News Is Mitt Romney the Right Choice for the GOP in 2024?

[Jack21222]

Apparently Romney's in favor of the minimum wage rising with inflation, which I think would benefit both individual minumum wage earners and businesses, and therefore be good for the US.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/11/mitt-romney-south-carolina-minimum-wage_n_1200418.html

...says the guy who vetoed a minimum wage increase while he was governor.

 

[skeptic2]

Not necessarily true. The company my father worked for had union and non-union workers. The non-union workers in the same job titles received more merit raises and benefits since they were not locked into a contract. I was at a company dinner and had this conversation with the company's attorney.

Also, where I worked, there was a very large union, when I started I was an occupational (non-management) worker. I elected not to join the union, but I got the same pay and benefits as the union workers, the company did not discriminate. I did not like the union and refused to limit the amount of work I did. As one union job steward threatened me to stop being so productive, she said that the union had worked very hard to convince management that workers could not do that amount of work and I was hurting them. I hate unions and union mentality.

Evo, since we have both lived in Kansas, we both know that Kansas is a right-to-work state. You received the same pay and benefits as the union workers, not because the company did not discriminate, but because that’s what the law required. The consensus is that in non-right-to-work states, union workers do make higher wages and have better benefits than non-union workers.

A study done by the University of Tennessee indicated that the wage differential between union and non-union workers was about 10% but that union workers were also about 10% more productive due to the grievance process which allows grievances between workers and management to be resolved without the worker leaving the company. That process significantly reduced turnover, rehiring, training, production errors and injuries.

It is possible that the union steward who told you not to work so hard misinterpreted the union’s objectives. Generally the unions use increases in production as a basis for negotiating higher wages, thus higher production is in the best interests of the union.

 

[Evo]

Generally the unions use increases in production as a basis for negotiating higher wages, thus higher production is in the best interests of the union.

Not at the company I worked for. And remember, I worked both as occupational and management for the same company for over thirty years and saw the problems from both sides. I guess there could be some exceptions to the rule, but this union was the pits, IMO.

 

[ginru]

Even when he's helping someone, he still comes off as fake or just buying attention: http://gma.yahoo.com/romney-gives-unemployed-woman-cash-ropeline-233341069--abc-news.html

 

[Evo]

Looks like Romney is going to take SC.

Romney opens 21-point lead in South Carolina: Reuters/Ipsos poll

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/14/us-usa-campaign-poll-idUSTRE80D0U420120114

 

[Alfi]

Even when he's helping someone, he still comes off as fake or just buying attention: http://gma.yahoo.com/romney-gives-unemployed-woman-cash-ropeline-233341069--abc-news.html

lol ... really ?

The woman, 55-year-old Ruth Williams, says she has been following the Romney campaign since he arrived in the state on Jan. 11, when she said she received a message from God to track him down.

Is this type of story we should consider worthy as any kind of appraisal for or against any Presidential candidate of the USA ?
Are these the stories that the GOP race/fight/political selection been reduced to in it's elimination round? I see some of the discussion has already started about Mr. Romney's possible partner in crime .. um um I mean Vice President.
He seems to to be the foregone concussion as the ticket name ... so far. The GOP is still roounding em up and lining em up and shooting em down ...
It ain't over yet.

 

[skippy1729]

Looks like Romney is going to take SC.



http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/14/us-usa-campaign-poll-idUSTRE80D0U420120114

This poll was before his stumbling performance at the Myrtle Beach debate. If he repeats this Thursday for the CNN debate he might be in trouble.

Skippy

 

[KingNothing]

The good: Romney is frank about his views, which I respect. He plainly says that he is against gay marriage, against medical marijuana, and even believes women should never hold the presidential office.

The bad: But, he comes off as a rich guy out of touch with the common person's financial woes. He recently said that his effective tax rate is "around 15 percent". That's pretty low for a guy who is in the top 0.001% as far as total wealth.

The ugly: This really showed when he offered Rick Perry a casual $10K bet over a minor debate point. He does know the average person can't casually bet $10K, right?

 

[mheslep]

The good: Romney is frank about his views, ... and even believes women should never hold the presidential office...

What? Where does that come from?

 

[KingNothing]

What? Where does that come from?

Whoops! I was actually thinking of Rick Santorum on that one. Sorry. I would edit my post if I could.

 

[turbo]

According to recent polls, Gingrich has pulled even with Romney in SC. It should be noted that the polls were conducted before Gingrich's second wife came out in an interview and said that he doesn't have the character to be President.

 

[Evo]

More on Romney's Cayman Island money.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/romney-parks-millions-offshore-tax-haven/story?id=15378566

 

[turbo]

They both have SO much baggage!

 

[turbo]

Man! Romney was dead-set against tax-havens when he was governor of MA. It seems that he and Bain Capital are quite fond of them though.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/mitt-romney-tax-havens_n_1216558.html

This is not going to play too well with people that were "downsized" out of their jobs due to predatory take-overs. IF the press is willing to pay a little time and attention to the issue and educate the unwashed masses.

