Mitt Romney seems to be a nice, amiable guy, and he is clearly an intelligent man.
As I see it, his problems were as follows:
He couldn’t effectively campaign against Obama on the topic of government-mandated health insurance because Obama’s plan is 99% identical to the plan that Romney initiated in Massachusetts, when he was the governor of that state. Even though opposing “Obamacare” was a strategy for GOP Congressional candidates, Romney couldn’t really say much of anything on this topic, thus leading to a campaign that was out of synch with most of the others in his party.
His positions on virtually everything changed from either moderate or liberal to conservative
between the time he left the governorship of MA and the time that he became a candidate for President. Everyone changes his/her beliefs to some extent as they age, but when you have an easily-tracked record of doing “a 180” on almost everything in the space of just a few years, it is only natural that people will question the sincerity of your positions.
He had a hard time disguising his feelings about those who are not affluent.
His positions on virtually everything changed from either moderate or liberal to conservative
EXACTLY:
Romney’s problem was the FACT that he changed his view more then people changed socks. He would stay some stupid things like the 46%…and then he’d back pedal and say he didn’t say that…or meant something else. He was like a pathological liar getting caught.
@same
THE RYAN BUDGET…HELPED COST ROMNEY AN ELECTION." Romney was the best candidate the republicans had and seemed to vacillate from being an effective govenor by running away from reasonable stances on things like healthcare and immigration reform to placate the Teaparty followers. If he ran again, he would still be the best candidate for them and still have to vacillate.
Romney was defined as an elitist early in the campaign who then chose a running mate who writes this budget along with sponsoring a bill for it that takes tax payer money out of SS which many are receiving and puts it in the hands of Wallstreet. Then you call them “takers” as if they never contributed into it.
Yes, the Ryan Plan went a long way contributing to his defeat. It helped cause these inconsistencies that all Republican candidates will have to deal with. Terms like “revenue neutral” mean nothing to the unemployed. elderly, uninsured and working poor.
VDC, I agree with you on all points. I also believe him to be an honest man.
In addition to the “Romneycare” anchor, I think he also had the Baine capital anchor. IMHO his job at Baine was to do exactly what he did; identify and exploit companies that were undervalued due to poor management. Baine was not a social services agency, it was a for-profit investment firm.
I also always had the impression that he didn’t really care whether he won or not. He didn’t seem to me to have the passion that’s necessary to win the top office. Maybe it was his “board room” presentation, I don’t know, but it makes for a weak candidate.
Romneycare works and is approved by the vast majority of residents in the state of Mass, because it was to a great degree, funded by Medicaid funds that were shifted from the hospitals, which is real expensive, to insuring the uninsured. The plan also forced the young to be insured because of one simple fact. Like mandated auto insurance, everyone benifits economically from everyone being insured. Because in healthcare, no one, not even the young, are immune from needing expensive medical care and it should not be funded solely by taxpayer monies.
The Bush administration approved the plan and the use of Medicaid funds. Why? Because it was a Heritage approved plan of using capitalism to insure everyone and it did save money in Medicaid expenses because of stipulated preventative care to avoid over use of emergency room facilities.
Everyone benefits…and Romney got it. But he had to walk away to get Teaparty support. Every Republican candidate will run into similar problems like this in healthcare and immigration reform etc. with the Koch Bros.( and other big donors) money support of Teaparty ideas.
Baine was not a social services agency, it was a for-profit investment firm.
The problem with Baine capital as with many venture capitalist - is Baine invests into a company…and then starts off-shoring many of the jobs for higher profits. Baine capital is based right in Boston. I know at least one engineer who worked for a company that got money from Baine capital. Within 3 months of getting the money - Baine put in their own CEO and laid off all engineers and moved the jobs to India and China. Not exactly the kind of image you want to portray when you’re running for president.
It’s really tough to argue for job creation when you made money eliminating them. Romney’s Blaine job was to make money. They were there to provide a service to a limited few which was at the expense of others, including the majority at times. It’s fair to point that out when applying for a job whose job discription INLUDES “all the people”. That’s the same argument against saying a business model was good for US presidential decision making, which Romney did. Your oponents then remind people that it was his decision making that often cost people jobs. That argument agaisnt Romney may not fly in good times, but it resignates in bad.
I like the idea behind Rombama Care. It’s what I hoped the Clinton’s health care plan would have been, using private health care insurers to run the plan. This would have meant slower change than shutting down all private health care and going with a government program. Change can be good, but revolutionary change makes it more likely that there will be large, unforeseen problems to deal with.
When nearly half the states refused o take part in accepting expanded Medicaid from funds shifted from the hospitals, the states were totally unprepared to insure the uninsured as Massachusetts did to help insure everyone under Romney.
Even those with insurance in these States with R governors were forced into the open federal organization structure when dropped by employers who couldn’t pick up the whole bill. Many of these people without being put into a pool with other younger previously uninsured at the state level have to pay higher rates then from previously employer based Health insurance.
The unpreparedness stems from Obamacare operatives not understanding that R governors would actually go ahead and refuse expanded Medicaid help to insure the uninsured at the state level.
The expanded Romney plan could help save 30,000 lives a year.
Whether anyone likes to hear it or not, Romney was seen as an eastern old money, middle aged white candidate that had upper class economic views. Just couldn’t appeal to every day folks like when Bush didn’t know anything about the cost of milk. In addition he was a Mormon which many have issues with. Plus he was unsuccessful in convincing the masses just what the competition stood for and the radicals he was associated with. Using Paulenty cost him many Minnesota votes. Paulenty was a study in how not to run a government.
