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The Romney presidency: The worst-case scenario (Women & children hardest hit, blah, blah, blah)
Salon ^ | October 29, 2012 | Alex Pareene

Posted on 10/30/2012 1:51:46 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

A few moderates and liberals have lately taken to arguing that, you know, maybe a Romney presidency wouldn’t be too bad. He might turn out to be more moderate, or at least pragmatic, than he’s acted in the campaign so far. He might make a point of reaching out to Democrats in Congress. Republicans might regain their trust of Keynesian economics and actually do things to boost the economy out of naked political self-interest, instead of sabotaging the economy out of same.

I am not really convinced! Mitt Romney will be working with a Congress full of Republicans and his Cabinet and administration will be full of Republican political appointees, and that adds up to disaster, especially with the current, insane Republican Party.

As it’s the spooookiest time of the year, it seems appropriate to ask: What’s the Romney presidency worst-case scenario? If Mitt Romney turns out to be exactly the severe conservative he says he is, what can we expect?

War

Obviously we’re bombing Iran. They might be spinning some uranium around in a mountain, and we can’t let that continue. As Wired recently reported, bombing Iran isn’t actually as easy as it sounds. If we want to do it right, it’ll take a massive strike against Iran’s ability to launch a counterattack on Israel or Kuwait, followed by the much more massive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

And of course war with Iran leads to a worldwide oil shock, probably.

But why stop with a preemptive airstrike? The actual worst-case scenario, in terms of loss of life and possibly world-destroying consequences, would be a nuclear strike on Iran. I’d hope that would be off the table even in the event of “Defense Secretary John Bolton.” But you never know, regime change might become popular again. A ground force in Iran might suddenly become urgently necessary! The idiot Bush-era foreign policy experts might suddenly decide that it wouldn’t be that hard to invade and occupy. The Iranian people would probably greet us as liberators! That same weird bloodthirsty hysteria that gripped the political elite in 2002-2003 might return, especially if Iran successfully sinks an American ship or blows up a plane or a helicopter during our totally righteous strike on their nuclear facilities — or, god forbid, if there’s a terrorist attack in the U.S. that can be credibly blamed on Hezbollah. Under the standard proposed for an invasion by Gen. Shinseki prior to the Iraq war, we’d need a good 1.4 million troops to properly invade Iran. Of course, Romney’s Pentagon and White House will be stocked with exactly the sort of people who ignored Gen. Shinseki prior to Iraq, so it’d probably only be a couple hundred thousand. But basically mass, widespread death and terror would result, just like Iraq only much, much more so.

Remember: John Bolton isn’t just being kept around for show. Romney actually listens to the guy. Romney’s selection of moderate Robert Zoellick for his transition team led to so much howling from the hawks that his mouthpiece is basically promising Zoellick won’t have an important role in a Romney administration. But we can expect a big job for Dan Senor, the man who instantly went from unqualified idiot political hack appointee to Respected Foreign Policy Expert the day Bush sent him to lie on behalf of the disastrously incompetent provisional government in post-invasion Iraq.

Let’s also not forget that former longtime CIA spook Cofer Black — who was vice chairman of Blackwater for three years — is Romney’s “envoy to the dark side.” Black was at the CIA while plans for extraordinary rendition were drawn up and the fact that he was at Blackwater at all should tell you what sort of principles the guy has.

The National Journal also says Michael “Warrantless Surveillance” Hayden could be the director of national intelligence or homeland security secretary in a Romney administration, so we have that to look forward to, too. (Also, Mitt will bring back torture. He will bring it back so hard.)

Also, from Jennifer Rubin: “Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who caucuses with the Democrats, is frequently mentioned for the secretary of state job.” Ah yes, a wonderful option if you want some “bipartisan credibility” for your plan to wage endless global war forever.

