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How Romney could become a great president
original to FR | July 22, 2012 | Peter O'Donnell

Posted on 07/22/2012 3:32:46 PM PDT by Peter ODonnell

This year, America needs to elect a great president, and that will require voting against the incumbent.

Mitt Romney has failed to excite conservatives, by and large, and is suspected of being too centrist, even too liberal, to bring the necessary resolve to the office that might place America back on the right path.

However, alternatives seem few and far between as there is almost no chance of anyone else being nominated for the GOP or elected as a third party candidate. So it's basically a choice between Mitt Romney stepping up to the plate, or waiting for that great president to come along in 2016 -- and that begs the question, does America have four years to sacrifice? Perhaps, things always look worse than they turn out to be, but this may be the one time where things are as bad, if not worse, than they appear.

Here's what I believe Mitt Romney must do to become a great president. I must admit that when asked to choose four topics in posting this article, I was tempted by humour, weird stuff, and miscellaneous. I'm not saying that I think Romney can improve his game this much. But at least we should discuss what he needs to do to attract the support of conservatives.

First, he needs to select the most suitable running mate. I would like to see him select Sarah Palin or possibly Newt Gingrich. America needs to have confidence that there's a substantial person at the side of this potential president, and not just substantial, but with conservative credentials. But some of the choices mentioned widely in the press would not harm the rest of this agenda, because it's mainly in Romney's hands anyway.

Here are four conservative principles that I think Romney should pledge to uphold if elected.

(1) Take all possible steps to balance the budget and to reduce the debt and deficit. As part of that, refrain from further misadventures under the heading of "green economy" and adopt sensible, realistic climate policies (meaning, accept natural variability and move on, no more expensive solar or wind boondoggles, an emphasis on clean air rather than reduced carbon dioxide).

(2) Pledge to stay out of foreign entanglements of all kinds except those which vitally affect the security of the United States. No more U.N. sponsored adventures, no costly ambiguous foreign wars, just intervention to save vital interests of this country.

(3) Preserve the principle of conventional marriage, and uphold the spirit of the First and Second Amendments.

(4) Keep taxes low and stimulate small business while doing nothing to harm the economy.

If Romney pledges to maintain these four key conservative "core values" then he would be on the road to being the great president that these times require. He must also pledge to keep the Mormon faith question a private matter and maintain the separation of church and state.

I believe he should do all this, not to enhance his voter appeal or run up larger vote totals, but to save America from becoming a failed state. The question of border security plays into this as well, and it should be expected that there would be a reversal of trends towards increased illegal immigration. What you do with the ones already here is probably open to different solutions, but these should be in the national interest.

If Romney fails to endorse a strong conservative foundation, then I don't see how he is going to be enough of an improvement over Obama to merit any special consideration from American conservative voters, who would be quite within their rights to park their vote with a more principled candidate. It's up to Romney, does he want to do the minimum (and probably lose like McCain did) or does he want to do the maximum (and probably win like Reagan did against Carter?).

To me, the choice is a no-brainer -- conservative principles can save America from the inevitable crisis that would follow any further liberal misadventures.


TOPICS: Government; History; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: rinoromney; romney; romneytheliberal; weakromney
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1 posted on 07/22/2012 3:32:52 PM PDT by Peter ODonnell
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To: Peter ODonnell

BRING BACK AMERICAN MANUFACTURING.

Stop exporting things.

Just stop it. Fight to bring back (all) jobs.

Now.


2 posted on 07/22/2012 3:35:29 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (America doesn't need any new laws. America needs freedom!)
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To: Peter ODonnell

3 posted on 07/22/2012 3:35:54 PM PDT by NoLibZone (We must get down on our knees each day and thank God that McCain/Palin didn't win in '08. Right?)
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To: NoLibZone

Sorry Sarah... Romney is already snubbing you...


4 posted on 07/22/2012 3:38:11 PM PDT by cableguymn (For the first time in my life. I fear my country's government.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
" BRING BACK AMERICAN MANUFACTURING. Stop exporting things. Just stop it. Fight to bring back (all) jobs. Now. "

Right - both parties know this but they won't act on it. Until they do, we will have recession.

5 posted on 07/22/2012 3:44:18 PM PDT by ex-snook (without forgiveness there is no Christianity)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

It was Bush I and Bush II who gave us NAFTA and CAFTA and CRAPTA. Disgusting self-serving RINOS. And dyed- in -the- wool Globalists. Pursuing personal wealth.

If Romney can dial this back...all the way back...he will indeed be counted as one of the great ones.


