The 'Inevitability' Vote (Thomas Sowell on Romney)

Creators Syndicate ^ | March 16, 2012 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

Many people may be voting for Mitt Romney because of the view in some quarters that he is the inevitable Republican candidate for President of the United States and the candidate with the best chance of beating Barack Obama, rather than because they actually prefer Romney to the other candidates. Inevitability has a very unreliable track record. Within living memory, totalitarianism was considered to be "the wave of the future." During the primary season, people should vote for whomever they prefer, on their own merits, not because pundits have pronounced them inevitable. Regardless of what the polls or the pundits say about Mitt Romney's chances of winning the Republican nomination, the conditions that made him the front runner in the primaries are the direct opposite of the conditions for the general election. The biggest single reason why Governor Romney is the front runner is that he has had the overwhelming advantage in money spent and in "boots on the ground" running his campaign in states across the country. Romney has outspent each of his rivals — and all of his rivals put together. His campaign organization has been operating for years, and it has put his name on the ballot everywhere, while neither Santorum nor Gingrich had a big enough organization to get on the ballot in an important state like Virginia. In the general election, President Obama will have all the advantages against Romney that Romney currently has against his Republican rivals. Barack Obama will have boots on the ground everywhere — not just members of the Democratic Party organization but thousands of labor union members as well. Incumbency alone guarantees the president plenty of money to finance his campaign, not only from enthusiastic supporters but also from businesses regulated by the government, who know that holders of political power demand tribute. And the mainstream media will give Obama more publicity than Romney can buy. How does anyone ever defeat a sitting president then? They do it because they have a message that rings and resonates. The last Republican to defeat a sitting president was Ronald Reagan. He was the only Republican to do so in the 20th century. He didn't do it with polls. At one point during the election campaign, President Jimmy Carter led Ronald Reagan with 58 percent to 40 percent in the polls. So much for the polls that so many are relying on so heavily today. The question is not which Republican looks better against Barack Obama in the polls today, before the general election campaign begins. The question is which Republican can take the fight to Barack Obama, as Reagan took the fight to Carter, and win the poll that ultimately matters, the vote on election day. The biggest fighting issue for Republicans is ObamaCare. Can the author of RomneyCare as governor of Massachusetts make that an effective issue by splitting hairs over state versus federal mandates? Can a man who has been defensive about his own wealth fight off the standard class warfare of Barack Obama, who can push all the demagogic buttons against Mitt Romney as one of the one-percenters? Rick Santorum, and especially Newt Gingrich, are fighters — and this election is going to be a fight to the finish, with the fate of this country in the balance. Mitt Romney has depended on massive character assassination advertising campaigns to undermine his rivals. That will not work against Barack Obama. Even a truthful account of the Obama administration's many disastrous failures, at home and abroad, will be automatically countered by the mainstream media, 90 percent of whom voted for Obama in the 2008 election. It is truer in this election than in most that "it takes a candidate to beat a candidate." And that candidate has to offer both himself and his vision. Massive ad campaigns against rivals is not a vision. Some, like President Bush 41, disdained "the vision thing" — and he lost the presidency that he had inherited from Ronald Reagan, lost it to a virtual unknown from Arkansas. The vision matters, more than the polls and even more than incumbency in the White House.

[jazusamo]

GO NEWT!

[jazusamo]

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[rawcatslyentist]

>"Within living current memory, totalitarianism was considered to be "the wave of the future present."

[RoosterRedux]

Mitt Romney has depended on massive character assassination advertising campaigns to undermine his rivals.

Dr. Sowell nails it as always.

And Romney isn't one to let the truth get in his way when destroying an opponent!

Our country hangs in the balance...and we get this Eddie Haskell character as our champion?

[vlad335]

Obama wants to face no one else but Romney. His whole campaign is geared up ready to defeat Mittens who will look like a deer in the headlights. He even had his surrogate, Donald Trump endorse Romney with a threat that he will run independent if Romney doesn’t get the nomination.

If Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination I AM STAYING HOME. I don’t care. We need someone to head off the collapse that’s coming and Mitt ain’t it. If he somehow wins the Presidency he will do nothing to avert the course we are on and the Republicans will be blamed for all time.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“Eddie Haskell character as our champion? “

LOL....hope Sowell reads this thread. He would appreciate that one.

[reaganaut]

Thank you Dr. Sowell!

