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Posted on 01/02/2019 8:35:00 AM PST by Louis Foxwell
Romney hits bull's-eye in criticism of Trump by Quin Hillyer | January 02, 2019 10:43 AM
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Mitt Romney’s surprising New Year’s Day column criticizing Donald Trump was a brave, bold, and bracing corrective for a president run amok.
Romney’s first paragraph lays out his case well: “The Trump presidency made a deep descent in December. The departures of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, the appointment of senior persons of lesser experience, the abandonment of allies who fight beside us, and the president’s thoughtless claim that America has long been a 'sucker' in world affairs all defined his presidency down.”
If anything, though, Romney’s bill of particulars could have been longer. Trump badly misplayed his hand on funding for a border wall, making it less likely that he will secure barrier financing while spurring an embarrassing partial government shutdown. (Democratic leaders are negotiating in bad faith, and I believe they are also wrong on the substance, but that’s another story.) Trump also roiled investment markets with ill-timed and ill-considered criticisms of the Federal Reserve.
Abroad, he also made our mission in Iraq harder by appearing to snub Iraq’s leaders at a time when they are struggling to maintain crucial local support for that mission. His supposed breakthrough for peace with North Korea keeps looking more and more like the foolhardy claims of a sucker. And he continues to impose tariffs on metals from Canada and Mexico despite his utterly overhyped new trade deal, hurting American consumers while making congressional confirmation of the deal more difficult.
And those are just the worst of the lowlights.
The bigger and more important point of Romney’s column, however, wasn’t about specific Trumpian actions. Whatever are Trump’s policy errors (or successes), they are at least matched by this: “To a great degree, a presidency shapes the public character of the nation,” wrote Romney. “A president should unite us and inspire us to follow ‘our better angels.’ A president should demonstrate the essential qualities of honesty and integrity, and elevate the national discourse with comity and mutual respect. ... And it is in this province where the incumbent’s shortfall has been most glaring.”
It is of course true that the precipitous decline in the quality public discourse is far from being the fault only of this president. Still, it is undeniable that the Oval Office is a primary source.
Some people say this vitriol is needed to “win” against the Left, and some even find it entertaining. They are wrong. The open scoffing at decent discourse, the ubiquitous reliance on flagrant falsehoods, and the open disregard for ordinary standards of conduct, all erode civil society to an increasingly dangerous degree.
Until now, just about every Republican elected official who dared “call out” Donald Trump has been politically crushed. Romney, however, has national standing, and a safe seat for six years — guaranteed to last until Trump is gone. This verbal shot at Trump, as Romney enters the Senate from Utah, has at least a chance of emboldening other Republicans to work harder to rein in Trump’s excesses. More power to him.
| Quin Hillyer | |
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For all of Trump’s coarseness and lack of a filter (some would argue those make him far more “likable” for the millions who have felt they haven’t had anyone to speak for them in many many years), He has received hate, never-ending investigation, and threats of impeachment that began literally less than 24 hours after the polls closed. He has led the nation despite being attacked as NO OTHER POTUS in US history has been attacked.
Has he fumbled the ball in several regards? Certainly - but if this was a football team - imagine if you are the quarterback - and you have not only the other sides’ defensive unit coming at you - but about half of your own offensive line are actually helping the opposing team. THIS is what Trump has been dealing with. The fact that some supposed “Republicans” have worked more aggressively to oppose Trump than they did anything of the Obama criminal administration just blows my mind.
And the brazen #hypocricy is so off the scale - as many of the loudest Trump-haters are those actually seeing huge benefits of the Trump presidency. Why do people seem to feel the obligation to chop their own noses off to spite their face?
I did not vote for Trump in the Primary or General election. His character (or lack of in many ways) was a stumbling block to my own heart. But he IS our President - duly elected and more “legitimate” than several of his predecessors. And despite some fumbles and some questionable reasoning on some issues - anyone who fails to see his “America First” as anything but sincere and headed in the right direction - if they would just give him the time and opportunity to carry it through, doesn’t truly care about this nation.
and elevate the national discourse with comity and mutual respect,,,
And how well did that work out for Bush II?
The base is tired of leaders who don’t fight back against the vile rats, media, rinos, etc.
Not a Romney fan, nor any “never-Trumpers”, but is any criticism of Trump allowed on FR?
Maybe he can share a cab with Alexandra Occasional Cortex
The media seems to love know-nothing loudmouths with strong opinions.
Romney is very divisive.
This first line, the intro to the opinion piece, renders any further evaluation of her opinion as a waste of time and electrons.
TDS on full display. I wonder if that was in response to PDJT’s New Year tweet about folks with Trump Derangement Syndrome. Mittens fits the glove pretty well.
If you don’t like the President, FR isn’t the place for you... go join effin’ DU.
LOL. Democrats are just people of character. Got it.
Yes. That by itself is reason enough (as if there weren’t other reasons already) to dismiss any opinions of Romney.
I find people like McCain, Flake, and now Romney, as even more reprehensible than Leftists like Pelosi, Schumer, and Feinstein.
Whey people like those hardcore Leftists stab you, the knife comes from the front where you can see it coming.
At least he’s criticizing Trump on actual issues. Not the “he’s Hitler, he’s Satan!” hysteria of the past two years.
I don’t feel that Trump is beyond criticism but Romney’s motives here are highly, highly suspect. This is not an honorable debate in other words.
They have built this system and it pays them well. They are not going to let it go without an endless, screaming public temper tantrum.
That's not the eye back there!
Someone who would never vote for him in a million years, tells him he is doing the right thing.
Where have we heard this before?
So, Romney’s got nothing then. Still an empty suit.
Jeff Flake Part Deux!
Well, the critical post is here and people can’t criticize IT?
Is defense of Trump against criticism allowed?
Romney spouts that he will criticize any improper statements yet has none to name. What BS. He’s become Hillary.
I’m glad Hillyer lost his race for Congress. We need Willardbots in Congress like we need advanced rectal cancer.
Romney hits bull's-eye in criticism of Romney.
Romney must know that he is a big loser, especially compared to the accomplishments of Donald Trump. Why is Romney debasing himself? Is it that he loves the temporary high of being loved by Trump haters?
Is this all Romney has to offer as an incoming Senator? Embarrassing!
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