Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Duane Oyen ·
June 8, 2012 at 4:31pm
Yes, I know. According to a lot on our side, he doesn't really mean it...
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Comments:
May '12
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
I can forgive Romney for RomneyCare. The impulse to "do something" when leaving well enough alone, or letting people more competent solve the problem is difficult to resist - especially if you are inclined to enter politics, where you are expected to "do something".
Barry Goldwater's constituency was probably a big exception to the rule, an outlier. Plus they had another Senator in Washington to pick up the slack left by their principled choice.
Dec '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Here's a video if you want to see how it was delivered. Sadly, style matters as much as substance these days.
Now that I've watched it I have to lean Fred's way. I can't get over thinking he's just reading a speech, and not even doing that as well as the incumbent does. The right words (Robinson) plus the right speaker (Reagan) adds up to "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Of course, it helped that the speaker believed those words in the core of his being. I fear we are missing that crucial piece of the puzzle this time. He's still better than "The One," but, to channel some Goldberg, it may be better in the same way it's better when your proctologist takes off his watch.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 5:45pmJun '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
The right words, yes. But I still get the impression that Mitt is a managerial progressive (h/t. Dr. Rahe). As if somehow he can tinker with government in order to improve it. The Tea Party has it right: personal responsibility, fiscal sobriety, and limited government. I think Mitt understands two of three. It's his attitude toward the last one that I question.
Sep '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
He "gets" it? He had better get it. It isn't rocket science. This is economic kindergarten, I hear this on talk radio every day in some form or other, whether it comes from Walter Williams, Rush, Mark Levin as well as Romney's other competitors in the primaries, including Huntsman. Just because he's noticed these things and is pointing it out eloquently - with the help of some wordsmith(s) is no reason to celebrate.
This paragraph stood out:
..."will be"? How about "are"? And is Romney prepared to do something about this? I sincerely doubt it. Even making a dent in this situation would require a radical approach, and that ain't Mitt. So I have to conclude that he's blowing smoke.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 6:34pmApr '12
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Thanks, Duane! I LIKE Mitt Romney! He appears to me to be a pragmatic businessman, not a raving ideologist, ranting on about "change", whatever that means. He is promoting true bi-partisanship, and has demonstrated he can achieve it as governor of Michigan. He is extremely handsome and charismatic, and a wonderful orator. He is saying all the things that I like to hear, and I believe him when he talks about the moral case for freedom. As a Canadian, I am vitally interested in who is the President of the USA as it affects Canada. I think I will send him a donation. :-)
May '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Poor Rand Paul, so terribly deceived and beset by unprincipled compromise!
Paules, since I am a managerial progressive (see my profile photo, the certificate I am holding even declares the date that Dr. Rahe confirmed my status/condition!), I know that this will ring hollow to perfectionists.
But I challenge one premise: I strongly believe in limited government as well, and so does virtually every other person here. The controversy is because we have different definitions of what exactly the term "limited government" means. Bill Clinton would say that, compared with Obama, he believes in "limited government"- so would Cory Booker. In fact, so would Rahm Emanuel and Andrew Cuomo.
Compared to me, all of those guys are virtual collectivists, but compared with, say, Fred Cole, I am a collectivist, but so are Paul Ryan, Ronald Reagan, and Marco Rubio.
We really need to do some work here to characterize the short-cut slogans and develop an objective standard before we toss them around in debate and have them actually mean something.
Aug '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
The ideological purists will always have room to complain no matter who the president is because their ideology has little connection to reality.
I was a young adult in the 80s and I remember Reagan taking plenty of fire from the Right - admittedly some of it even from me. I've grown since then and become more realistic in my expectations.
Romney will not be perfect in office just as Reagan was not but they are both much better than the alternative.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 10:21pmNov '11
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Duane Oyen
Compared to me, all of those guys are virtual collectivists, but compared with, say, Fred Cole,Iam a collectivist, but so are Paul Ryan, Ronald Reagan, and Marco Rubio.
That's okay. Don't worry.
I'll help you get there.
Feb '11
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Fred Cole
Forgive me, but some politician flapping his gums telling people what they want to hear doesn't excite me and certainly doesn't prove anything to me.
