney for three 90-minute debates, we got to know him — and to like him. He was not the monster Obama depicted, but a reasonable person for whom we could vote.
As we stripped away Obama’s yearlong campaign of vilification, all the president offered us was more servings of negative ads — ads we had already dismissed as not credible. He kept doing the same thing even as it stopped working.
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Douglas Wilson's Letter From America
But America Isn't Jesus
Obama Nation Building
Written by Douglas Wilson
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
The most apropos tweet concerning the debate last night came from John Piper: "Obama: America, the only indispensable nation. Romney: America, the hope of the earth. This does focus our prayers for them." I want to get to that in a moment, but first let me just affirm the consensus that appears to be developing.
Romney is clearly husbanding a lead, and Obama was trying to catch up. Romney was acting like an incumbent, and Obama was acting like a challenger. Romney was happy to wait out the round in a clinch, and Obama wanted (and needed) a knock out blow that he didn't get.
Obama Nation Building
Written by Douglas Wilson
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
The most apropos tweet concerning the debate last night came from John Piper: "Obama: America, the only indispensable nation. Romney: America, the hope of the earth. This does focus our prayers for them." I want to get to that in a moment, but first let me just affirm the consensus that appears to be developing.
Romney is clearly husbanding a lead, and Obama was trying to catch up. Romney was acting like an incumbent, and Obama was acting like a challenger. Romney was happy to wait out the round in a clinch, and Obama wanted (and needed) a knock out blow that he didn't get.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Douglas Wilson's Letter From America
Buttering the Stage
Culture and Politics - Obama Nation Building
Written by Douglas Wilson
Thursday, 04 October 2012
I TIVOed the debate last night, and then hopped my way through it, like it was an ankle deep muddy stream. I got enough to get a decent feel for it, without subjecting my sanctification to the blah blah parts.
So here are just a few random observations, which I would ask all to take cum grano salis.
First, it seems clear that this is one of those debates which will take on a life and meaning of its own, independent of the actual performance on stage. During the debate, I thought Romney was more confident, affable, informed, etc. but Obama seemed generally okay.
Culture and Politics - Obama Nation Building
Written by Douglas Wilson
Thursday, 04 October 2012
I TIVOed the debate last night, and then hopped my way through it, like it was an ankle deep muddy stream. I got enough to get a decent feel for it, without subjecting my sanctification to the blah blah parts.
So here are just a few random observations, which I would ask all to take cum grano salis.
First, it seems clear that this is one of those debates which will take on a life and meaning of its own, independent of the actual performance on stage. During the debate, I thought Romney was more confident, affable, informed, etc. but Obama seemed generally okay.
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Douglas Wilson's Letter From America
Son of Bork
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Yesterday I tweeted that Obama's big challenge is this:
My friend Frank Turk responded with a challenge.
Since it is plain that I have not convinced everybody of the wisdom
of what I am doing, perhaps another post is in order. Shoot, I haven't
convinced everybody of the sanity of what I am doing. So let me do it a little bit more.
Presidential elections are a chess game, not a series of discrete events. They are part of a story, and chapters follow. We are nowhere near the end of the book. There is lots of chess left.
Now I have no problem whatever granting that Romney, considered in isolation, is far, far better than Obama. Dubya was far, far better than Gore or Kerry. Herbert Walker was far better than whoever it was he ran against the first time. But is that the only comparison, the names on the ballot at a given point in time?
No, the story is bigger than that. I grant that Obama is terrible, and another round of him would be double terrible. But how did we ever wind up with Obama anyway? We got Obama because of the big government conservatism, the compassionate conservatism of Bush.
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Tuesday, 04 September 2012
Yesterday I tweeted that Obama's big challenge is this:
"The chief tactical challenge for Obama
is this: arguing for a second term without looking like he is arguing
for a second chance. #please"
"@douglaswils well, as someone on-record
as not being willing to vote for Romney, you should admit O will get his
2nd chance. At everything."
Presidential elections are a chess game, not a series of discrete events. They are part of a story, and chapters follow. We are nowhere near the end of the book. There is lots of chess left.
Now I have no problem whatever granting that Romney, considered in isolation, is far, far better than Obama. Dubya was far, far better than Gore or Kerry. Herbert Walker was far better than whoever it was he ran against the first time. But is that the only comparison, the names on the ballot at a given point in time?
No, the story is bigger than that. I grant that Obama is terrible, and another round of him would be double terrible. But how did we ever wind up with Obama anyway? We got Obama because of the big government conservatism, the compassionate conservatism of Bush.
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
The Californication of the US
It's the Debt, Stupid
"a brothel of environmentalists, lawyers, public-sector unions and legislative bums." Wall Street Journal
"a brothel of environmentalists, lawyers, public-sector unions and legislative bums." Wall Street Journal
Sarah Palin congratulates Romney on Ryan
This from Sarah Palin on the announcement of Paul Ryan as Romney's running mate:
Congratulations to Mitt Romney on
his choice of Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate.
President
Obama has declared that this election is about "two fundamentally
different visions" for America. Goodness, he's got that right. Our
country cannot afford four more years of Barack Obama's fundamentally
flawed vision. We must now look to this new team, the Romney/Ryan
ticket, to provide an alternate vision of an America that is fiscally
responsible, strong, and prosperous--an America that understands and is
proud of her exceptional place in the world and will respect those who
fight to secure that exceptionalism, which includes keeping our promises
to our veterans.
When I think about the direction
our country is rapidly drifting in, I can't help but look at California
as a cautionary tale.
