Posted on 02/04/2008 8:48:07 AM PST by Jeff Head
What follows are my reasons for supporting Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination. I will admit upfront that Hunter and Thompson were far and away my 1st and 2nd choices for the GOP bid. I do not like the fact that I must now consider a 3rd choice...but that is the way things have turned out and given the remaining field and the stakes, I must choose the best I can. It is a sad day in our nation that this is the case...but it is.
Mitt Romney has an unarguably strong record in the private sector managing, making over, and creating busineses that were not only profitable, but that employed tens of thousands of Americans. Detractors will point to the fact that in some instances, employees were laid off when he either consulted with, or managed certain companies and had to cut out excess or failings to improve the bottom line of the organization.
Would those same detractors rather that the entire business fail? That all of the employees lose their job? Let's face it, our economy is a free market economy, not some socialistic economic farce like the marxist nations adopt that attempts to relegate employment and work to a state entitlement. In the free market, business succeed or fail based on their profitablity. Succeeding is good for every one, the individuals employed, the management, the share holders (if there are any), and for the economy. Mit Romney has made a career out of understanding this and making it happen.
...and this is not to mention, which you will never hear from those same detractors, the fact that Mitt has created businesses that employ far, far more people than he ever had to let go. Like Staples for example.
I might add...this management on Mitt's part goes far beyond what one of his chief opponents and detractors has tried to make light of as "merely managing". It takes a real leader to manage in the fashion that Mitt has done in business. Decision making, leadership, getting people on board with the necessary changes and then moving forward. Mitt clearly has been able to do this in the private sector and to marginalize that accomplishment and effort by either discounting it as simply "hiring a manager", or equating it to not wanting to have someone who "hands you a pink slip", is a slap in the face to the entire private sector and smacks of narscistic and socialistic views of the free market economy which is so critical to the well being and health of our society...including its government. Those other candidates prove by their own words a basic misunderstanding of the free market economy, and an almost contempt for it. Mittt understands the free market and what it takes to be successful in it like no other in the race and it is a critcal issue facing us all.
Now, let's talk about Mitt's changes. Mitt comes from a culture, the LDS faith, that believes people in a society which is free, should obey and sustain the law. It is engrained into the fabric of that culture. Even when you do not agree with it. Mitt was a bishop and a stake president in that organization...volunteer, non-paid, leadership positions where he faithfully executed and put forward to the members of his church in that area the church's position on any number of issues...most notably abortion and homsexuality. The LDS church is one of the most outspoken opponents of abortion and homsexual agenda. Mitt could not have held those positions (before his political career) without sustaining the church's position on those issues.
So, what happened? This is something that has troubled me. Despite a faith that decries these things and is reconginzed as among the most conservative segments of society as a whole, Mitt, when running for governor of MA, one of the most liberal states in the union, vocally supported abortion rights and homsexual rights, , but extending to the 2nd amendment as well. I believe Mitt ran on those planks for several reasons, none of which I agree with. One, his parents were fairly socially liberal, as he indicates with his refernce to his mother. She was personally against abortion and would not have ever had one...but she supported the so-called "right" to choose.
This is a key to understanding Mitt's earlier position.
I believe Romney has always been personally against these things...but since the law of the land said it was "legal" he rationalized his support of it using his mother's "I am against it but feel that people should be able to choose", to rationalize his own political position in a liberal state where that type of thing was required to get elected.
Second, his cultural position in the LDS faith to "support and sustain the law" led him to rationalize supporting and sustaining bad law in these areas in conjunction with his political career.
I do not agree with any of that. Never have, never will. Irrespective of what a group of people "proclaimm" as the law, as the Supreme Court did in 1972, there is still fundamental right and wrong. Romney was wrong on this...he convinced himself to politically support "laws", and follow the example of his parent on something that was intrinsically wrong, as evidenced by his own personal feelings against it.
But, like Reagan, who also changed positions on the very issue of abortion, Romney changed. He admits it openly. He says he was wrong. I believe that changing hearts and minds on this issue is a big part of the fight and I will not discount a man who has professed that change openly nd publically. I will welcome the change...although I personally would have rather seen several years of support for the new positoion before supporting Mitt for president. Unfortunately, I do not have that luxury in this election. But I have listened closely to people like Santorum, Hastert, Tancedo, and others who have discussed just these issues with Romney before endorsing him. I believe those men...and I believe in my own heart that Romeny can and has changed.
The platform and issues Romney is running on now are, therefore, much more closely aligned with my own. From the War on Terror (which Romney correcly identifies over all his conteders as a war against Islamic Jihad), to the battlefronts in Iraq and Afganistan, to Gitmo, to ANWR, to abortion, to marriage, to his economic policies, to taxes, and any number of other issues...Romeny is now much more closely aligned with my own feelings on these issues than any other GOP candidate, and certainly than either of the democratic candidates.
I also know this about Romney...he is a man that tries to keep his commitments. From his clear virtue with his wife and family, to keeping business promises, to keeping his political promises. He takes notes specifically on those promises and then tries to fulfill them. I believe he will do the same here and be true to the commitments he is making and the people who are lining up and supporting him.
As a result of all of this, and despite the fact, as I have said, that Hunter and Thompson were far and away my 1st and 2nd choices...with the field that remains in the GOP, Mitt Romney now has my vote and support in this election. I believe he has the positions, I believe he has the conservative support, and I believe he has the resources to carry the fight to a successful conclusion against McCain and then against the democrats.
