"The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Awhile back in this thread, I wrote:
The difference between the Ricochet contributors and the folks at NR is that the Ricochet contributors would like the most conservative candidate able to win, while NR would prefer a Republican win. A Republican win means that they (the punditry) can have influence over him in office. So they are going for the "most electable Republican," conservatism be damned. Romney would provide the clay for their sculpture, in this dangerous view.
In Jonah Goldberg's "G-File" (sorry no link) he writes:
The trick, therefore, for conservatives in a Romney presidency -- should it ever come to pass -- is to see Romney like a tool. I don't mean tool in the pejorative sense, like "Man, that John Kerry is a tool." I mean it in the figurative-yet-instrumental sense. Romney needs to see that his number-crunching wonkiness must be applied solely to ways to dismantle the current inefficiencies of government, not for creating new ones.
I don't think his experience at Bain Capital is all that well-suited to creating jobs in the private sector, at least not in the way he talks about it. But the ability to effectively downsize and streamline large institutions to get them refocused on their core competencies, strikes me as something we can use in the Oval Office, so long as we point him in the right direction. If he's pointed in the wrong direction, well, ugh.
And it's that last part that's the kicker...
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Dec '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
That's actually a common critique of Romney around here. "He'll be fine so long as we have a congress that controls him." I'm not a big fan of the idea. I suppose the TEA Party may have some influence in that direction, but when was the last time we had a majority in congress where the members didn't get drunk with power and go on a spending spree? We would then need Romney to control the congress, and that is not something he is likely to do.
Nov '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
I think it will be up to the TEA Party to pressure BOTH the future congress and president. Getting whomever elected and then sitting back and relaxing is not an option. If they get out of line you send a message again in 2014. It's the only way.
Mar '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Make no mistake. There are plenty of mushy people at Ricochet like this as well.
Nov '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Jonah Goldberg was addressing how conservatives should deal with a Romney presidency if it happens, not arguing that he is a good choice, or the best choice, for the Republican nominee. His main thrust was decidedly critical:
But if he is the nominee (and potentially president) how do conservatives proceed from there?
Oct '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Leigh: Jonah Goldberg was addressing how conservatives should deal with a Romney presidency if it happens, not arguing that he is a good choice, or the best choice, for the Republican nominee.
But if he is the nominee (and potentially president) how do conservatives proceed from there? · Nov 6 at 11:02am
I claim 50 years of dealing with the above circumstance, excepting the two Reagan elections. With all of this experience, I can speak from it. Settling for the next Republican in line, whether McRomney or McCain, merely prepares you for the identical experience four years later.
For myself, it will be Herman Cain, or a conservative like him in the GOP (is there one?) or the nearest thing I can find in the American Taxpayers Party, or whatever their alias this time around. Unless the Tea Party settle on a suitable outsider other than Cain, or even support him as the outsider guy.
But for certain, I have held my nose for the last time. As I am fond of saying, if I hold my nose again my wife will fear for my life.
May '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Anyone can accuse me of lying, I suppose, but I believe Romney is the most conservative candidate who can win: It's my honest judgment as a lifelong Ohioan that neither Perry nor Cain nor Newt nor Santorum nor Bachmann could win my state, and that therefore neither would win the presidency. I judge that Romney would have a 50% chance, maybe better.
That's it. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. Such is the weakness of this field.
And if NR ends up endorsing Romney, as I suspect they will, it will be for precisely that same reason -- that they judge him to be the most conservative candidate with a reasonable chance of winning, same as ever. I see no reason to question their truthfulness or motives.
Edited on Nov 6, 2011 at 2:24pmOct '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Scott Reusser: Anyone can accuse me of lying, I suppose, but I believe Romney is the most conservative candidate who can win: It's my honest judgment as a lifelong Ohioan that neither Perry nor Cain nor Newt nor Santorum nor Bachmann could win my state, and that therefore neither would win the presidency. I judge that Romney would have a 50% chance, maybe better.
That's it. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. Such is the weakness of this field.
And if NR ends up endorsing Romney, as I suspect they will, it will be for precisely that same reason -- that they judge him to be the most conservative candidate with a reasonable chance of winning, same as ever. I see no reason to question their truthfulness or motives. · Nov 6 at 2:22pm
Edited on Nov 06 at 02:24 pm
We just had the Tea Party congressional success in which most of the conservative candidates were considered unelectable and even opposed by the GOP party regulars. The party did all they could to make certain that any real conservative was unelectable, and they failed. McRomney is their guy for a reason.