Obama on the other hand was seen as a young black with new ideas that just wasn’t able to clean up the huge mess left to him so why not give him a try for another 4 years . He kept his true agenda and dysfunctional management style secret until after he was re-elected. Had the election taken place a month later he would have lost for sure.
What a choice we had and how long will it take to recover from this one?
I think Obama’s a pretty “decent” flip flopper himself
He initially talked like he was going to support the Palestinians, then he left them hanging
He talked a lot, but he didn’t do anything to help the environment. In fact, he jumped into bed with the frackers
He talked a lot, but he essentially didn’t accomplish squat as far as immigration reform is concerned. In fact, I believe there have been a record number of deportations during his presidency
Those are the first 3 things that come to mind
Mind you, I think he’s genuinely trying hard. People were expecting so much from the guy, and, to a large degree, he hasn’t yet delivered.
President Obama is even a racial flip-flop. He is every bit as white as he is black. I suspect that, and his Harvard education, have made him less threatening to the white population. He is very well educated and politically savvy. He is well suited to the office of president. BTW, have you noticed how many presidents get elected by pandering to the more extreme constituencies in their party and move to the center after election?
ALL presidents and presidential candidates have flopped-flopped. Romney took it to a new level. And then when he was presented with the evidence that he LIED…he completely denied it and on several occasions said he NEVER EVER said it. You should here him denying the his 47% debacle.
There is a lot about Obama that I don’t agree with too. But, immigration reform not being past lies right in the laps of the House. The Senate has one, it agrees with Obama and all that needs to be done, is pass something…anything in the house on immigration so it can be compromised. The House is doing practically nothing but vote on Obamacare 40 times. Every time they vote, they discuss it, evey time they discuss, they are doing nothing about immigration.
Palestinians ? When was the last time any American president had an idea or really, much influence in a Israeli /Palestinian solution.
When I think of Obama, the first thing that comes to my mind is Benghazi.
The second, third, and forth are the bald-faced lies he told repeatedly about Obamacare. No need to list them, but I will if asked.
The fifth is the looks I expect to see on people’s faces when they find out the bill has a clause to reimburse insurance companies for any losses they incur due to Obamacare.
The sixth is that millions are finally waking up to the reality of the law when they lose their jobs and cannot find other than 29 hour a week jobs…due to Obamacare.
The seventh is that millions of others are waking up when their insurance plans get cancelled and they have to pay more to get insurance.
And the real fun hasn’t begun yet. The real fun will be when millions get notified by their employers that they’ll no longer be getting company provided health plans.
Foreign relations? Ask the president of Libya how he feels about being embarrassed publically after having immediately declared that the attack on the Benghazi embassy was a terrorist attack…which is exactly what it was. Everyone knew exactly what it was immediately…except, apparently, the administration. Look up the tapes of the testimony to the oversight committee from the Deputy Ambassador (who became the charge de faire when the ambassador was murdered, the head of security at the embassy, and the general who had the special forces teams ready to fly in. I watched it live on C-span. It’s an eye-opener.
More foreign relations? Talk to Egypt, a rare middle eastern ally…although that may have changed by the time you read this.
Iran, ah, Iran. They’ve given up nothing, even getting a tacit “approval” to continue refining, and yet got their sanctions lifted.
Russia; anyone who thinks our relations with the Russians haven’t soured needs to look at who they’re providing food and armament to these days.
I challenge you to name one single country with whom we’ve improved relations. Even Great Britain isn’t backing us anymore. They’re cordial, but no longer following our leads.
Romney flip-flopped.
IMHO Obama doesn’t flip-flop. He simply lies. And screws up. Not always in that order.
If Bengahzi comes to mind when you think of Obama, 911, a senselss war in Iraq and a near depression comes to mind when many think about Bush. And lies…WMD starts them.
Here is the sum totals of attacks on US embassies, consulates and holdings under each president.
Look at these facts instead of Faux News propaganda.
First of all, Dag, I don’t watch Fox news.
Secondly, I wasn’t a fan of Bush.
Thirdly, no other president ever bald-faced lied to us about an attack to the extent of making up an entire story.
I only wish Obama had showed the same backbone after the Benghazi attack that Bush did after the 9/11 attack.
Speaking of allies, think about Afghanistan . . . with an ally like that, you don’t need enemies. IMO Karzai is a total POS. He talks smack all the time, but I don’t think he even has any real power. If the US were to leave right now, I truly believe he needs to flee the country, because his enemies would snuff him out within days.
Egypt is an ally, eh? A rather worthless one, at the moment. That place is so unstable, it’s like a leaf that’s about to fall off the tree
@Same
Sorry my good man, but the entire dissertation looked a Faux News story line. I apologize. Are we having fun yet ? ;=) as far as policies are concerned, Obama has disappointed some what but given what he was given, president was not a good job to have when he came in. It was anightmare ! My biggest problem with Obama is …he isn’t liberal enough ! He’s a compromising “wiener” and sometimes needs a Bernie Sanders around to point him in the right direction. Am hoping our independent Senator Angus King will remain independently liberal enough to move us towards Medicare for all in the future. That’s the only way to get a handle on the national debt. Keep electing liberals and find away to get the house Teaparty to pass immigration reform and raise the minimum wage up to $50 an hour so we can all afford golf dues at the more expensive ctry clubs. Also, eliminate the offset put in during Reagon so I can afford new Pings. So, I am looking after you @Same even if you won’t yourself. We need a good liberal with a bleeding heart to watch over all of us as we age.