Friday, 10 August 2012
Inevitability
Political Psy-Ops
There has been a bit of back and forth over poll numbers in the US for the two respective presidential candidates. Here is a perspective from Dick Morris:
There has been a bit of back and forth over poll numbers in the US for the two respective presidential candidates. Here is a perspective from Dick Morris:
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Douglas Wilson's Letter From America
No Mandate for Either One
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Monday, 06 August 2012
The presidential election, of course, has the capacity to be a disaster on wheels, either way it goes. But let me sketch a quick scenario in which it could be a good thing -- either way.
One of my assumptions in this thought experiment is that in the gubernatorial races, in the Senate races, and in the House races, it is going to be a bloodbath for the Democrats. There are various good reasons for supposing this but, I hasten to add, we don't know for sure. Sometime soon I will go into my reasons for thinking this likely, but for now my happy thought experiment scenario either way depends upon it.
If this happens, and Obama is re-elected, then it will not at all be like his first two years in office, when he had control of the Congress, and a mandate "to do something." In this scenario, he would be hog-tied.
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Monday, 06 August 2012
The presidential election, of course, has the capacity to be a disaster on wheels, either way it goes. But let me sketch a quick scenario in which it could be a good thing -- either way.
One of my assumptions in this thought experiment is that in the gubernatorial races, in the Senate races, and in the House races, it is going to be a bloodbath for the Democrats. There are various good reasons for supposing this but, I hasten to add, we don't know for sure. Sometime soon I will go into my reasons for thinking this likely, but for now my happy thought experiment scenario either way depends upon it.
If this happens, and Obama is re-elected, then it will not at all be like his first two years in office, when he had control of the Congress, and a mandate "to do something." In this scenario, he would be hog-tied.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Mormonism in Focus
Romney Presidency?
With Mitt Romney likely to become the next President of the United States more and more attention will be paid to his religion: Mormonism. To secularists, it will be just another evidence of his sub-par intellect that he has a religious system of belief. To fellow Mormons, it will seem to present a striking opportunity to advance Momonism into the mainstream of Christian belief--a long pursued goal.
With Mitt Romney likely to become the next President of the United States more and more attention will be paid to his religion: Mormonism. To secularists, it will be just another evidence of his sub-par intellect that he has a religious system of belief. To fellow Mormons, it will seem to present a striking opportunity to advance Momonism into the mainstream of Christian belief--a long pursued goal.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Romney's Moral Antennae
Bloodshed and Buggery
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Sunday, 22 April 2012
So Mitt Romney hired Richard Grenell as his foreign policy spokesman, and Grenell is an "out and proud" homosexual. Well, who could have seen that coming?
The issue is how these things get mainstreamed. There is a certain kind of conservative who, in Dabney's immortal phrase, is the shadow that follows radicalism to perdition. It makes a gruff show with a respectable amount of growling, but in the end acquiesces to the last set of the left's innovations, and runs on the hard right conservative platform of trying to make socialism work. It has no idea, Dabney said, of being guilty of the folly of martyrdom.
It is not just about elections.
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Sunday, 22 April 2012
So Mitt Romney hired Richard Grenell as his foreign policy spokesman, and Grenell is an "out and proud" homosexual. Well, who could have seen that coming?
The issue is how these things get mainstreamed. There is a certain kind of conservative who, in Dabney's immortal phrase, is the shadow that follows radicalism to perdition. It makes a gruff show with a respectable amount of growling, but in the end acquiesces to the last set of the left's innovations, and runs on the hard right conservative platform of trying to make socialism work. It has no idea, Dabney said, of being guilty of the folly of martyrdom.
It is not just about elections.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Feeling the Pain, Part #2
That Bus Everybody Talks About
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Thursday, 12 April 2012
I like Jonah Goldberg a lot, and David Bahnsen here has done us a favor by pointing to this over there. Jonah argues his case well, and the best thing about it is that he really understands the problem a number of us have with Romney.
In addition, I know I live in Idaho, and I know that my refusal to cast a vote Romneyward will not affect Idaho's behavior in the Electoral College. I also know that if I lived in Florida I would have to sit down and ponder a bit longer.
David was very kind in his introduction to his disagreement with me and, like him, I have no desire to get into a fracas with any of those who understand the problems with Romney but who will be supporting him anyway.
Culture and Politics - Politics
Written by Douglas Wilson
Thursday, 12 April 2012
I like Jonah Goldberg a lot, and David Bahnsen here has done us a favor by pointing to this over there. Jonah argues his case well, and the best thing about it is that he really understands the problem a number of us have with Romney.
In addition, I know I live in Idaho, and I know that my refusal to cast a vote Romneyward will not affect Idaho's behavior in the Electoral College. I also know that if I lived in Florida I would have to sit down and ponder a bit longer.
David was very kind in his introduction to his disagreement with me and, like him, I have no desire to get into a fracas with any of those who understand the problems with Romney but who will be supporting him anyway.
Monday, 16 April 2012
Letter From America
Romney Ruminations: Feeling the Pain
Now that Mitt Romney has the Republican nomination effectively sewn up, conservatives in the US are trying to rationalise supporting him. The rationalisations run from "he's fifty times better than Obama, so let's overlook the lacunae on his resume" to "he really is a conservative--don't worry too much about his past performances because he is a recent convert".
Jonah Goldberg offers his two cents worth:
Now that Mitt Romney has the Republican nomination effectively sewn up, conservatives in the US are trying to rationalise supporting him. The rationalisations run from "he's fifty times better than Obama, so let's overlook the lacunae on his resume" to "he really is a conservative--don't worry too much about his past performances because he is a recent convert".
Jonah Goldberg offers his two cents worth:
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