Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
Many of us are probably well familiar with our own Ann Coulter's rumination on why Romney was the man to choose:
I went up to him. I was about to leave. But I said — I just wanted to go up to him and tell him, ‘You owe me and you better be as right-wing a president as I’m telling everybody you’re going to be.
That's not the reason Ann's been stumping for Mitt, of course, but it is a key piece in the logical argument for why conservatives ought to get over themselves and go Romney. Presidents aren't everything, so you shouldn't worry that this one will destroy the movement. But presidents are something, so you can pressure them successfully to make an impact governing as you think is best. And this would-be president really wants to be president. But he faces certain stubborn hurdles. Clear the big one by accepting his leadership, conservatives, and presto -- Romney owes you.
But wouldn't Santorum owe conservatives more? He's broke (as campaigns go). He's delegate-poor. He's polling well against Obama, but without some big victories in non-beauty contests, it's hopeless. Unlike Romney, he won't just try again in '16 if he loses. This is all or nothing for him. This is Rick Santorum's last hurrah. UNLESS... he wins. And he just isn't going to win, period, unless conservatives drop Newt and coalesce around him, starting... NOW.
Off the top of my head, there are a couple legitimate reasons I can think of why conservatives wouldn't want to do this. I'm on record furrowing my brow at some of Santorum's Bush-era, big-government excesses. Any truuuuue conservative would want to ensure that a president Santorum wouldn't give America some misbegotten equivalent of Bush's third term.
But that's exactly why the question is so important: would Santorum owe conservatives who unite around him more than Romney would?
I think you can guess my answer.
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May '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
Santorum will owe conservatives more, because he is more conservative, and more comfortable being who he honestly is, than Mitt Romney. In a word, he's got authenticity. He'll owe himself, as a conservative, to follow through on conservative values.
That said, if the more fiscally-oriented conservatives have reservations about Santorum's fiscal conservatism (he's actually very fiscally conservative according to OnTheIssues.org, more so than Mitt Romney), your argument makes sense. If fiscal conservatives and small-government advocates are able to get over their doubts and support Santorum, he will definitely owe them more than Mitt Romney will owe the social conservatives should he win.
Aug '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
I can think of no reason Romney would owe conservatives anything. A sense of entitlement oozes off Romney. I'm sure he thinks we owe him.
May '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
(A side note. As I was looking at the candidates' ratings at OnTheIssues.org, I couldn't help but notice Chris Christie's ranking. On their spectrum, Chris Christie is just one step from a full center-moderate. I've always found it laughable that people saw Chris Christie as a good presidential candidate for the Republicans. He's a one-trick wonder-- he is bold and direct, and put the teachers' unions in their place, which went viral on YouTube. For that, people wanted to make him President?!? Without fully looking at his stance on all the other issues? It just shows how much substance Ann Coulter really looks at.)
(Sorry for the side track.)
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 8:24pmJun '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
In a politically polarized nation, why would presidents need to pay off political debts (to the base) at all? Once you're President, you buy just enough votes from your opponents in Congress, and pass whatever you please. It's not like you're spending your own money to buy off individual congressmen and senators. That's been the way for quite awhile now. All that's left is the mountain of debt.
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 8:26pmMay '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
etoiledunord: In a politically polarized nation, why would presidents need to pay off political debts (to the base) at all? Once you're President, you buy just enough votes from your opponents in Congress, and pass whatever you please. It's not like you're spending your own money to buy off individual congressmen and senators. That's been the way for quite awhile now. All that's left is the mountain of debt. · 6 minutes ago
Edited 3 minutes ago
All the more reason to elect an authentic conservative.
May '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
I'm with Chris.
Ann's words to Romney betray her misgivings. She's hoping he'll vindicate her support of him once he's in office, but she doubts it.
In any case, much better to have a President you can rely on to act conservatively in office because he is a conservative, rather than one you hope will do you some favors or throw you some bones in payment for services rendered.
Santorum is nothing if not a man who stands by what he believes.
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 8:47pmAug '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
katievs:
In any case, much better to have a President you can rely on to act conservatively in office because he is a conservative, rather than one you hope will do you some favors or throw you some bones in payment for services rendered.
Yes, Katie, you're a little more gracious than I am!
I think Washington has far too much of a payback/payoff mindset, and I certainly wouldn't wish to encourage more of it.
And Mitt Romney needs to show that he's capable of being a genuine conservative before we elect him, not afterward. And so far I'm not seeing it.
Apr '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
DrewInWisconsin
And Mitt Romney needs to show that he's capable of being a genuine conservative before we elect him, not afterward. And so far I'm not seeing it. · 4 minutes ago
What really scares me is that I am sure he knows that and yet cannot do it! even though he wants to be Pres so bad you can smell it through the TV screen, He seems incapable of even faking it --even when its to his own immediate benefit like Bain and "I don't care about poor people". Conservatism is not his second language (as someone said) - he doesn't even speak it. Shame, that.
