Posted on 02/07/2008 10:58:47 AM PST by Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
As I watched Mitt Romney speak at CPAC 2008, and announce the suspension of his campaign, I realized that it was the first moment I actually liked him and felt like he might be a good candidate for president.
He was direct, clear, conservative and most of all, compelling. It was by far the best speech he has given to date.
It reminded me of Al Gore in his final concession speech after the Florida debacle, to the extent that it was the first time I thought Gore gave a good speech (even though he's an arrogant liberal scumbag, it was a good speech).
Romney, why did you wait til your concession speech to truly lead?
I’ll be darned if I know what you’re implying. You’re sarcasm needs works. Ah ha. You’re practicing. I got. Well, try again.
When Mc**** (Lent!) was campaigning here before our primary, he was gloom and doom--like we need more of that. We have the worst economy of all 50 states. Third in foreclosures, after having led the nation in foreclosures the previous two years. Housing values are down 15-20%. Top that off with a state income tax increase in November. Average unemployment at 8%, as high as 15% in Detroit. What did McCain tell us?
"Your manufacturing jobs are gone, and they're not coming back." He didn't mean that as if to say "...unless you elect me"--he meant, quite simply, that we can expect to continue circling the drain forever. He made no suggestions about how we can fix this mess, how he, as president, could help us. Nothing! And he had the support of most MI elected officials!!!
What really irks me is that he is just plain wrong. Our manufacturing jobs aren't lost forever. Our state still has the workforce (now idle), still has the infrastructure, still has outstanding geography for manufacturing. "Right to Work" legislation will bring the jobs back. Maybe not all of them, but many of them. More importantly, it would stem the tide of job loss. And what does our now-GOP nominee tell us? Those jobs are gone forever. I don't expect candidates to be intimately aware of every situation in every state, but for a nominee to emphatically assert something so horrible--and so horribly WRONG--inexcuseable.
He's wrong for my state. He's wrong for the country. I sure wish Mitt would come home!
It's booming there, but at what cost? Our American system of property rights, working for self interest and rule of law are what make our country great. Individual liberty is the backbone of our great nation.
The Chinese are like the Russian mafia without the nice suits, yet. However I agree that there will come a time when fighting will need to be done to preserve our markets and fuel supply. Remember when the Japanese were supposed to take over the world.
The thing that sets us apart is the unplanned nature of liberty. The one guy that has the great idea that is allowed to keep the profits in order to better himself and serendipitously the people and society that allows him to continue to profit.
Take away the individual and let the government "plan" the economy, you get Russian 7-year plans... just because a bureaucrat says that you WILL CREATE innovation, doesn't mean you will. Otherwise the universities would be filled with successful inventors and entrepreneurs, instead of tenured wannabe's that rant against the evil corporations or successful people in our country.
I'm not afraid of China till we have boat loads of Americans in cargo ships hiding on board to be let off in Peking or Taiwan.
Think about it.... people are willing to DIE to come to our country. Cubans, Chinese, Mexicans..etc....
The democrats, the government, the president doesn't control my happiness or future or anything...they just get in the way and are supposed to insure the rule of law equally applies to all of us as opposed to the privileged "connected" class that inhabits the capitals of our states and country.
Could work out just fine - provided there’s a deal in which McCain makes major concessions. Let the Dems tear themselves apart.
Go beyond Free Republic to research candidates. If this election teaches us anything, it shows that it’s hard to separate the signal from the noise here on FR. Too much shouting and peeing in each others Wheaties.
Blaming it on the media for casting Romney in a bad light is silly.
“Romney, why did you wait til your concession speech to truly lead?”
The speech Romney made on religion was wonderful. Sorry you missed it.
I switched to Romney after Thompson bowed out. After each complaint on FR I went to the record, trying to put the matter in context and found him a compelling candidate. I also believe a lot of bias against Mormanism came into play, especially in the South (I am Southern and I know my own).
I thought your post was just right.
Romney demonstrated a world of class in the speech. I think he obtained some respect from supporters of all the GOP candidates.
I will proudly write in “Mitt Romney.”
Where could I get a copy?
“No candidate is perfect, so we always settle for good enough or lesser of two evils. The alternative is to become irrelevant. If you think staying home and allowing a democrat to be elected will ultimately lead to a conservative being elected down the road you are deluding yourself.”
I agree with most of what you have to say and voted for Romney myself. But if conservatives let it be known that they will always vote for a candidate who is a 5 on a scale from 1 to 10 if the Dem. alternative is a 1 or 2, why should any Republican hopeful ever be a 7 or 8 — not a “perfect” conservative (who would not get elected in a general election anyway) but at least a credible conservative?
Thank you.
Because at some point a good viable conservative will come along, and if we can join together to support that candidate (rather than divide our efforts as we did this time), that candidate will have a shot. At this point I think our best bet would be for Romney to throw his support to McCain in return for the veep slot. If McCain loses Romney would be the natural front runner in 2012. If McCain wins and only serves one term (as I think is likely) then again Romney is the front runner for 2012.
If you eliminate emotional arguments and think about the best thing for the country, that is the play that makes sense.
Now is the time for a third party that is an anti-ILLEGAL immigration party. Let McCain and the Dem candidate split the open borders vote.
Immigration is the perfect example of why and how the political parties and system fail our country.
The majority of citizens, regardless of party, want secure borders and anti-illegal immigration policies. Even California passed the proposition years ago, only to have it struck down by the courts.
Democratic leadership is soft on immigration because they want the poor/illegal hispanic vote. Republican leadership is soft on immigration because big business wants cheap labor. That is why nothing has been done.
A third party could win on that, as long as it doesn't get bogged down in ideological purity issues.
I pray for the future of this party and our country.
It was fair. Magnificent it was not. I find him dry and never feel passion in what he says.
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