Romney: Bush blew it on stimulus

Politico ^ | February 27, 2009 | Ben Smith

[yongin]

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney blamed President George W. Bush for the Republican Party’s slow start in advancing clear alternatives to the stimulus package, and said the party needs a more unified voice if it is to stand up to the Democrats.

“I wish the president would have laid [a stimulus package] out before he left office, so that in September, October, November, December, there would have been a stimulus plan,” Romney said in an interview with POLITICO, adding that the GOP has yet to come up with unified policy proposals or a clear, positive voice.

“What’s challenging about being in the minority is we don’t have a spokesperson for our position who lays out a plan,” Romney said Friday.

Romney – who has himself re-emerged as a key national leader for his party — denied he has anyone in particular in mind to be that spokesman.

“I’m happy to have a role, [and will] aggressively seek the opportunity to have my viewpoint known,” he said.

But the former one-term governor and presidential candidate, a man of independent means and boundless energy, has undeniably thrown himself into the vacuum atop the Republican Party. One of a handful of Republicans who – people close to him say — can be expected to consider a bid for president, he has the particular advantage of focus.

Other possible presidential candidates are wrestling with home state budget deficits, President Barack Obama’s popularity, and their own local political options. Romney is, he says, on the national stage full time, writing a book of policy and ideas, and spending the balance of his days campaigning and fundraising for congressional Republicans.

The Republican Party has a tradition of returning to defeated primary candidates, from Ronald Reagan to John McCain, and Romney is putting himself in a strong position to continue it.

“If there are people thinking about 2012, It’s like, go get a life,” Romney told POLITICO in an interview in a Washington hotel before his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference, a key stop for ambitious GOP leaders.

Romney, former aides say, imagined campaigning in 2007 and 2008 as “America’s CEO.” But the dictates of Republican primary politics forced him on to the defensive, and into a thicket of social and religious questions where he spent the bulk of his campaign defending the moderate stances he had taken as a Senate candidate and governor in his liberal home state.

But now economic issues drown out all others, and Romney is back on familiar and comfortable ground for a professional turn-around artist who made his name in the private sector and with the Salt Lake City Olympics.

In the interview, Romney offered the mainstream Republican critique of President Barack Obama: At the urging of congressional Democrats, Romney said, he’s spending too much.

“At a time of economic crisis, you don’t start laying out an agenda of things we’d like but can’t afford,” Romney said, accusing Obama of having “abdicated the leadership” of the country to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Obama, he said, is pushing the country to “a point where we borrow so much” that fears of deflation and recession turn into “a collapse of a very different kind” – a run on the dollar, and hyperinflation.

Now, he says, with other critical policy battles rapidly approaching, Republicans can’t afford to repeat the mistake they made with the stimulus.

“It’s important that we come out with our plan first and that we say, ‘Here is the Republican healthcare plan, here is the Republican education plan, here is the Republican energy plan.”

Romney even appeared to chide radio host Rush Limbaugh, whose stated hope that Obama fails has become a major Democratic talking point, in his CPAC address Friday.

“In the last eight years, we saw how a president’s political adversaries could be consumed by anger, and even hatred,” Romney said. “We want our country to succeed, no matter who’s in power.”

Romney didn’t shy away from crowd-pleasing shots at Obama in his CPAC speech, blasting promises of expanding education and national service.

“It all sounds very appealing, until you realize that these plans mean universal government. That model has never worked anywhere in the world,” he said.

But the core of Romney’s case to his party is its need for a positive economic message, and a credible messenger.

“We must be the alternative course,” he told CPAC. “We can’t be that if all we say is no. Our plans must be clear, compelling, and first to the table. Our plans must have at least one common thread—they must make America stronger. Better education strengthens our kids; better healthcare strengthens our citizens; and bringing our budget into balance strengthens our economy and preserves our future.”

Romney also appears to be focusing in his personal life, scaling back property holdings that might make fodder for campaign attacks.