The Courts

Jonathan Bernstein sums it up:

If Romney wins the presidency and holds it for eight years, he very likely would replace not only moderate conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy (born in 1936) with someone closer to Alito, but he also would probably have the chance to replace either Ginsburg (born in 1933) or Stephen Breyer (1938). On the other hand, if Obama wins, it’s possible that he could wind up replacing at least one conservative justice, perhaps Kennedy or Antonin Scalia (also 1936).

Scalia is obviously not going to purposefully allow a Democrat to replace him, but he’s quite old, and he may not have a choice. (Not that I’m wishing Antonin Scalia anything but the best!) Ginsburg is even older, and it’s extremely unlikely that she’d remain in place through two terms of Mitt Romney.

Basically one more conservative vote means the effective end of Roe v. Wade and the Commerce Clause. Replacing Breyer and Ginsburg with conservatives would possibly mean the end of the entire New Deal regulatory state. Three Romney appointees would mean conservative control of the Court for decades.

And there is every reason to suspect that Romney will pick judges who’ll vote like Scalia. That is the sort of person Republicans appoint now, while Democrats appoint squishy mainstream moderate liberals that they imagine everyone will be fine with. (And if Republicans control the Senate during a Romney presidency, haha, sorry, we’re going back to 1896.)

That’s just the Supreme Court. Reagan’s lower court judges profoundly changed American politics, and they continue to do so today. George W. Bush appointed more circuit and appeals court judges than Clinton, and so far Obama is on track to have appointed the fewest since Ford. These judges have a tremendous amount of power, and they will use it to strengthen the power of corporations at the expense of individuals, the environment, and communities every step of the way. (Plus, obviously, on criminal justice they will be universally pro-prosecutor and basically ensure that our horribly broken system keeps systematically locking up as many young black men as possible.)

The Environment

It’s not like President Obama will actually manage to avert catastrophic climate change in his second term, considering the many barriers to the sort of action required to actually help the problem, but it is safe to say that Romney will do less.

The EPA’s new fuel efficiency standards probably wouldn’t end up surviving. And the EPA certainly won’t be regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act in a Romney administration. And no more investment in clean, renewable energy sources. And Keystone’s getting built (probably either way, actually). Basically instead of half-measures that won’t come close to addressing the problem, we will get actively harmful policies, most likely.

The Federal Budget

If you hate the deficit, you will … probably ignore those professed beliefs as you defend a president who spends ever more on defense and also slashes taxes, primarily on rich people. Just like the last Republican president! And their Messiah, Ronald Reagan.

If you hate government spending on social programs, you’ll find stuff to like: Unlike Bush, with his squishy “compassionate conservative” aisle-crossing education and healthcare initiatives, Romney will cheerfully eliminate “Obamacare” and destroy Medicaid by handing it to states that plan to spend as little money on it as possible.

And of course there will be this fiscal cliff issue. The can will be kicked, in the event of a Romney victory, to the next Congress, so that the Romney administration can implement its grand deficit reduction plan. It’s plausible that a Romney victory would lead to Senate Democrats showing more spine on “entitlements” than they are willing to while a Democrat is in the White House, but it’s also possible that they’ll be desperate to appear bipartisan. So: Social Security retirement age raised, most definitely, and lord only knows what happens to Medicare.

Eventually the new equivalent of the Ryan plan will pass. It will just be a matter of time.

The Economy

It will continue to suck! Horribly! For everyone!

In conclusion: We’ll be at war and pretty soon there won’t be any more Medicare or Social Security plus the rich will keep getting richer and abortion will be illegal in most of the country. Happy Halloween!


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: economy; iran; romney; scotus
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The author

1 posted on 10/30/2012 1:51:57 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He looks exactly the way he sounds like he would look


2 posted on 10/30/2012 1:56:00 AM PDT by uncitizen (Arrest The Traitor Today!)
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To: uncitizen

“When a nation is ruled by youth, the people mourn.”

Does this guy live in his parent’s basement?


3 posted on 10/30/2012 1:58:56 AM PDT by jazzlite (esat)
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To: uncitizen

>> He looks exactly the way he sounds like he would look

I bet he stinks as badly as his article does, too.


