A Transactional Case For Romney
I've been on the hunt for Mitt Romney defenses that are persuasive. Jonah Goldberg's column today makes a point about Romney that I find at least worth discussing. He says that some conservatives are sold on Romney and some merely think he has a problem articulating conservative principles. A third group just doesn't buy that he's conservative at all. We have all three groups here at Ricochet but it's the last group that Goldberg addresses:
First, let me say: I feel your pain. The Tea Party arose in no small part out of a delayed allergic reaction to the rhetorical and, to a lesser extent, policy problems of George W. Bush’s presidency and the deep resentment that came with having to vote for John McCain in 2008. These disappointments were visited upon the conservative base by something the naysayers (often problematically) call “the Republican establishment.”
After what seems like an eternity under Obama, and with the raised expectations from the Tea Party’s earlier successes, conservatives are extremely reluctant to settle or compromise simply on the say-so of the establishment. For good reasons and bad, Romney seems like a compromise. And no matter how begrudgingly a conservative comes to accept the reality of Romney’s nomination, the diehards immediately proclaim any support for Romney to be proof of membership in the establishment. In fact, it seems like the best definition of a Republican-establishment member these days is simply someone who has made peace with his disappointment prematurely.
I love that last line. Goldberg goes on to say "It is better to have a president who owes you than to have one who claims to own you." A President Gingrich would "wander off into trouble" within 10 minutes:
If elected, Romney must follow through for conservatives and honor his vows to repeal Obamacare, implement Representative Paul Ryan’s agenda, and stay true to his pro-life commitments.
Moreover, Romney is not a man of vision. He is a man of duty and purpose. He was told to “fix” health care in ways Massachusetts would like. He was told to fix the 2002 Olympics. He was told to create Bain Capital. He did it all. The man does his assignments.
So, what do you think about this transactional case for Romney? I can buy it, although I wonder if the pro-choice progressives who elected him in Massachusetts would argue differently about his vows (I guess he stayed true enough to them while in office, only becoming more pro-life and conservative after he left?).
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Comments:
Sep '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Power Point slide #7 in Mitt's slide deck.
Nov '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Read Johan's column on NRO and my first reaction was: "oh puhleese". Romney will "owe us" just like GHWB "owed us" when they took him out to Andrews and he caved on taxes, supported by those other conservative paragons Sununu and Darman.
Republican politician, well educated, very successful in business and noted for handling a major international non-profit effort: Herbert Hoover, the grandfather of the new deal.
Jan '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
No one like Goldberg to come up with strawmen. Neat deflection, but Romney is who he is, with or without lipstick.
Oct '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
I think too many are focus of what might happen during a Romney Presidency and not enough on will happen during an Obama Second Term. That is the thing that matters to me. And I haven't seen a compelling case for choosing anyone who didn't run or even someone else who is running.
Apr '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
Exactly. I'm much more likely to get on the Romney Express if people just play it straight with me. "He's not great, but here are some marks in his favor." ·
Oh, this too: for the avoidance of doubt, if I make that argument, I'm not being completely straight with you. Any argument I make that includes that disclaimer should be understood in the form of a hypo (even if you believed that..."). I genuinely believe that he will be the first President to effectively reduce permanent government since Coolidge, and the best restorer of our Constitution over the same time. He's a good and decent moral exemplar, and would make the world, and America safer.
I don't often try to persuade others he's a genuine hero, but he's mine.
Dec '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
wait wait. Do we get a shock collar? I would be willing to entertain this idea if I got the controller to his shock collar.
Edited on February 3, 2012 at 7:05pmSep '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
I genuinely believe that he will be the first President to effectively reduce permanent government since Coolidge, and the best restorer of our Constitution over the same time.
He may indeed honestly believe that James. My worry is about the carpet bombing Coalition of the Shilling that chased all the A list candidates out of the game and pumps money into the SuperPac like they're inflating the Goodyear blimp over the SuperBowl this weekend.
Sep '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Pseudodionysius: I genuinely believe that he will be the first President to effectively reduce permanent government since Coolidge, and the best restorer of our Constitution over the same time.
He may indeed honestly believe that James. My worry is about the carpet bombing Coalition of the Shilling that chased all the A list candidates out of the game and pumps money into the SuperPac like they're inflating the Goodyear blimp over the SuperBowl this weekend. · 0 minutes ago
And that New York Times article I linked to earlier didn't inspire me that he won't inadvertently convince the American electorate that they're a little piece of pie on Mitt's 59 point slide deck and pie chart extravaganza of excellence for an American apple pie you can believe in.
Nov '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Gus Marvinson
Moreover, Romney is not a man of vision. He is a man of duty and purpose. He was told to “fix” health care in ways Massachusetts would like. He was told to fix the 2002 Olympics. He was told to create Bain Capital. He did it all. The man does his assignments.
