I’m miffed, too.
I have said “track record” until I’m out of breath and not of these kneejerk armchair critics has addressed Daniels’ track record. Newt and Romney eat your heart out because under Mitch Daniels Indiana:
—de-certified state employee unions the first day in office.
—privatized the toll road and built up state highway infrastructure with the funds.
—most generous school choice in America.
—founded a Christ-centered school steeped in the classics for inner-city youth.
—AAA bond rating
—only budget surplus in the Midwest.
—government size rolled back to 2008. Real cuts, not just cuts in spending increases.
—ended state funding for Planned Parenthood.
—passed legislation makin abortion after 20 weeks a crime.
—sought to prosecute Planned Parenthood for failing to report abortions stemming from sex with minors.
—smallest per capita state government in the US
—lowest property taxes in the US.
—created Hoosier Healthwise as an low cost totally voluntary health plan for low income people.
—put state employees into health savings accounts in which they could accumulate unused health funds and roll them over year to year to reduce premiums.
—enacted state legislation to require photo I.D. to vote, causing the ACLU to go ballistic
—will sign the only Right to Work legislation ever passed in the Rust Belt.
That’s just the stuff that comes to mind.
What part of “track record” do Daniels’ critics not understand? What the hell part of that is not conservative?
You are right. Many of the people who slam Daniels fail to look at his results in Indiana. He has better fiscal record then Newt. He just isn’t flamboyant enough for there liking. He has made some regrettable statements but the over-the-top Newt supporters refuse to acknowledge his many foul ups.
Wow, I’m sold, he sounds like a great governor.
Do you see Daniels running for national office in the future? He sounds great, and that is a record to stand on.
—de-certified state employee unions the first day in office.
—privatized the toll road and built up state highway infrastructure with the funds.
—most generous school choice in America.
—founded a Christ-centered school steeped in the classics for inner-city youth.
—AAA bond rating
—only budget surplus in the Midwest.
—government size rolled back to 2008. Real cuts, not just cuts in spending increases.
—ended state funding for Planned Parenthood.
—passed legislation making abortion after 20 weeks a crime.
—sought to prosecute Planned Parenthood for failing to report abortions stemming from sex with minors.
—smallest per capita state government in the US
—lowest property taxes in the US.
—created Hoosier Healthwise as an low cost totally voluntary health plan for low income people.
—put state employees into health savings accounts in which they could accumulate unused health funds and roll them over year to year to reduce premiums.
—enacted state legislation to require photo I.D. to vote, causing the ACLU to go ballistic
—will sign the only Right to Work legislation ever passed in the Rust Belt.
That’s just the stuff that comes to mind.
What part of “track record” do Daniels’ critics not understand? What the hell part of that is not conservative?
***
You are right. Many of the people who slam Daniels fail to look at his results in Indiana. He has better fiscal record then Newt. He just isn’t flamboyant enough for there liking.
Great posts in #59 and #64, CatholicEagle and shoedog.
Wow, I wish we in CT had a conservative governor like Mitch Daniels! Nothing but pure socialism and union thuggery here in the Peoples' Republik of Connecticut. Our governor here walks in complete lockstep with Uncle Sham Wow Obama.
Daniels called for a "truce on social issues" this time last year at CPAC. That speech was absolutely unforgivable. No one accuses Mitch Daniels of being a stupid man. He knew what he was saying and he will forever be held responsible for that speech which was designed to suck up to the national elitist brain dead of the party. If money is all that interests him as an issue, then he, like Romney, will have to depend on the money obsessives for support. Unlike Romney, I would still vote for Daniels if he were nominated (in the absence of any new gaffes on social or military or gun issues) but I would not lift a finger to see him nominated after the CPAC speech.
He is certainly miles ahead of Romney as a state governor on conservative issues generally, has little or no reputation for lying, and does not carry Romney's massive baggage, but being better than Romney is something that any GOP governor of any state can accurately claim. It is not enough.
Gingrich is not problem free but he has NEVER betrayed us like Daniels did with the CPAC speech. Whatever his flaws, Gingrich is and always has been one of us. He lost two Congressional races before winning, built his own caucus within the GOP House caucus, deposed the spineless Robert Michel as leader and led the GOP to majority status for the first time in several (four?) decades. He did a good job as Speaker and suffered rebellion in the ranks (one suspects because he was opposed to the level of special interest corruption as usual). He was succeeded by the ultra corrupt and dismally bland Dennis Hastert (whose district was just south of my own) who has continued his corruption here in Illinois after retiring and by weepy Boehner who, with McConnell in the Senate, has served as a gutless sockmonkey in the face of Obozo.
We do not incur the debt limit increases without their cowardice and dereliction in the face of the enemy. Now, to reassure the government dependent greedheads (that these trash serve faithfully: remember also TARP) that they can continue feeding at the taxpayers' trough in exchange for campaign money, they bludgeon the Tea Party freshmen into line (discrediting them in their districts) and elevate to positions of party leadership nothing but more lapdog servants of the special interests distinguished only by their corruption and utterly bland approach. Cowardly mice! Enough.