6 posted on 07/22/2012 3:44:51 PM PDT by miserare
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To: Peter ODonnell
A better title for this article might be:

How Wishful Thinking Leads To Disappointment

7 posted on 07/22/2012 3:46:09 PM PDT by edpc (Wilby 2012)
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To: NoLibZone

Good words from Sarah.


8 posted on 07/22/2012 3:46:16 PM PDT by miserare
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To: Peter ODonnell
Obama worships Obama. Romney seeks God. I will vote for Romney.
9 posted on 07/22/2012 3:54:52 PM PDT by Armaggedon
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To: Peter ODonnell

romney should name Sarah or Newt as VP but he wont. The clown is anti-conservative as noted from the pic of romney sr next to goldwater. Ann Romney said they didnt even know a repub in 1995. Romney will name another rino/moderate as VP and mediocrity ensues.


10 posted on 07/22/2012 3:55:54 PM PDT by biggredd1
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

How is stopping exports going to bring back jobs? We need to esport more.


11 posted on 07/22/2012 4:00:12 PM PDT by Hugin ("Most times a man'll tell you his bad intentions, if you listen and let yourself hear."---Open Range)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

American manufacturing is not coming back until we no longer have the highest corporate tax rates, highest regulations, and unfair trading practices by countries such as China & Japan and many others.

Cost of labor is not the overriding factor most think it is. Most mass produced goods do not require a lot of labor hours. We have open markets where foreigners can dump goods at will. Yet, there are numerous roadblocks and tariffs on our exports to certain countries. Like Trump says again and again, they are laughing at us!


12 posted on 07/22/2012 4:02:27 PM PDT by entropy12 (Hate is the most insidious emotion, it will rot your gut from the inside.)
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To: Hugin

Oops. You’re right.

Export more. Stop importing everything.

Thanks. :D


13 posted on 07/22/2012 4:02:47 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (America doesn't need any new laws. America needs freedom!)
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To: biggredd1

Newt would be an outstanding choice for VP. He has the best skills in dealing with media.


14 posted on 07/22/2012 4:04:38 PM PDT by entropy12 (Hate is the most insidious emotion, it will rot your gut from the inside.)
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To: Peter ODonnell
Why Mitt Romney is Unlikable!

A lot is being said in the media about Mitt Romney not being "likable" or that he doesn't "relate well" to people. Frankly, we struggled to understand why. So after much research, we have come up with a Top Ten List to explain this "unlikablility."

Top Ten Reasons To Dislike Mitt Romney:

1. Drop-dead collar-ad handsome with gracious, statesman like aura. Looks like every central casting's #1 choice for Commander-in-Chief.

2. Been married to ONE woman his entire life, and has been faithful to her, including through her bouts with breast cancer and MS.

3. No scandals or skeletons in his closet. (How boring is that?)

4. Can't speak in a fake, southern, "black preacher voice" when necessary.

5. Highly intelligent. Graduated cum laude from both Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School...and by the way, his academic records are NOT sealed.

6. Doesn't smoke or drink alcohol, and has never done drugs, not even in the counter-culture age when he went to college. Too square for today's America?

7. Represents an America of "yesterday", where people believed in God, went to Church, didn't fool around, worked hard, and became a SUCCESS!

8. Has a family of five great sons....and none of them have police records or are in drug rehab. But of course, they were raised by a stay-at-home mom, and that "choice" deserves America's scorn.

9. Oh yes.....he's a MORMON. We need to be very afraid of that very strange religion that teaches its members to be clean-living, patriotic, fiscally conservative, charitable, self-reliant, and honest.

10. And one more point.....pundits say because of his wealth, he can't relate to ordinary Americans. I guess that's because he made that money HIMSELF.....as opposed to marrying it or inheriting it from Dad. Apparently, he didn't understand that actually working at a job and earning your own money made you unrelatable to Americans. My goodness, it's a strange world, isn't it?

*****************************************************

Personal Information:

His full Name is: Willard Mitt Romney
He was Born: March 12, 1947 and is 65 years old.
His Father: George W. Romney, former Governor of the State of Michigan.
He was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
He is Married to Ann Romney since 1969; they five children.
Education: B.A. from Brigham Young University, J.D. and M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Religion: Mormon - The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints
Working Background: After high school, he spent 30 months in France as a Mormon missionary.
After going to both Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School simultaneously, he passed the Michigan bar exam, but never worked as an attorney.
In 1984, he co-founded Bain Capital a private equity investment firm, one of the largest such firms in the United States.
In 1994, he ran for Senator of Massachusetts and lost to Ted Kennedy. He was President and CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. In 2002, he was elected Governor of the State of Massachusetts where he eliminated a 1.5 billion deficit. Some Interesting Facts about Romney:

Bain Capital, starting with one small office supply store in Massachusetts, turned it into Staples; now over 2,000 stores employing 90,000 people. Bain Capital also worked to perform the same kinds of business miracles again and again, with companies like Domino's, Sealy, Brookstone, Weather Channel, Burger King, Warner Music Group, Dollarama, Home Depot Supply and many others. He was an unpaid volunteer campaign worker for his dad's gubernatorial campaign for 1 year. He was an unpaid intern in his dad's governor's office for eight years. He was an unpaid bishop and state president of his church for ten years. He was an unpaid President of the Salt Lake Olympic committee for three years. He took no salary and was the unpaid Governor of Massachusetts for four years. He gave his entire inheritance from his father to charity.

Mitt Romney is one of the wealthiest self-made men in our country but has given more back to its citizens in terms of money, service and time than most men. And in 2011 Mitt Romney gave over $4 million to charity, almost 19% of his income.... Just for comparison purposes, Obama gave 1% and Joe Biden gave $300 or .0013%.

Mitt Romney is Trustworthy:

He will show us his birth certificate
He will show us his high school and college transcripts.
He will show us his social security card.
He will show us his law degree.
He will show us his draft notice.
He will show us his medical records.
He will show us his income tax records.
He will show us he has nothing to hide.
Mitt Romney's background, experience and trustworthiness show him to be a great leader and an excellent citizen for President of the United States. You might think that Romney is not be the best representative the Republicans could have selected. But at least I know what religion he is, and that he won't desecrate the flag, bow down to foreign powers, or practice fiscal irresponsibility. I know he has the ability to turn around this financial debacle that the current regime has gotten us into. We won't like all the things necessary to recover from this debt, but someone with Romney's background can do it.

On the minus side, he never was a "Community Organizer", never took drugs or smoked pot, never got drunk, did not associate with communists or terrorists, nor did he attend a church whose pastor called for God to damn the US.

"What you permit, you promote."

First Rule of Liberalism: Government failure always justifies more government.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

-- Thomas Jefferson

15 posted on 07/22/2012 4:07:19 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: Peter ODonnell
If Romney is going to be a good President the first thing he must do is fire every single government employee hired in the previous eight years.

The second thing he needs to do is issue an executive order canceling about 90% of Obama's executive orders including the amnesty executive order.

Third, he needs to kill Obamacare without replacing it with his own program.

Fourth, he needs to remove on oil and gas until the U.S. is 100% independent on foreign oil.

All of the above can be done in the first week in office.

How many of the above will he actually do?

16 posted on 07/22/2012 4:10:28 PM PDT by CharacterCounts (A vote for the lesser of two evils only insures the triumph of evil.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
Actually, the manufacturing sector is looking a lot better than you think. Total manufacturing output is growing at a nice pace, about 4% and that's faster than overall GDP growth.

U.S. Manufacturing Leads Current Economic Growth As It Has For 15 Years

17 posted on 07/22/2012 4:16:06 PM PDT by InterceptPoint (TIN)
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To: Peter ODonnell

“To me, the choice is a no-brainer — conservative principles can save America from the inevitable crisis that would follow any further liberal misadventures.”

Better look for somebody other than Willard.. Conservative principles he has not....

He is and isn’t for gay marriage
He is and isn’t pro second amendment
His record on taxes and spending is mixed
Willard Mitt Romney does not and will not fulfill the dreams you present here.


18 posted on 07/22/2012 4:23:40 PM PDT by Breto (The Establishment party is killing our country)
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To: InterceptPoint

Look I’m not doubting you, but I’m not saying your figures are right either.

We have become almost a relic, in just a few short years. We used to sell, design and manufacture almost everything in the world.

Now we buy (import) a bunch of stuff.

That happened because we stopped selling things, and buy, and buy, and buy.

That will not continue. We are 15 trillion in debt, and that increases by the day.

We need to start making things here, stop spending money we do not have, and get our house in order.

Now. Sorry but it’s true.

We need to sell stuff.


19 posted on 07/22/2012 4:24:10 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (America doesn't need any new laws. America needs freedom!)
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To: Peter ODonnell
Romney is a fool, but the Republican voters decided he was the one. So we have to get behind what the voters selected. Only the convention could change things and it will not. So we have to get used to it. It is too bad that some Republicans decided that Newt was not good President material. The best thing that might help Romney is to suggest cabinet positions for Palin and Gingrich.
20 posted on 07/22/2012 4:25:26 PM PDT by Logical me
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