 

[Mad_Miller20]

I think that Romney has a good chance against Obama. Maybe I'm the only one on here because no one seems to be defending him. What do y'all think?

I might be outnumbered here but I think anything is better than who we have now.

 

[skeptic2]

Why do you think he has a better chance against Obama than anyone else? Is it possible that the reason Romney is so far ahead is that the conservatives are splitting their votes between multiple candidates? If it were just Romney vs. Gingrich or just Romney vs. Santorum, do you think he would be so far ahead?

 

[mheslep]

Whoops! I was actually thinking of Rick Santorum on that one. Sorry. I would edit my post if I could.

Or perhaps it was Michelle Bachman on that one.

 

[dydxforsn]

Whoops! I was actually thinking of Rick Santorum on that one. Sorry. I would edit my post if I could.

That wasn't actually Rick Santorum who said that either, it was one of his campaign members in a private email a year or so ago.

 

[skeptic2]

The good: Romney is frank about his views, which I respect. He plainly says that he is against ... medical marijuana...

Romney is even against coffee, is he not?

 

[KingNothing]

That wasn't actually Rick Santorum who said that either, it was one of his campaign members in a private email a year or so ago.

Really, hmm. I definitely read an article that said Rick said it himself. Sad what journalism is coming to these days!

 

[Rob D]

Gov. Romney merely appears the most reasonable and pragmatic of the GOP candidates. His business credentials are strong and isn't that the principal problem the country faces right now? Near as I can tell none of those other guys know diddly-poop about how business really works and how to turn failing institutions around.

Throughout history those able to choose picked leaders who fit the circumstances of the times. To do otherwise, to choose a candidate based on ideology, is self-defeating. As a secondary criteria I would like a social liberal but first we need a fiscal and constitutional conservative. We need to restore faith in our financial and regulatory institutions.

As for the other stuff; if you don't like gay marriage then don't do it; if you don't like abortions, don't have one; if you don't like cigarettes, don't smoke them; if you don't like porn, don't watch it. Mostly, if you don't want your rights taken away, don't take away those of others.

Thus Endeth the Rant,
RD

 

[Char. Limit]

I don't think you're going to restore faith in any financial or regulatory institutions at this point. It's quite clear what they stand for, and it's not something that inspires faith (at least not in me).

 

[KingNothing]

Gov. Romney merely appears the most reasonable and pragmatic of the GOP candidates. His business credentials are strong and isn't that the principal problem the country faces right now?

I don't think business credentials and ability to revamp the economy are interchangeable. The government isn't a business. That is, their goal shouldn't be maximum profit. I think people's concern are not with a rich man's business credentials, but his motivations. If his goal truly was the best for Americans, that's great, but I am concerned that his goals would be for himself.

 

[Rob D]

I don't think business credentials and ability to revamp the economy are interchangeable. The government isn't a business. That is, their goal shouldn't be maximum profit. I think people's concern are not with a rich man's business credentials, but his motivations. If his goal truly was the best for Americans, that's great, but I am concerned that his goals would be for himself.

So King, I cannot fully counter your concerns. Nor would i want to. We all most probably chose this forum because we wanted to confer with those others of a scientific bent. We have a, perhaps, different way of llooking the world, more critical, more skeptical and more demanding of proof.

Applying all that, I must admit a certain reluctance to take the Gov. at face value although he seems like a decent guy to me. My instinct is bouyed by my almost instant judgments of Mr. Obama's character which have proved to be, for the most part, accurate. But that's not very scientific. Romney has yet to be tested in the national stage, but there's lots of data from his other work. Those data would indicate that he acquitted himself admirably. We elected Obama with nothing like that degree of scrutiny. Let's see what the American electorate will do with a much richer data field.

RD

 

[mheslep]

No the government is not a business. However, government leadership should understand business and the drag government places on business, especially small business. They should understand why an employer hires somebody, what works against hiring. That applies now more than ever given unprecedented government invasions into the private economy. The current administration, and the government at large, seems to operate as if the private economy is some giant t-shirt factory: of no real importance to things that 'matter', aside from paying taxes to run the government and employ people not already working for government.

[/PLAIN]
For example:

In my own business, securities regulations have prohibited me from hiring brokers for more than three years. I was even fined fifteen thousand dollar expressly for hiring too many brokers in 2008. In the process I incurred more than $500,000 in legal bills to mitigate a more severe regulatory outcome as a result of hiring too many workers. I have also been prohibited from opening up additional offices. I had a major expansion plan that would have resulted in my creating hundreds of additional jobs. Regulations have forced me to put those jobs on hold.

But President Obama can see no bad regulation, no downside, here in this Kansas speech where he makes reference to himself 23 times:

...For the first time in history, the reforms that we passed put in place a consumer watchdog who is charged with protecting everyday Americans from being taken advantage of by mortgage lenders or payday lenders or debt collectors...