Edited on Nov 6, 2011 at 3:28pmMay '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
raycon
We just had the Tea Party congressional success in which most of the conservative candidates were considered unelectable and even opposed by the GOP party regulars. The party did all they could to make certain that any real conservative was unelectable, and they failed. McRomney is their guy for a reason.
It depended on the candidate, of course. Marco Rubio? Smart choice. Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell? Comically bad choices.
I judge the non-Mitt's in this field to more closely resemble the latter in electability. I understand you disagree, but that doesn't mean those like me are fibbing.
Here, John Kasich, who won in a squeaker last Nov., has been making a relentless and articulate case for hardcore conservatism for over a year -- really, a super job -- and he has a 36% approval rating to show for it. It would take a very, very special hard-right candidate to win here. Sorry -- wish it weren't true, but it is.
Aug '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Never fear, Douglas - while you, Raycon and Tee play the game of who's more ideologically pure than who, mushes like myself will be doing our best to ensure that our country doesn't go down in flames by subjecting us to another 4 years of Obama's radical socialist agenda.
Jul '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Michael Tee: Awhile back in this thread, I wrote:
Sorry, all I can see is Romney as a used car salesman slithering across the lot toward me with a perfect white smile that is so sincere it sparkles, hair so styled that it had to come from a store and a firm hand shake that comes from practice and not character, about to sell me the best deal on the lot that will most likely spend more time in the shop than actually running. He sets off so many alarm bells with me it is a wonder that Home Land Security is not sending a reaction team. Until I can get over that feeling I am going to have a hard time backing the man. I think that the same can be said for many more.
Nov '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
I think we've all seen those graphs that show big government getting bigger since the 1960s, no matter the president, no matter the congress, no matter what promises they make that they'll cut spending. And, in a nutshell, that's why we're in the crisis we're in.
I just don't see Romney turning that around. If it's Obama or Romney, I think we're either doomed right away or doomed in a little while.
Jul '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
I wish Jonah a lot of luck in "pointing" a president to where he wants him to go. Romney is the status quo, through and through. He's been pointed at this job for a decade or so, so I don't think he'll be in any rush to do what needs to be done, which is federal dismantling. He won't have the stomach for it, because it will reduce his re-election chances. And not only does he want the presidency, he wants it twice.
In other words, he'll go along to get along, which means the same catastrophic annual increases in spending that are dooming the country, daily. Has this problem become so big that no has enough steel in their spine to speak the truth, then act on it? How hard can it be to be honest? If it's that hard, then we've truly lost our way.
Jun '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Many of us think boldness is needed to save our country.
Herman Cain has indicated support for horizontal and vertical cuts in the federal budget.
Will Mitt Romney be inclined to push such bold cuts?
Aug '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
The problem of Romney's questionable conservative cred comes with a bonus problem: he has no coat-tails.
I would like to see a repeat of the 2010 midterms, ushering out more Democrats and RINOs and ushering in genuine conservatives. I don't see that happening with Romney at the top of the ticket.
With Romney as our candidate, I see the Senate remaining in the Democrats' idle hands; the GOP probably retaining the House, but possibly losing seats, and the nation continuing its slide toward collapse. Given that, it would be better to keep the idiot Obama in the White House and work hard on taking both houses of Congress.
May '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
And what if all Romney needs to govern is a coalition of moderate republicans and enough democrats to get his agenda through?
Mar '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
If that is all he needs to govern, then it should be all he needs to get elected.
Yay.
May '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
The problem of Romney's questionable conservative cred comes with a bonus problem: he has no coat-tails.
Whether Romney comes with coattails is really a moot question because I don't think they are needed in 2012, which will be an extension of 2010. This will be an election motivated by across the board, and top-to-bottom FEAR by the middle class.
OK, and just does what does :coattails mean in 2012? I think the concept is one of a past era, when it was difficult to learn about candidates other than President, and maybe Senator.
May '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
Great for the country.
Yay.
Percival
If that is all he needs to govern, then it should be all he needs to get elected.
Yay. · Nov 8 at 7:54pm
May '10
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
I think it's laughable and delusional that you think Romney is not as conservative as any other other candidates running. Maybe not more conservative, but no less conservative.
Aug '11
Re: "The Trick Is to See Romney Like a Tool"
ParisParamus:
Whether Romney comes with coattails is really a moot question because I don't think they are needed in 2012, which will be an extension of 2010. This will be an election motivated by across the board, and top-to-bottom FEAR by the middle class.
You may have noticed that FEAR is the President's method of motivating people to vote for him.
Edited on Nov 8, 2011 at 8:26pm