Mitt Romney’s attempt to explain to his national finance committee, an audience of wealthy supporters, why he lost the presidential election — because President Obama bestowed “gifts” on people Romney perceives as mere interest groups — suggests how disingenuous Romney’s attempts to appear more moderate were in the waning weeks and days of his campaign. Further, it demonstrates how difficult it will be for the Republican Party to shed its image as the party of wealthy plutocrats and angry white men.
Robert Abruzzo
Comments
Romney's statement can also be taken as another indication that, despite what the sheep seem to believe, success in corporate life would not guarantee success in governing. Romney is the epitome of the executive accustomed to getting his own way, an extension of his cushy upbringing. Though other executives may not have had all the priveleges Romney grew up with, they do operate in an environment where the top decision-makers expect performance to their will. Government does not operate that way. Compromise does not operate that way. And democracy does not expect citizens to operate that way. Hopefully we as a society can come away from this campaign's experience with a bit more caution before handing the reins to someone who's expecting to move into the White House and holy-order his/her administration to jump-to performance with little or no regard for voters' rights.
Romney's Bain experience was telling in that he showed no respect for the customers or employees of the companies he came to control. His result: great profits for a handful of people. Romney's showing no respect for voters here and, were he the winner, would likely hit high levels of frustration with the political system and, at the same time, expect us all to jump-to.