[Logical me]

This is why Romney is no better than King Obama. This power hungry jackass decided to hell with the truth and bend it with money. His organization was similar to King Obama first election campaign. That scares me. I believe his motives is just power and not to restore the conservative Constitution we so heavily rely on for freedom. He is a corrupt businessman and will he do no better as President.

[rockinqsranch]

Excellent, and right on the mark again. Thanks for the ping jaz.

[trebb]

GO NEWT!

Yes! I noticed that the great Mr. Sowell didn't come right out for Newt in this article (other than to emphasize that he's more of a fighter than Santorum) as he did a week or so ago. I can't second-guess that great mind but would assume it's because not enough people took him up on going all-in for Newt and he doesn't want to taint Santorum.

GO NEWT!!!

[TheOldLady]

Dr. Sowell nails it again. Thanks, jazusamo.

[smoothsailing]

Rick Santorum, and especially Newt Gingrich, are fighters.

Those two need to work as a tag team, and take out Mittzy. Once that's done, they can run as a ticket and hash out who gets to be at the top to face Obozo.

[jazusamo]

Well said. That’s the only way I can see our party and country coming out ahead on this election. If Romney gets the nod it’ll be a disaster and I’m not believing any of this talk of a brokered convention.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Very visionary article and so true. Thomas Sowell knows what needs to be done.

[Gator113]

** President Newt Gingrich-”Our beloved republic deserves nothing less.”

[loveliberty2]

Thanks for posting! Sowell gets to the essence of things quickly, doesn't he? It's the "vision thing."

Coincidentally, on another thread earlier today, this was my post:

Not only does Romney seem to lack the ability to inspire us with the ideas of our Declaration of Independence from a "big government" tyrant (King George III), and the similarity of that King's actions to the tyranny we face today, but he also cannot convey the "vision" thing for our future which harmed Bush 1's candidacy years ago.

"The People" who make up the 60 - 70% of Republicans who don't vote for him likely have studied their American history accounts of Jefferson, Washington, Adams, and Madison, and are looking for a modern inspirational leader like Reagan--a man who had taken the personal time to immerse himself in the ideas essential to liberty, and was willing and able to recognize the enemies of freedom and to engage in a battle of ideas against the counterfeit ideas of socialism.

"His casual writing off of the President as "a good man who is in over his head," or that "does not understand how the economy works," is either naive or a dangerous deliberate mischaracterization."

[jazusamo]

Sowell gets to the essence of things quickly, doesn't he?

Yes he does and he does it consistently.

Dr. Sowell started speaking out against Obama nearly a year before the general election and he didn't waste any time speaking out against Romney on this go around. He's been right on the money with both and hasn't changed his views in the least with either.

Good post, Romney doesn't have the ability to inspire patriots due to his lack of vision.

[smoothsailing]

Just read some interesting old Gingrich quotes on brokered conventions...

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/smartpolitics/2012/03/gingrich_advocated_brokered_co.php

[Tax-chick]

What kind of an argument is, “You should support Romney because other people are going to”? A dumb one! I almost expected Dr. Sowell to say, “If everyone else was going to jump off a cliff, would you jump, too?”

[af_vet_rr]

Great article, sums up Romney’s chances (or lack of) rather nicely. He’s trying to sell something that RINOs will buy, but Conservatives won’t, and Conservatives know he can’t take the fight to Obama, Obama will bring it to him.

[loveliberty2]

Thank God that Sowell has a newspaper column for reaching the "masses" who are able and willing to read the wisdom of a truly great American intellectual.

Each, and all, of us, however, must find whatever means we can utilize to expose as many potential voters as we can reach with a glimpse of the "vision" America's Founders had for this place on the globe.

Their vision was for a place were Creator-endowed human beings, reacting to the call of the Supreme Being in their own consciences, and being aware of what they called "natural law," could live together with one another in "peace, liberty, and safety," (Jefferson's First Inaugural) under a system of self-government, whose elected "People's" representatives would be "bound down by the chains of the Constitution" (Jefferson again) they framed and adopted in 1787.

Love and respect for their unprecedented work and sacrifices have motivated millions of America's finest to join the founding generation in being willing to sacrifice their own "lives, property, and sacred honor" across these 200+ years.

Today, with the so-called "progressives," there is no "vision" for liberty--only a utopian dream of equality in misery under a political elite throughout the globe.

Here is an excerpt from a late-19th Century essay, which can be read at the Liberty Fund Library here.

