..and for the 'Rules'
Posted on 03/16/2012 5:42:58 PM PDT by smoothsailing
March 16, 2012
By STAR PARKER, Scripps Howard News Service
After Rick Santorum's victories in Tuesday's Alabama and Mississippi primaries, Mitt Romney told Fox News, "We're not going to go to a brokered convention."
But those who put their money where their mouths are, buying contracts on the Intrade.com online prediction market, assess the picture much differently. The latest Intrade.com probability that the Republican nominee will be selected in a brokered convention is 21.5 percent. This same probability stood at 5 percent in early February.
Ed Rollins, the veteran campaign manager and consultant who ran President Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign to a landslide victory, wrote after Santorum's winning performance: "It's now clear, it's a fight all the way. ... We haven't picked half the delegates yet and there is no inevitable winner."
It's significant that there is so much talk about a brokered convention when the current primary system is designed to avoid exactly that and when it hasn't occurred in years.
Perhaps the question worth re-asking is why Romney -- well into his second presidential campaign, with financial resources many orders of magnitude greater than his opponents' -- remains so weak.
Three major trends are worth noting, all of which are unflattering to the Romney candidacy.
One is that the Republican Party itself has become more conservative over the last decade.
In a 2000 Gallup poll, 62 percent of Republicans identified themselves as conservative. By 2011, this was up to 71 percent. So, in his own party, Romney's tepid conservative credentials hurt him.
What seems to be sustaining his candidacy, beyond his prodigious financial resources, is a notion that a more moderate Republican candidate will do better in the general election against Barack Obama. But this is also a dubious assumption.
The second major trend is that independent voters also have become more conservative. In 2000, 29 percent of independents self-identified as conservative. By 2011, this was up to 35 percent.
Third, the number of voters identifying themselves as independent is at an all-time high of 40 percent.
Gallup explains this surge in independents reflects "record levels of distrust in government" and "unfavorable views of both parties."
So, over the last decade, voters overall have become more conservative and more sensitized to looking for authenticity in a candidate.
Romney comes up short on both counts. His conservative credentials are easily questioned.
And at a time when voters put a premium on authenticity, a candidate like Romney doesn't sell well. He comes off as the political equivalent to a 1997 Aqua song with the lyrics: "I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world. Life in plastic, it's fantastic."
The attempt to offset all this with the claim that, as a successful businessman he knows how to fix the economy and restore prosperity, also stands on feet of clay.
Reagan stands as the leadership icon for turning the nation around from recession and inflation to prosperity. He had no background as a businessman. His strong suit was his understanding of, and absolute commitment to, conservative principles.
President Jimmy Carter, who had a background as a successful businessman before becoming governor of Georgia, led the nation to the brink in the 1970s. Reagan defeated him in 1980.
As Karl Rove convincingly argued in The Wall Street Journal this week, Barack Obama is a weakened candidate.
Voters disillusioned with the Republican Party, and looking for the kind of authenticity I've mentioned here, voted for Obama in 2008. Now it's clear they got a boilerplate liberal who, like Carter, has also brought our nation to the brink.
Republicans have a real opportunity to restore credibility as a party and deliver the kind of candidate that the nation needs.
It's why the conservative opposition to Mitt Romney, despite being massively outspent, remains strong and credible.
Far from being over, this Republican race is just getting started.
..........................................
(Star Parker is an author and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Reach her at http://www.urbancure.org )
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com )
Out of 1,000 seats at a Country Music theater here, I’d estimate 900 were filled this morning to hear Rick Santorum in Osage Beach, MO.
It would certainly be beyond embarassing to admit to being a Democrat these days.
..and for the 'Rules'
Hey Eric..How’d he do?
“Romney’s tepid conservative credentials hurt him”
His “successful” business career must hurt him more, if only the people knew how he made his fortune ...
“In 1990 Bain Capital purchased the controlling interest in Damon Corp. a
Medical Testing Company…. Mitt Romney joined the Board of Damon Corp.
to help manage the Company…… two whistle blowers tipped off the
government and Medicare Fraud Charges were brought against Damon Corp.
