Posted on 05/06/2012 11:41:13 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
A couple of stories surfaced recently that should be of concern to voters that are analyzing how a Romney presidency would differ from the current administration. President Obama has a track record that can be examined to get a grasp of his agenda, but Governor Romney needs to further explain his positions on two key areas that many voters would expect to see a divergence with our present leader. The reports bring in to question whether or not Romney would be any different from the administrations over the past 12 years when it comes to dumping billions of taxpayer dollars into subsidies and bailouts.
The first of the issues revolves around the auto bailouts, which many of us feel were orchestrated with a goal of protecting favored political classes like the UAW rather than to assure that America’s auto industry returned to health with an eye on profitability and reduced costs. The manner in which the General Motors and Chrysler bankruptcy processes played out saw an overturning of over 200 years of contract law when classes of creditors were ranked by political clout rather than legal covenants as UAW claims went to the head of the list and bondholders to the bottom. Taxpayer losses are estimated to be over $20 billion. And now, a Romney adviser states that this debacle was the Republican candidate’s idea!
Thehill.com quotes Romney senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom as saying, “’[Romney’s] position on the bailout was exactly what President Obama followed. I know it infuriates them to hear that.’ And, “The only economic success that President Obama has had is because he followed Mitt Romney’s advice.’” If this is truly Romney’s position, he will anger many who do not agree with the position that the auto bailouts were a “success.” More importantly, it seems like we could expect both Romney and Obama to proceed in the same fashion if we are ever in a similar situation, taxpayers and creditors be damned.
I don’t understand why Romney would want to take credit for the unpopular auto bailouts and manipulated bankruptcy processes that cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Recent polls confirm the unpopularity, yet for some reason Romney seems to want to appease supporters of GM and the bailouts. This appeasement will result in lost votes for Romney as anyone wanting change from the current regime is not going to be highly motivated to vote for someone who takes credit for that regime’s shadiest actions that resulted in a $20 billion plus loss to taxpayers.
The second area of concern for potential Romney voters revolves around the wasteful subsidies, particularly in the energy sector, that have been trademarks of the last two administrations. Whether it is ethanol, oil or other green energy initiatives, the subsidies continue to see money flow from taxpayer coffers to cronies, lobbyists and the rich. Republicans have been no better than Democrats as they view any reduction in wasteful subsidies, like the billions of dollars slated to go to wealthy purchasers of plug-in vehicles like the Chevy Volt, as a tax hike. A piece by Patrick Michaels of the Cato Institute exposes that Romney is being advised by some of the biggest offenders.
Michaels gives a list of energy advisers for Romney that bilked taxpayers during the Bush Administration. He summarizes by rightfully stating, “We can’t expect Romney to have particular expertise on climate change, but we can expect that his advisers will help shape his policies and programs, which, given this group, is very scary.”
America can not continue to print money to pay its bills as both Republicans and Democrats refuse to cooperate in any meaningful fashion to end the reckless spending. Those that hope for change continue to see administration after administration with the same old wasteful habits. The dollar amounts of handouts have climbed to the tens of billions of dollars and only appear to be getting worse. And if Romney’s “position on the bailout was exactly what President Obama followed,” there is no chance that things will improve with a new administration, particularly if you throw in a team of former Bush energy advisers who helped architect many of the current energy subsidies. Romney may want to consider flipping his position on the auto bailouts and subsidies; we can do without any subsequent flopping.
Mark Modica is an NLPC Associate Fellow.
Romney — as we keep being told — is not a NATURAL conservative.
But he’s trying.
He better try real hard. REAL hard.
In the meantime we keep pushing the button for conservatives in local and state elections and holding their feet to the fire.
Tea party conservatives didn’t fold. They went home to find and support conservative candidates, or are running for elected office.
It doesn't look good any way you slice it.
To clarify is to lie. There is no other way for Romney.
Yes, and he has to “clarify” a lot. And then re-clarify. It’s almost like conservatism is not his natural language.
America absolutely has almost mind numbingly huge problems.
Romney must do what's right for America and that means conservatives must be listened to and plans put in place to avoid the abyss we are plunging towards.
The leftists have been having their way and look where it's gotten us.
He better throw away his old playbook, and the Establishment playbook in general better be tossed with it.
This must be done in order for him to get elected, and as well in order for him to accomplish anything in office if he were to win.
Obama detests America as she was founded, and he lies, plots and schemes every waking minute to turn her into something alien and tragically flawed like a third world or a weak, broke European country, ruled by statism and/or despots.
That differentiates him from Romney, who has been merely a despicably malleable politician of the mainly progressive stripe.
Exactly!
There was a provable conservative “fed up” tipping point in 2010. Romney NEEDS the base. I believe that he and the GOP-e are beginning to have that sink in. They cannot discount it and garner the desired “enthusiasm” they need to get out the vote in November.
AND it better be genuine.
It’s said Romney can’t be genuine.
He’s so fake, so two-faced, after all.
Therefore he could pretend to hear conservatives until elected, then ignore them in favor of progressive lite, aka Obama lite.
This is true, he could.
As I wrote earlier, however, America will soon decend into a financial and economic hellhole and Romney has to know that’s coming. Never to rise again, unless the right things are done and ASAP.
Paul Ryan has given Romney a peak into that pit.
Ryan isn’t perfect, but he’s one of the best at what he knows and does.
So if the tea party - that has so stubbornly warned of this and demanded action - isn’t Romney’s cup of tea, Ryan is telling him the same in his own way.
Genuine in this case might mean Romney seeing the coming collapse staring him in the face and reacting to it.
The Euro mess is the implosion of Socialism.
It’s America’s wake up call, either barely in time, or already too late.
peak = peek
If anyone ever had the opportunity to effect history and far exceed expectations, Romney has been given the chance. He is in the hot seat and he needs to MAKE THIS WORK; find his voice to inspire. He wanted this. HE NEEDS to be prepared and willing and FIRED UP to stop this socialist direction and signal this to the base ASAP.
ping
National Legal and Policy Center
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