Tonight on Facebook, my lovely wife posted she’s supporting former Governor Mitt Romney to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States. I understand why she’s leaning Romney, and it’s wasted air to argue just for argument’s sake.
What does have me dazed and confused, however, are some of the comments and angles the candidates are taking, and perhaps moreover, what’s firing up debate audiences and Republican Tweeps. I suppose I’ll give examples in a short list form…
1) Apparently, Mitt Romney is too successful to be the nominee. Before folks can take their thoughts to step #2, they slay him on how much money he’s made and how he made it. I just don’t get this, especially coming from fired-up R’s. I mean, WHO CARES?? As long as he did it legally, good for him. I actually applaud that a wildly successful person may be our leader. Am I missing something?
1a) Romney’s tax returns. Last week, I thought it may be a good idea to release his tax returns. Sure, there’s going to be a wild amount of “zeros” on there. Also, I’m sure to be envious. Obviously, there will be an offensively small tax rate applied, and/or offshore accounts present. Well, big deal. That’s the way the system works at present. Fair? Probably not. Legal? Yes. Steve Jobs, Kobe Bryant, Bill Gates, and Jay-Z are probably in the same tax yacht, and none of them graduated from college. In short, we can get to that tax bracket too, and until someone changes the system, that’s that.
Further, he’s probably right when he tries to explain how Democrats will absolutely POUND on him if the numbers are published. D’s would crucify him on the air, paving a way for the competition to victory. Who knows… but I get what he’s saying.
2) Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has crowds hypnotized. Newt’s calm demeanor but pitbull bite on the media is great TV, and pumps the Twitter-sphere. However, this does not make him a “conservative,” or “Reagan.” I gotta type that Ronald Reagan, if nothing else on this earth, loved his wife to the core of his spirit. Who knows if Newt wanted an “open marriage,” but I’m pretty confident cheating and divorce weren’t in Reagan’s heart. Reagan was loyal to the core to his second wife, Nancy. Jane Wyman was his first wife. The difference between Reagan and Gingrich is that Reagan did not cheat. Jane Wyman even called Reagan a great and honorable man when he died. They supposedly divorced because the death of their infant daughter (she died the day after she was born) proved to be too much for them to handle. This aaaalll said, I understand Newt may not have met a soul mate, as Reagan may have… which may make this unfair. However, those are the punches, aren’t they?
Here’s a ridiculous, quick, parallel spin: “I’m the Joe Montana of this group. I have two feet, favor my right hand, and run around if I have to in order to get things done, and get paid only because I produce. I was even in the stadium with him a few times while he did great things. I’m Montana-like, because I’m claiming it.” With that statement, I can hear my colleagues laughing. Difference is, I don’t hear SC Republicans laughing. Conversely, they’re gulping it up. Oh well, so goes the political game of defining one’s self. Well done Newt, I suppose.
Congressional ethics reports and millions made via positions contrary to his Contract with America well-documented, I’m astounded my Republican friends allow him to keep claiming the “Reagan/conservative” label.
Don’t get me wrong, I happen to think Newt has the ability to do colossal things. In the meantime however, one can’t just claim Reagan’s conservative Yin on one end, when he’s really a Yang that Reagan would likely be ashamed of.
Before the political universe leaves the Palmetto State, I wish they’d expand further on the Keystone pipeline, oil shale, and our future with China.
I’m starting to think there are so many debates, and the candidates talk so much about their past while simultaneously stomping each other, that it’s become boring. Given this pattern and platform, Newt may have discovered that blowing anything he can find out of the water works pretty well here. I would’ve assumed SC Republicans were more savvy than to reward this, but perhaps Newt is on to something.
We’ll see on Saturday!
I've passed on very good job offers from tobacco companies and payday lenders because work which is legal is not always moral.
I can't say with certainty whether all of Romney's private equity investing activities with Bain Capital were moral because there are just too many variables at play. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't ask the question.