Politics, he said, has nothing to do with that decision.

“I’ve got four houses. They’re all large. I’ve got no kids at home. Very simply that doesn’t make a lot of sense,” he said. “We’re just trying to downsize to the scale of our life.”

He hasn’t made the planned move to a condo yet, however.

“Having something on the market and selling it are two different things right now,” he said. “I might be in the house in Boston for several more years.”

[haroldeveryman]

“Obama, he said, is pushing the country to “a point where we borrow so much” that fears of deflation and recession turn into “a collapse of a very different kind” – a run on the dollar, and hyperinflation”

I think Obama knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t particularly care about stimulus or economic growth down the road. He will using the bank crisis to put his social agenda in place (national health care and income redistribution). This will make us a less productive and poorer country even in the long term, after we get out of the present economic crisis.

Whatever the Bush admin did right or wrong, was intended to shore up the banks. But the economic consequences of Obama’s actions will be blamed on Bush.

[Captain Kirk]

Romney's criticism, IMHO, doesn't mean much. By supporting the bailout in the first place, which allowed Bush maximum discretion with the money, Romney helped to create the problem in the first place.

The only GOP leaders who have a right to criticize Bush with any consistency on this issue are the100 plus Republicans who refued to be panicked and voted AGAINST the bailout in the House and Senate. Why aren't we considering some of them for the 2012 nomination instead? If Romney runs, any Democratic opponent will make mince meat about his past record on this.

[GOP_Lady]

There is a difference between honest disagreement and deliberate misleading posts (and I am not referring to your posts). I don’t think there’s anyone here who does not appreciate honest disagreement.

[Logical me]

Romney blew it on the astronomical bankrupting Healthcare in Massachusetts...democrat in conservative clothes.

Oh, I see, so King Obama's health plan is better. Get used to it, there will be some sort of health plan in America. You cannot stop it. And we cannot afford it.

[Captain Kirk]

His criticism might be valid but why should we take it seriously if we look at his past record of supporting the massive bailout which is makes Bush’s stimulus look like chicken feed by comparison? Both the stimulus and the bailout were based on the same flawed Keynesian principle that we can spend our way to properity. Any Democrat in 2012 will be able to make mincemeat of Romney because of this inconsistencies. Intead, the GOP should limit its candidate pool to those brave Republicans (more than 100 in the House) who, unlike Romney, opposed the bailout when the chips were down.

[Kackikat]

Bobby Jindal is a Rhodes Scholar, just like Bill Clinton. Here Jindal made front page of their magazine
IN THE NEWS section:

http://www.americanrhodes.org/

[GOP_Lady]

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/196/15555/

[Kackikat]

No alcohol before lunch, please...NOWHERE have I ever supported the Obama healthcare plan....or his budget or the huge stimilus Pelosi just wrote and Obama signed.

[Diogenesis]

GOP_Lady: "I agree with that. Let the people who use mass transit pay the tax for mass transit."

How Romney is THAT?

What you claim is NOT what I posted, is it? (as you know)

What was posted showed that Romney raised taxes in several states when he was Governor of one.

[Diogenesis]

Of course, your tin god Romney is allowed to be misleading.
Romney is allowed to take both sides of every issue.
Romney is allowed to be elected from the GOP but rule as a socialist de novo.
Romney is allowed to mutate.
Romney is allowed to put in judges who release murderers.

Probe: Mitt missed chance to keep Tavares jailed - Could have nixed killer’s early exit

Friday, December 28, 2007 - Boston Herald
"Former Gov. Mitt Romney’s administration failed to act on disciplinary recommendations
that would have kept ex-con killer Daniel Tavares locked up another year -
and behind bars at the time he was accused of killing a newlywed couple in Washington state."

"Despite Tavares’ long history of violence, the Romney-led Department of Correction
took no action on recommendations that he be stripped of “good time” because
of assaults on prison guards in 2003 and 2005, said sources familiar with a state probe into the case."