... Does anybody here think that the problem that led to our financial crisis was too much oversight of mortgage lenders or debt collectors?

Audience: No!

Me: the government was in the business of bundling mortgages, collecting debts, (it still is); as well as making loose money, anointing the rating agencies, setting flimsy home loan terms (it still does).

 

[ginru]

I keep noticing a continuous consequence from the damsel-in-distress, reactionary impulses of voters. It seemed like after Clinton, the country was polarized and desperate for something that would bring us back together. Along came Bush and his "Compassionate Conservatism" and enough people bought into it.

After 8 years of Bush, the country was even more divided with a weaker economy and tarnished image worldwide. Along comes Obama with a message of "Hope and Change" and again the people buy into it as it feels like just the perfect remedy.

Now Romney is saying that he has the right stuff to fix our current economic problems as he knows how to create jobs as a successful businessman. Once again, it seems like enough people are buying into it. So each time we desperately look for a Superman solution to our immediate problems and end up disappointed once the perfect packaging falls away.

Personally, my Spidey-sense keeps tingling whenever Romney talks. Something tells me he's just as shifty as the previous Supermen. He actually reminds me of a high school classmate of mine who ran for every club President position because it would look good on his college applications. He hardly ever showed up for the grunt work but of course, he was always present for yearbook photo ops. Both he and Romney give off that fake, CCR's 'Fortunate Son' vibe to me.

Granted, that's just an instinctive dislike I have for plastic political types, but I don't think anything will change under him except the direction of public finger pointing. Sure, Flip Flopney will talk a good game of being frank and earnest with the people. As a governor, he played Frank and as a president he'll be Ernest. Regardless, I feel the country will continue to be plagued by divisive politics, inconclusive wars and an overall aimless direction. Just more of the same, really.

 

[gravenewworld]

http://www.deseretnews.com/m/article/680195957

Perhaps the most legally thorny was Bain Capital's 1989 purchase of Damon Corp., a Needham medical testing firm that later pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal government of $25 million and paid a record $119 million fine.

Romney sat on Damon's board. During Romney's tenure, Damon executives submitted bills to the government for millions of unnecessary blood tests. Romney and other board members were never implicated.

More than a decade later,when Romney was in pursuit of the Massachusetts governorship, his Democratic opponent Shannon O'Brien accused him of lax oversight at Damon and failing to report the fraud.

Romney replied that he had helped uncover the illegal activity at Damon, asking the board's lawyers to investigate. As a result, he said, the board took "corrective action" before selling the company in 1993 to Corning Inc.

But court records suggest that the Damon executives' scheme continued throughout Bain's ownership, and prosecutors credited Corning, not Romney, with cleaning up the situation. Bain, meanwhile, tripled its investment.

Romney personally reaped $473,000.

I hope the gop is dumb enough to elect Romney because he will lose. Romney is another white collar criminal like the ones who tanked the economy in 2008 that know how to finagle the loopholes enough to not get arrested. Not to mention he has millions in offshore accounts most likely to hide from paying taxes. Romney stinks of corruption

 

[Rob D]

So what are we left with? If we run enough "Politicons" together at Fermilab we can spot the ubiquitous "Riggs Corrupson" that will bounce around excitedly until January 20th of '13 when it will degrade into something entirely different but quite ugly?

Will research help us find out where our hope went? Because that's the question now isn't it? We're America, together we can do almost anything. The computer, powered flight, Richard Feynman, Cheeseburgers, Sandra Bullock, useful nuclear fusion, hell, we even had a meshugga politician invent the internet. Where did the America of the '50s go? In this time why do we shrink into cynicism and mistrust when we should be pulling together? Don't give me that "it's those politicians in Washington" stuff. They're just 535 blowhards in a nation of almost 300 million.

These I think are more pressing than the price of gas or even unemployment. I'm 64. I did my job with energy and enthusiasm, not to mention some creativity, for 40 years. Now I stick my head up for a look around and, gaak. Where did my America go?

Rob

 

[skippy1729]

http://www.deseretnews.com/m/article/680195957
Not to mention he has millions in offshore accounts most likely to hide from paying taxes.

When (if) you use offshore accounts to hide money and avoid taxes, you don't publically admit to owning such accounts. There are many other reasons to maintain offshore bank accounts.

I doubt if Romney is corrupt but he certainly has the wrong image for the GOP this year; he can be made into a caricature of the mythical 1%.

Skippy

 

[lisab]

When (if) you use offshore accounts to hide money and avoid taxes, you don't publically admit to owning such accounts. There are many other reasons to maintain offshore bank accounts.

I doubt if Romney is corrupt but he certainly has the wrong image for the GOP this year; he can be made into a caricature of the mythical 1%.

Skippy

Yes, I think you're right - and it wouldn't even be difficult to paint him as such, since I'm pretty sure he *is* in the 1% (not sure why you call it 'mythical').

This blows my little mind: one poll shows Gingrich leads Romney, 40 to 26%, in the days leading up to the SC primary.