Umm, what, exactly is a challenger supposed to do in a political campaign? One of the prime tools of a political campaign is the candidate talking.
Aug '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Yes, but precisely because politicians do constantly face that temptation, how lenient should we be with them?
Of course it's hard to remain strong in the face of the temptation to "do something" when you're a politician. But if voters forgive you for yielding before it occurs to them to first demand your penance, where is the incentive to not yield?
May '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Yes, but precisely because politicians do constantly face that temptation, how lenient should we be with them?
Of course it's hard to remain strong in the face of the temptation to "do something" when you're a politician. But if voters forgive you for yielding before it occurs to them to first demand your penance, where is the incentive to not yield? · 59 minutes ago
Sometimes you do something to block something worse, if your only choice are bad and badder. Or you find a way to "do something" that is relatively harmless and self-sunsetting.
Aug '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Duane Oyen
Sometimes you do something to block something worse, if your only choice are bad and badder. Or you find a way to "do something" that is relatively harmless and self-sunsetting.
Of course. But isn't it also part of the voters' job to keep the heat on politicians?
A voter may understand -- even sympathize with -- why an unfortunate political compromise had to be made, but still believe that expressing dissatisfaction with the compromise is the best way to keep his side in line.
Nov '11
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
No Caesar
Fred Cole
Forgive me, but some politician flapping his gums telling people what they want to hear doesn't excite me and certainly doesn't prove anything to me.
Umm, what, exactly is a challenger supposed to do in a political campaign? One of the prime tools of a political campaign is the candidate talking. · 2 hours ago
A challenger can issue plans. What is Mitt Romney's plan? How is he going to balance the budget?
Are you so easily swayed by a politician running for election telling you what you want to hear?
May '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Duane Oyen
Sometimes you do something to block something worse, if your only choice are bad and badder. Or you find a way to "do something" that is relatively harmless and self-sunsetting.
Of course. But isn't it also part of the voters' job to keep the heat on politicians?
A voter may understand -- even sympathize with -- why an unfortunate political compromise had to be made, but still believe that expressing dissatisfaction with the compromise is the best way to keep his side in line. · 5 hours ago
Fair enough. I concede your point if you concede mine.
May '10
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Fred Cole
No Caesar
Fred Cole
Forgive me, but some politician flapping his gums telling people what they want to hear doesn't excite me and certainly doesn't prove anything to me.
Umm, what, exactly is a challenger supposed to do in a political campaign? One of the prime tools of a political campaign is the candidate talking. · 2 hours ago
A challenger can issue plans. What is Mitt Romney's plan? How is he going to balance the budget?
Are you so easily swayed by a politician running for election telling you what you want to hear? · 4 hours ago
We managerial progressives stick together.
Apr '11
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
Fred Cole
No Caesar
Fred Cole
Forgive me, but some politician flapping his gums telling people what they want to hear doesn't excite me and certainly doesn't prove anything to me.
Umm, what, exactly is a challenger supposed to do in a political campaign? One of the prime tools of a political campaign is the candidate talking. · 2 hours ago
A challenger can issue plans. What is Mitt Romney's plan? How is he going to balance the budget?
Are you so easily swayed by a politician running for election telling you what you want to hear? · 4 hours ago
Many elements of his budget balancing plans are here. The complaint is that this is a lengthy document, with many parts. The reason for that is because cutting massive budgets is complicated. He likes the Ryan Plan, which is pretty similar.
I don't believe that there is anything similar on Johnson's site. Johnson says that he would cut spending radically, but his descriptions of how he would do this fit into Ricochet comments (and would obviously not do them). Compare his budget claims with Ron Paul's, and you can see that Paul is the adult.
Nov '11
Re: Romney: Making The Moral Case For Freedom
James Of England
Many elements of his budget balancing plans are here. The complaint is that this is a lengthy document, with many parts. The reason for that is because cutting massive budgets is complicated. He likes the Ryan Plan, which is pretty similar.
Awesome. Like my father used to say "If you can't dazzle them with detail, baffle them with bull [expletive]."
I'm sure, if you're recommending it, you've familiarized yourself with it, so tell me, how long until Romney balances the budget?