[Captain Kirk]

A lot rhetoric, some of it sensible, but the end result was that he supported this monstrosity and now we are forced into two choices: nationalization or another bailout. Please note that Mitt cites Paulson and Bernanke as credible sources in this interview!

Mitt can speechify all he wants and rationalize all it whats, but nothing can change that fact. The true heroes were the House Republicans who voted no when everything on the line.

[taildragger]

Can someone please photo shop that photo" "Awe Jeez not that S&!+ again" with Romney's face and say: "Awe Jeez not that MITT again"

I am so tired of this guy, we are so over him and the Huckster. Steele ain't far behind....

[Diogenesis]

[taildragger]

ROTFLMAO !!!!

Dude, I don't know where you are but I owe you a Cold Beer !!!

You have created an instant Classic! look at the RINO background!

[Captain Kirk]

This is from Romney's blog in October:

In a meeting with local reporters, Romney praised Porter for his "leadership" and "courage" in supporting a Wall Street rescue plan that will stabilize the economy. If nothing is done, "it has the potential of really unraveling our system," Romney said.

By campaigning for this leap to socialism, Romney did incredible harm to this country.

[Diogenesis]

We both owe the true composer and Jim Robinson a cold beer.

[taildragger]

Here here....

Perhaps if we have a huge Rallye/Tea Party in DC this Summer we can do so then.....

[Nextrush]

Romney is a good politician and he will swing left, right and wherever he needs to go to get votes.

Its now fashion to bash Bailout “Number One.”

A lot of GOP’ers supported it and some spoke at this CPAC thing.

Mitt Romney not sits in the annointed Bob Dole-John McCain Chair. We all know where that chair leads to......

[Recovering_Democrat]

Romney is right.

[Recovering_Democrat]

don’t know where you stand on mitt, etc. but kudos to you for speaking up to the people challenging your words.

i for one am irritated at every statement being made on FR taken as an affront by someone else...the audacity of others to act like they are the ONLY true conservatives on the board is lunacy.

i went to a tea party this weekend; we had conservatives from every stripe there—some obviously there for fiscal reasons only, others social. heck, some seemed to be a bit atheistic—but even though we had different points of view on different things, we all came together and worked to point out “a better way” to our fellow citizens.

the way some think on this board, you’d believe they seem to think THEY ought to be the oligarchs.

sorry for the rant. good night.

[County Agent Hank Kimball]

I don’t have a strong opinion about Mitt one way or another, but so what if the money he spent is “tax dedictible?”

I never understand people who make comments like this. MOST (I’m not saying you) people who throw around that term don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. So if he’s in the 35% bracket and it was 100% decutible, that means he’d get 35% of the millions he spent back. Big deal.

Sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. People don’t piss way money on things just becuase they’re tax deductible. Yes, it influences decisions in favor of deductible investments over non-deductible investments - hence mortgage tax deductibility. By no one says: “Hey I’m going to spend millions of dollars trying to get elected to office, because, hey, it’s all DEDUCTIBLE!”

Doesn’t work that way.

Hank

[Kackikat]

I agree with you, and there are some facts that have not been openly revealed by some of the Republicans. On Sept 15,2008 there was over 500 billion dollars withdrawn/transferred from banks in bank runs. Banks suspended , and that is right before Paulson and Bernake went to Bush, Congress for money and they did need it immediately as National Bankruptcy was staring them in face. Those withdrawals caused a stock market crash that lost 2 trillion dollars.
Now I am of opinion this was a preplanned attack to crash our economy, and nothing will change my mind. I don’t know who knew but I know why...it was to get Obama elected. I had been getting email newsletters from Offshore bank investors telling it was coming....so did someone create the bank run, as Charles Schummer did with his letter on Indymac???I don’t know.
There is much we don’t know, and finding out who knew and participated is difficult to get facts. Iceland went down first, and something happened to Central Bank of Europe, then we had the run on banks.