4 posted on 10/30/2012 1:59:18 AM PDT by Nervous Tick ("You can ignore reality, but you can't ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.")
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To: Nervous Tick; jazzlite

U guys are cracking me up


5 posted on 10/30/2012 2:04:54 AM PDT by uncitizen (Arrest The Traitor Today!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Worst case: Obama bites Romney on the shin. Romney needs shots.

Everyone talks about BO like a dog.


6 posted on 10/30/2012 2:09:06 AM PDT by Hardraade (http://junipersec.wordpress.com (I will fear no muslim))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obviously we’re bombing Iran. They might be spinning some uranium around in a mountain, and we can’t let that continue.

You lost me right there, Bunky. It's hard to think of a more totally fatuous and inane comment since Charlie Pierce stopped writing for the Boston Globe.

7 posted on 10/30/2012 2:11:35 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Obama: Brought to you by the letter "O" and the number 16 trillion.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Geek ~ overloaded with cheap dope purchased from untrustworthy sources.

No doubt has opinions of equal validity.

8 posted on 10/30/2012 2:18:20 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This jackass’ “worst case scenario” is exactly what I am hoping for.


9 posted on 10/30/2012 2:20:09 AM PDT by John Valentine (Deep in the Heart of Texas)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

You just know that this twit not only never wore a uniform, but doesn’t know that first thing about the military. And John Bolton would never be appointed Secretary of Defense, that’s not his line of work, which Alex has no clue about. Any 20 year old fry cook who doesn’t watch the news could write a more reasoned analysis of current events. Who gave this kid a spot writing about politics? Is he someone’s grandson or nephew? Is this Anderson Cooper syndrome?


10 posted on 10/30/2012 2:21:17 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
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To: John Valentine

Preach it, brother!


11 posted on 10/30/2012 2:22:16 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

A Romney presidency WILL be the worst case scenario, for dim-0s.

What Romney will have is a clear case to demonstrate the difference in the way that dim-0s and Republicans handle an economy. 4 years of absolute incompetence, and then 4 years of Romneynomics.Its going to be GREAT!!

I fully expect Romney to set a new all time record for job creation.


12 posted on 10/30/2012 2:37:08 AM PDT by weezel
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He needs trice daily testosterone injections.


13 posted on 10/30/2012 2:37:53 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Winning is Everything.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

             



(can't even comment on that pasty faced nancy boy .. way too early for rofl)

14 posted on 10/30/2012 2:42:17 AM PDT by tomkat
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To: Nervous Tick

Based on the way he looks, I’d say he’s a liberal because he couldn’t get laid, otherwise.


15 posted on 10/30/2012 3:00:47 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He slings words he doesn’t understand because he’d look even worse in that little paper hat those “Fry guys” at McDonalds wear.......


16 posted on 10/30/2012 3:03:12 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He might turn out to be more moderate, or at least pragmatic, than he’s acted in the campaign so far.

Idiots.. We need a leader not a reader.
No liberals or moderates need apply........


17 posted on 10/30/2012 3:03:25 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Where can I sign up for the New American Revolution and the Crusades 2012?)
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To: uncitizen; jazzlite

Now do you see why the founding fathers didn’t want anyone under 35 becoming president?


18 posted on 10/30/2012 3:13:49 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I had to look twice to make sure this wasn't satire.
It is a perfect representative example of exactly what we can expect of a Romney Presidency.
The minute that Obama concedes, all the “living in moms basement” occupiers will begin howling and spewing forth this type of insane leftist agitprop nonstop.
I can only speculate that this writer is trying to win some type of contest for inserting the most lies in one short story?
19 posted on 10/30/2012 3:17:10 AM PDT by bitterohiogunclinger (Proudly casting a heavy carbon footprint as I clean my guns ---)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

In reality, Romney will probably govern too far to the left fo this guy?


20 posted on 10/30/2012 3:19:04 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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