Posted on 02/01/2012 4:32:22 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Mitt Romney's plastic and philosophically vapid campaign secured an easy victory in Florida on Tuesday night. Sunshine state GOP voters swallowed his "electability" argument whole, according to the exit polls.
It appears that country club Republicans have succeeded again in duping the GOP electorate into crowning a "centrist" Republican. Never mind that "centrist" Republicans rarely win the center. They usually lose the center while sapping the spirit of the party's conservative base.
Out of Bob Dole's and John McCain's tattered Big Tent steps another "reformed" RINO, Mitt Romney, who will receive, should he win the nomination, a similar thumping from the Democrats.
But let's say that he is "electable," for the sake of argument. Who cares? The purpose of politics in a republic is not simply to win but to win on sound principles. A party that pursues victory by scrapping or sidelining its platform will have no truth left with which to govern once it does.
If "electability" is the goal, why don't the politically correct plutocrats of the GOP just call for a one-party state? That way they could win every time.
The "electability" argument is bankrupt on both philosophical and practical grounds. It destroys the party's soul and guarantees defeat.
Even though Romney paid for this Florida win on his debit card -- outspending Newt by millions -- he still couldn't nail down the rank-and-file vote. Seven out of ten self-described conservatives didn't vote for him. This foreshadows the boredom and disgust that will keep conservatives home in the fall.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
"Mitt Romney’s across-the-board victory in the Florida Republican presidential primary on Tuesday night serves as a direct rebuttal to the criticism that he simply isn’t conservative enough to be the party’s nominee and leaves his remaining rivals with few obvious next steps as the nomination fight moves to Nevada next month."
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WRONG! It shows me that Mitt is liberal enough for a minority of GOP Florida voters and the GOP Establishment.
Conservative has NOTHING to do with Romney!
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The "WIN" -- By the numbers
Nothing cheap about it
He spent like Michelle Obama on vacation...
If Romney or Obama win conservatism is dead either ways.
A third party may have to emerge.
“The confederacy of weasels that is the GOP establishment couldn’t even find a moderate with an engaging personality to run. They settled on a robotic bore.”
Great line. Really nails it.
We may as well nominate Obama and guarantee a win in November.
They wanted Jeb (with the more pleasing Bush personality) but he has to wait for his turn.
It wasn’t a cheap win. It was a retarded investment.
Some thoughts:
$17 Million to win Florida on the hopes it won’t end being proportioned at the convention? Lame ass strategy.
$17 Million? $1 for every Floridian to gain a victory of those votes who are pliable?
In a state that has an open primary?
Really? How many actually Republicans voted for you, John McCain????
Florida and every other state who has an open primary are jokes and wastes of time.
There is a key word in there. And it has nothing to do with Romney being centrist and not conservative.
But even more importantly, the race has narrowed between a centrist vs an erratic flawed candidate. It seems there are dupes on both sides of the GOP primary process.
We need a POTUS who appreciates the value of tax-payers’ money.
If Romney would spend his own $millions so carelessly - imagine how he would spend ‘other peoples’ money.
This man has no concept of income earned by blood, sweat and tears. He does not connect with average Americans in any area of common life experiences. He has led a life of privilege and isolation.
You Betcha.....
One must truly pause and wonder!
Very good observation!
I guess the Establishment doesn't care how much it costs because they need someone to make sure the K-Street to Wall-Street Bailout pipeline runs smoothly.
I heard the money spent for and by Romney in attack ads the last 10 days was $20 Million. That's $2 Million a day; our ruling elites know that is a small price to pay to "take out" the bothersome conservative.
Is it time for the Tea Party to yank out the Repub nose ring and strike out on its own course?
Blithely following Romney doesn’t smell healthy, nor does 4 more years of Obomination.
Mama, help me!! Mama griss, that is?
And, considering his having been sh*t upon by the FL GOP, Allen West might be a good man to lead that indie ticket, too.
Fl is a closed primary that is why Ronny nutter was crushed .
The Dems could not vote .
Really well written editorial. I love that the author focuses on Romney’s corny, plastic, philistine persona. Compare it to Newt - who has a vast well of learning that he can draw upon in debates and speeches.
To date, Romney’s only comment on our culture is a reference to a 50 year old sit com. The remark didn’t even make sense.
Florida actually has a closed primary.
But aside from that, his investment of $17 million (I have read it was closer to $25 million) on 50 delegates shows that maybe he’s not as smart as he thought he was. He’s hoping, of course, that by pulling out all the stops here and launching a barrage of vicious smears, he has permanently destroyed Newt’s image and kept him from projecting his message and his ideas on the issues. Thus Romney hopes not to have to spend that much in the succeeding states because he has already done his dirty work and established the meme here in Florida.
I honestly don’t think that’s going to work, though. I think we can turn this around, because Romney is simply unlikeable, has no ideas, cannot stand up to scrutiny on any issue in his past, and actually is not electable, his propaganda to the side.
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