Anyone who lacks a vision--a core--can be manipulated. The unspoken, undetermined, and unpredictable variable and principle manipulator here is congress. Knowing this, Jonah's argument then becomes, "Romney will be an okay president if everything else goes just right." · 1 hour ago
Edited 1 hour ago
I've begun to suspect this is precisely why the mysterious Republican "establishment" wants Romney as their candidate so badly. Trouble is, I don't think they are the only puppet master in this case, and even if they were that would not put my mind at ease.
Vote Maverick '12
Nov '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Pseudodionysius: Mollie,
The strongest argument for Mitt came from the 2008 run up primary and this question by Chris Matthews. I shamelessly clipped this from Catholic Culture.org
29 minutes ago
I agree wholeheartedly. If this were a representative sample of Mitt's general presentation and convictions I'd be 100% on board. But ...
Feb '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Well if this is any indication: Romney Donors I don't think he will owe us conservative slubs anything.
I understand this is the world he works and moves in, and this is to be expected to a large degree. But can we say "crony capitalism"...
Sep '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Molly,
Meanwhile over at the podcast discussion, BThompson gets away with this:
"Mark Levin..... Shrill bombastic tirades aren't what I signed up for. He kept himself in check for the most part, but that man is truly the talk show host I most despise.
There is nothing center right about Levin, as demonstrated by his over the top harangue about Chris Christie. The idea that a hard right, Jim Demint style conservative could win in NJ is just too silly to countenance. It's so easy for talk show hosts who make their money by appealing to a tiny fraction of the public, rubbing their erogenous zones of righteous indignation, to lambaste those who have the guts to stand in the public arena and try to actually win a majority of voters. Doing that is a whole different ball game from taking pot shots from behind a microphone and drawing a paycheck for losing your temper every night, screaming in the most hyperbolic and gratuitous way at people who call into your show.
I'm disappointed at the obsequious praise the gang felt the need to shower this obnoxious blowhard with."
Feb '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
If he wins, I'll support him, because yes, Obama II will be that awful, and maybe I'll be surprised, I hope Jonah is right, but I fear otherwise.
Vote Santorum - at least push Mitt further right til he gets the nod.
Jan '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Franco, do I owe you rent for that little piece of real estate inside your head you choose to grant to me?
Jan '12
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
I am formulating an opinion about the integrity of all those who are trying to convince us (and themselves?) that a President Romney would be conservative or would be open to suasion from conservatives.
Now, I flatter myself thinking I have some facility with the English language, but all that come to mind are words that would get me booted for having egregiously violated the CoC.
And I am just too angry right now to focus just on rebutting the defenders' arguments. The automatic minimum wage increase business just broke this camel's back. I am also a little angry at Newt for not disciplining himself enough to remain a strong, convincing conservative challenger to this Mitt person.
Edited on February 3, 2012 at 7:48pmSep '10
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
You must owe Levin a fortune. And it amazes me how little you know about him.
Mar '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Noesis Noeseos: I am formulating an opinion about the integrity of all those who are trying to convince us (and themselves?) that a President Romney would be conservative or would be open to suasion from conservatives.
Now, I flatter myself thinking I have some facility with the English language, but all that come to mind are words that would get me booted for having egregiously violated the CoC.
And I am just too angry right now to focus just on rebutting the defenders' arguments. The automatic minimum wage increase business just broke this camel's back. · 5 minutes ago
Unfortunately, I do not possess your restraint and made the mistake of speaking my mind (re. comments 15 and 17). I might have found a more graceful way of stating it, but writers, including Jonah Goldberg, need to be held accountable for the things they write. His argument in Romney's favor, such as it was, was so poor it could have easily served as an indictment.
Edited on February 3, 2012 at 7:56pmJan '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
But Mollie, people have been doing that on this board for months. I don't think many Romney supporters have been overly gratuitous in their praise or that we are trying to pad Romney's credentials or virtues. He has always been the one eyed man in the land of blind. Perhaps some have been trying to pull a snow job, but for the most part I think Romney supporters here have laid it out in a pretty honest, pragmatic way. Yet you want us to keep on repeating ourselves.
cont.
Jan '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
To that point, you can't have missed the arguments like Goldberg's which have been made over and over again about Romney. You're a smart lady, Mollie. You've seen all the debates, the campaign videos of the candidates. You've read article after article and listened to the pundits. As editor you've read all the arguments made here ( you do read them right? ;) ) You and others like you are bright enough to be able to assess the candidates at this point and figure out which one can win and deserves your support.
I don't feel compelled to say the things I've been saying for weeks if not months over and over again to persuade those who should be able to see things for themselves. If you and those on the fence can't figure it out by now, with all that's been said, written, analyzed, spun, and argued over, why do you expect those of us on Romney's band wagon have some magical capacity to convince you of something you should either already be convinced of or to have rejected?
Jan '11
Re: A Transactional Case For Romney
Really, I'm inside Levin's head, too? I'm actually kind of flattered if that's true.