If he wins, I believe he will hold the line against the DNC, and against the members of the GOP who tend to align with liberal issues. I believe he will continue to take the fight to the enemy in the war, and believe he will institutue economic policies that are much more healthy and much more sound and good for the nation than either the tax and spend liberals, or the compassionate conservative spending policies of the current administration. Romney is much more likely to leave us fiscally sound than any of the other contenders.
I also know that there are others who fundamentally disagree with this. So be it. They have a right to their feelings and their research and their decisions based upon it. Particualrly in an election where the GOP is down to 3rd and 4th choices I will not discount or smear them for it. It is their right to do so...it is their duty to study it out and make their best decision. I may not agree with their decisions at this point, but I support them in coming to their own...and will try and rationally set forth my own reasoning in an attempt to influence others.
Finally, I will personally also not join the ranks of those who will either not vote at all, or vote for the DNC as an effort to try and bring about such bad conditions that the conservatives must change. I would rather, for the sake of my family and community, find someone who will hold whatever ground possible, than give it ALL over to those whom I know will take away as much ground on all fronts as possible. That is a course that is, IMHO, fraught with danger. We may lose too much ground and not be able to get it back in our lifetimes, or those of our children. I will not risk that. But that is my opinion and my own decision and the direction I will choose throughout this election.
Having said all of this, admittedly, Romney still has has a huge mountain to climb. Big name party leaders (of the Ford and Rockefeller variety IMHO) are lining up behind McCain and Huckabee seems intent on splitting what remains of the conservative vote. But with what happened in Maine on February 2, where Romney won with a majority over both McCain and Huckalbee combined...and with the overwhelmimng majority here on FR now supporting him (and this is probably the most conservative site on the internet), and with the backing of people like Hastert, Santorum, Tancedo, and so many others...I believe Romney does has the best chance, and he has my support in going for it.
We live in such a great country and it needs to be saved from the left it has a chance with Mitt at the helm I pray that happens.
I believe Mitt can, if he will be true to his current compaign (and I believe he will or I would never lend him my support). More and more people are coming to the same conclusion and I am hoping for that to be evident in tomorrow’s returns...I am petitioning and praying to God in Heaven that it might be so.
I can’t do McCain. Still not sure I can Myth either...
Understood...and I had a difficult time coming to it. Would much rather have seen Hunter or Thompson. But others I know, and my own research and deep thoughts on the matter have led me to conclude that I can trust Mitt on his current positions and that those positions represent a much better choice than any of the other GOP candidates, and much better than either of the democrats.
Jeff, I find I am with you on this, while a small part of me would like to see McCain scare the crap out of the rest of the world I cannot accept a person who was held under communist indoctrination for four YEARS as having any leading position in our government, much less as our President.
There for I will cast my vote here in Ga. for Mr.Romney.
If McCain is the choice of my party I will vote for him but
I will be surprised if he does not cause more calamity than
expected.
Those who say they will not vote ARE voting for Obama/Clinton, make no mistake about it.
Thank you my FRiend. McCain’s efforts in terms of Amnesty, Campaign Finance, Tax cuts, Global warming, and Gitmo...not to mention the way he treated families of POWS and vets during the hearings for Vietnam normalization pushed me way over that same edge. Romney has my support now...and I believe his support base is growing and that he has the best chance to 1st stop McCain, and then, 2nd, to defeat the democrats.
FYI...please forgive any duplicates from early pings and discussions. This is to my entire ping list.
Nice to “bump” into you, been a while. Hope all of yours are well.
Might need to discuss Idaho some, retirement kicks in this fall...
I am still undecided Jeff with the exception of McStain........with all due respect his military service. His amnesty efforts sealed my decision to never vote for him.
Never......
GOP do ya read that !
This life long conservative will NOT vote for McStain.
Stay Safe Jeff !
Jeff, you're stepping over the line!
Mike Huckabee picked up a glowing character endorsement today.
From CBS Evening News, Feb. 4, 2008.
“Mike Huckabee has been subjected to the millions of dollars of attack ads by Mitt Romney.....I think He’s a very good and decent man and I admire him. And I admire his humor and I think he’s elevated the entire presidential debate and campaign.”
That was the answer given when Katie Couric asked what the shortcomings of Huckabee were. The answer was quite the contrast to the same question about Mitt Romney. And who was giving this praise to Huck?
JOHN McCAIN! He went on to attack Romney with the usual unqualified sound bites and insulted Rick Santorum as a ‘defeated candidate’ who had no right to question his temper.
LISTEN HERE!
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3789591n&channel=i_video
One-On-One With ‘08 Candidates
Katie Couric speaks candidly with Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and Republican candidates Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and John McCain.
When did Reagan change his position on abortion?
God's speed!
Contact me any time.
As well to you and yours Jeff !
Stay safe !
+1
In 1967, then-California Gov. Reagan signed a liberal abortion law legalizing the procedure in cases where a woman’s mental as well as physical health was at risk.
The number of abortions in California soared after the bill was passed, and Reagan came to regret singing it, the Times reported. By the time he ran for president in 1980, Reagan had declared his support for a constitutional amendment prohibiting all abortions except to save the life of a woman.
Once more,
Now.................
I hope the following 14 reasons are read so many times that the readers get sick of reading them. I have included the URL’s for verification of the following facts.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.
http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that’s two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Homeland Security Report
http://www.house.gov/mccaul/pdf/Investigaions-Border-Report.pdf
12. The National Policy Institute, ‘estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.’
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/publications.php?b=deportation
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.
http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. ‘The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States’.
http://www.drdsk.com/articles.html#Illegals
The total cost is a whooping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR !
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