I don’t like this Admin’s plan or spending.

[GOP_Lady]

And a good night to you. :-)

And you’re not ranting.

[FormerLib]

Just say No! to the Stepford candidate!

[MeanWestTexan]

Placemarker to steal this.

[Kackikat]

Hey, although I’m not a PBS fan, this interview of Gingrich’s family, friends, coworkers (although older 90’s I believe) give some insight we need to think about as Newt is rising in popularity in Republican party. There are some things that shocked me...thought I’d pass it on for your opinion.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/vanityfair2.html

[Earthdweller]

That was like a tell-all book. Interesting tho.

Newt is a socially challenged genius. I wish we could tap into that genius somehow without the other baggage. People tend to mellow with age...who knows.

[Kackikat]

It was the part that he would move left, if the country was moving left, that shocked me the most...that isn’t a good thing. Thanks for feedback.

[Earthdweller]

Yep..the moving left part is probably a trait that most of our "politicians" are afflicted with. Whatever gets you elected. Fortumately his moving left isonly speculation, while others are living it.

And people wonder how we have gotten to this point in the march to social fascism.

Thanks again.

[BarnacleCenturion]

The bank bailout had nothing to do with Keynes. Its purpose was not to stimulate the economy through government spending but to keep the banking system from disintegrating.

The notion sold by Paulson was that the banking system was on the edge of the abyss and a one time government intervention could keep it from falling and bringing with it the rest of the economy. When you have a systemic risk of that nature an intervention is reasonable even if you`re a little pragmatic.

Romney opposed the auto bailout and the obama stimulus plan. He said Bush should have preempted obama by proposing a stimulus plan last year based on tax cuts.

[BarnacleCenturion]

That`s all well and good but the fact you`re leaving out is that the government broke the mortgage system (ie. subprime loans) so now the government has to fix it. The free market was corrupted when the government intervened the first time by creating the subprime loans and now we are paying the bill.

[Kackikat]

It may be time to support a true conservative not part of a political machine, and who really represents truth. It’s too soon to tell how the Republicans will go, but I won’t support another McCain, it was Palin I actually put forth as her experience was the best as a Governor. Mayor, Governor, President is a natural progression. The media will want to control the next election too. If there isn’t a conservative media that arises, then we will be beating our heads against a brick wall, unless they are tired of Zero.

[Earthdweller]

Good points.

[Captain Kirk]

That`s all well and good but the fact you`re leaving out is that the government broke the mortgage system (ie. subprime loans) so now the government has to fix it.

Here's where we disagree. I don't think that politicians can "fix" this with more medieval blootletting (e.g. more debt and bailouts). The only way to fix a "corrupted" free market for the government get out of the way. I simply don't share your apparent faith in politicians to cure problems they created. BTW, history is my side!

[Captain Kirk]

The notion sold by Paulson was that the banking system was on the edge of the abyss and a one time government intervention could keep it from falling and bringing with it the rest of the economy. When you have a systemic risk of that nature an intervention is reasonable even if you`re a little pragmatic.

Pragmatic? A better word would be gullible as in Paulson "sold" the gullible Romney a bill of goods. Opponents of the bailout predicted that the the politicians and the bankers would waste this money (only common sense) but Romney and company said it would "stablilize" the system and "inject liquidity) said it was "temporay."

The critics have proven right at every turn. Because of this bailout, we are probably headed toward bank nationalization or a another bailout. Wasn't Romney's bailout supposed to stablize the situation? If Romney was such a financial genius, he would have anticipated this disaster, just as opponents did.

[mountainbunny]

That`s all well and good but the fact you`re leaving out is that the government broke the mortgage system (ie. subprime loans) so now the government has to fix it. The free market was corrupted when the government intervened the first time by creating the subprime loans and now we are paying the bill.

If you can not or will not understand that the government is incapable of "fixing" the free market, and should get out of the entire mess, I cannot help you do so.

It does, however, completely explain your support of Mitt Romney.