In 1996 Damon Corp Plead Guilty to Frauding Medicare, they were fined
$35,273,141.00 as a criminal fine in addition to $83,726,859.00 to
resolve related liabilities.. Total Fines 119 Million Dollars.”
http://www.redstate.com/williamjameson/2012/01/20/mitt-romney-involved-in-medicare-fraud/
At The Time, Largest Criminal
Fine In Massachusetts History: “The settlement … would mark the
largest criminal fine ever levied in Massachusetts.” (Kimberly Blanton,
“Needham Lab Fined $ 119m For Fraud,” The Boston Globe, 10/10/96)
“Mitt Romney, former
Republican challenger to US Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was a member of
Damon’s board, said he was unaware of any investigation.” ....
But later, as A Gubernatorial Candidate, Romney Claimed He Helped “Uncover”
And Stop The Fraud At Damon...
Federal Investigators
Rebuffed Romney’s Claims, Saying The Fraud Continued Until Bain And
Other Owners Sold Damon To Corning In 1993. “A spokesman for Romney, Eric
Fehrnstrom, said Thursday that Romney and other board members helped
uncover the fraud at Damon after similar fraudulent practices were found
at another laboratory in 1992. … But court records, including
statements by prosecutors and by Damon officials, indicated that the
fraud continued until Corning purchased the firm. Prosecutors gave
Corning sole credit for cleaning up the fraud.” (“Report: Mass.
Candidate Romney Profited From Sale Of Firm That Later Admitted Medicare
Fraud,” The Associated Press, 10/10/02)
When Romney boasts how successful he has been in business, people must be reminded that he made millions by defrauding Medicare, among other muddy affairs...
is that like he “saved” the Olympics being a credential (with massive amounts of federal dollats)?
He's weak because he is a bad candidate that virtually no one is excited to vote for. I've never actually met anyone who was looking forward to a primary to vote for Romney. I actually still don't know any real, live Romney supporters. Oh sure, I know there are lots of people who think he is the best option - but Mitt inspires pretty much no one.
Romney is a poor candidate who had enough financial resources and organization to dissuade many of the better alternatives to stay out of this election cycle.
Thanks, I wasn’t aware of the “Rules”! Star is a looker! :)
And like he boasted during the gubernatorial campaign in Mass. in 2002, that he knows how to get plenty of money from Washington. He indeed got $600 million to implement Romneycare ...
Star Parker is Awesome; and she hasn’t gone native like other supposedly “conservative” women like Ann caugh Coulter.
Star is a wonderful human being...
If not, then what is it that makes them believe Romney to be the most qualified candidate to take on an incumbent President whose entire adult life has been dedicated to the principles of redistribution and government rule over people?
It's one thing to argue about issues. Anyone can do that.
What's required between now and November is a patriot who can articulate, explain, and defend the principles essential to freedom for individuals in a society.
That's why ordinary people are not convinced that Romney should be the one person standing between their grandchildren's imminent descent into slavery to government, as opposed to a new day of freedom for rising generations.
Oh, how we need a Washington or a Jefferson!
Not me, the guy is a phony who spouts all matter of arglebargle to please a crowd. He's a fraud.
She’s a doll, a good and classy woman. Hers is the only radio show host whose show I’ve ever called and gotten on the air.
Romney skates for all of his dirty dealings; while Newt is pilloried for some minimal Fannie/Freddie consultation fees.
The truth is ignored by the GOPe, even as Romney’s endorsers are bought and paid for with his ill-gotten (tax-payers’) dollars.
The DNC & MSM are holding back until Romney is the nominee.
Politics or principles?
“The truth is ignored by the GOPe, even as Romney’s endorsers are bought and paid for with his ill-gotten (tax-payers’) dollars.”
Romney was the CEO of the Damon.Comp (getting $10 million a year for the “job”) during all the time of the fraud to Medicare. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE that he could ignore it, as he was managing the fraudelent operations!
“The DNC & MSM are holding back until Romney is the nominee.”
I’m sure Axelrod has a five-foot thick file on Mitt Romney.
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