Apr '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
katievs: I
Santorum is nothing if not a man who stands by what he believes. · 26 minutes ago
Edited 25 minutes ago
I gotta agree - from the first debate on, I've thought the only 2 people who really truly believe to their core what they're peddling is Santorum and Ron Paul. Even when I don't agree with them (S more than Paul for sure) they seem authentic. Like Ryan. And Daniels. and Rubio, maybe?.
Maybe I'm naive....
Dec '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
I marvel at those who believe that a candidate will magically feel a sense of obligation to anyone simply because that person voted for him. If the voter hasn't negotiated beforehand with the candidate and extracted a promise of reciprocal support as a condition for voting for him, the candidate will regard the voter's vote as something freely given with no reciprocal obligation incurred. And even if the candidate does offer promised in return for a voter's vote, what are a politician's promises worth? If conservatives want a President who will feel a sense of obligation to conservatism, they ought to vote for a conservative. At this point I prefer Santorum to Gingrich because of how poorly Newt squandered his momentum coming out of South Caroolina. I harbor no illusion that Romney will feel he owes conservatives for support they only grudgingly give him on the sole basis that he's not Obama.
Aug '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
Stuart Creque:
I harbor no illusion that Romney will feel he owes conservatives for support they only grudgingly give him on the sole basis that he's not Obama.
Though to be fair, he should probably pay off Ann Coulter for her overweening support, if he hasn't already.
May '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
I think Santorum's views and values are much closer to Ann's than Romney's are. She hasn't supported him because she didn't think he could win. If things change on that from, she'll be happy to rally to his side.
Mar '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
Ask not what your candidate can do for you, ask what you can do for your candidate.
Mr Santorum's race has been running on fumes since the start, yet he hasn't given up - indeed, in contrast to other conservatives, he actually entered the race.
So he deserves our support.
And Ms Coulter has totally lost the plot.
Apr '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
I agree with everything except the last sentence. After that "three cheers for romneycare" article, she is clearly "all in" and will not be able to change sides without looking idiotic. She is one of the many conservatives who have pretzelled themselves to back Romney.
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 10:04pmDec '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
ljt
I agree with everything except the last sentence. After that "three cheers for romneycare" article, she is clearly "all in" and will not be able to change sides without looking idiotic. She is one of the many conservatives who have pretzelled themselves to back Romney. · 2 minutes ago
Edited 1 minute ago
In sales, we are taught that the customer buys on emotion and then justifies with logic.
In life, we learn that the hardest words for any human being to say are, "I was wrong."
Ann Coulter has bought whole-heartedly into Romney as the only person who can carry the mantle she thought belonged to Chris Christie. She will engage in whatever mental distortions she needs to undertake to create a argument for supporting Romney that at least looks logical, in the right light from the right angle if the phase of moon is right.
Dec '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
DrewInWisconsin
Stuart Creque:
I harbor no illusion that Romney will feel he owes conservatives for support they only grudgingly give him on the sole basis that he's not Obama.
Though to be fair, he should probably pay off Ann Coulter for her overweening support, if he hasn't already. · 43 minutes ago
Why should he pay for what he's getting in such abundance and with such enthusiasm for free?
Aug '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
Stuart Creque
DrewInWisconsin
Stuart Creque:
I harbor no illusion that Romney will feel he owes conservatives for support they only grudgingly give him on the sole basis that he's not Obama.
Though to be fair, he should probably pay off Ann Coulter for her overweening support, if he hasn't already.
Why should he pay for what he's getting in such abundance and with such enthusiasm for free?
"Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?" Is that what you're trying to say? Gasp!
Dec '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
DrewInWisconsin
Stuart Creque
DrewInWisconsin
Stuart Creque:
I harbor no illusion that Romney will feel he owes conservatives for support they only grudgingly give him on the sole basis that he's not Obama.
Though to be fair, he should probably pay off Ann Coulter for her overweening support, if he hasn't already.
Why should he pay for what he's getting in such abundance and with such enthusiasm for free?
"Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?" Is that what you're trying to say? Gasp! · 4 minutes ago
That is most emphatically what I was trying to avoid saying... in so many words....
And for the record, it is James Poulos, not I, who accuses Ms. Coulter of ruminating in the post at the top of this thread.
Edited on February 8, 2012 at 10:30pmMay '10
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
ljt
I agree with everything except the last sentence. After that "three cheers for romneycare" article, she is clearly "all in" and will not be able to change sides without looking idiotic. She is one of the many conservatives who have pretzelled themselves to back Romney. ·
I meant if Santorum beats Romney for the nomination. I agree that she's pretty much committed herself until that point.
She did say somewhere not so long ago that if Gingrich were to win, she'd sit out the general, while if Santorum got it, she'd stay in and fight.
Dec '11
Re: Romney vs. Santorum: Who Could Owe Conservatives More?
James Poulos:
But that's exactly why the question is so important: would Santorum owe conservatives who unite around him more than Romney would?
My definition of a true conservative: an individual who has earned 'dozens' of donuts and created jobs, wealth, and stock portfolios.
With all due respect to Santorum- a decent man, indeed- he has lived off the backs of taxpayers for most of his career. Romney has not.