"Freedom is the most valuable of all human possessions, next after life itself. It is more valuable, in a manner, than even health. No human agency can secure health; but good laws, justly administered, can and do secure freedom. Freedom, indeed, is almost the only thing that law can secure. Law cannot secure equality, nor can it secure prosperity. In the direction of equality, all that law can do is to secure fair play, which is equality of rights but is not equality of conditions. In the direction of prosperity, all that law can do is to keep the road open. That is the Quintessence of Individualism, and it may fairly challenge comparison with that Quintessence of Socialism we have been discussing. Socialism, disguise it how we may, is the negation of Freedom. That it is so, and that it is also a scheme not capable of producing even material comfort in exchange for the abnegations of Freedom, I think the foregoing considerations amply prove." EDWARD STANLEY ROBERTSON

Today is the day in America when the battle of ideas between Freedom and Socialism must be engaged by competent, knowledgeable spokesmen and spokeswomen who are presidential candidates.

That is why the topic of this thread is so very important to freedom lovers everywhere.

[Marguerite]

“The biggest fighting issue for Republicans is ObamaCare. Can the author of RomneyCare as governor of Massachusetts make that an effective issue by splitting hairs over state versus federal mandates?”

Romney has ZERO credibility, the days he says he will repeal Obamacare. Other days, he says he only will repeal parts of it, or he’ll hand waivers to friends, or he will not repeal it at all... With Romney I one never knows what Romney II would say the next day ...

[Still Thinking]

My recommendation for a WrongMe campaign slogan:

"Romney: Isn't it time to give up?"

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the link on Newts thoughts on brokered conventions.

If preventing Romney from the nomination takes a brokered convention I would hope Newt’s dream comes to pass. Over the years this would be the absolute best time for that to happen, Romney must not get the nomination.

[smoothsailing]

Stephen Hayes at the Weekly Standard has a commentary on the subject...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2860503/posts

It looks like it might just be the only way of denying Mittens the nomination.

[Patton@Bastogne]

"We have to frankly break the back of the secular-socialist machine, elect people committed to representing the American people, and then methodically rip the system apart."

~Newt Gingrich, 2012

====== NEWT GINGRICH'S GREAT 2012 CAMPAIGN SPEECHES ======





CPAC 2012 Speech -- Newt Gingrich, U.S. President Elect

CPAC 2012 Speech -- Sarah Palin, U.S. Vice President Elect



Nancy Reagan (1995) : Ronnie turned that Torch over to Newt



NRA Second Amendent Speech -- Newt Gingrich


U.S. Energy Independence in 2012 -- Speech

U.S. Energy Independence in 2012 -- Newt Gingrich


"America's Space Renaissance" in Florida !

Newt Gingrich -- Vision for America in Space Again



Why is Newt Gingrich So Angry ?

Newt Gingrich : South Carolina Victory Speech (2012-01-21)

Newt Gingrich : Christmas Day in 1776 George Washington's "Victory or Death"



Newt Stoutly Defends the Second Amendment (Right to Bear Arms)

Newt Gingrich – Constitutional Removal of Radial-Liberal Federal Judges



Newt Slams an "Increasingly Radical" EPA



Newt Defends Israel and Shows how the Palestinians are an "Invented" people !

Newt Warns against the Proposed 9-11 NYC Islamic Mosque and Islamic Sharia Law

Gingrich Compares Radical-Isalmics Muslims To Nazis

Newt Gingrich On The Threat Of Radical Islam

Newt Gingrich – America’s Defense of Judea-Christian Ideals and Defense against Islamic Fascism

Gingrich: Aggressive Prosecution of Radical-Militant U.S. Muslim Groups



Newt Gingrich: Response to CNN’s John King “Divorce Question”

Newt Gingrich to Juan Williams: Americans Want Paychecks, Not Food Stamps

Gingrich BLASTS Chris Wallace for his "Gotcha" Questions at Iowa Debate



Newt Destroys Ron Paul's Foreign Policy Vis-à-Vis Killing Osama bin Laden



Gingrich: My Credential Is 4.2% Unemployment

Newt Slams Obama's Stupidity on the Keystone Pipeline

Gingrich attacks Federal Reserve (Bernanke and Geitner) Deception and Corruption

Newt Discusses Job Creation and Dismantling Federal (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac)



Newt: No American President Should Bow to a Saudi King

Newt Gingrich: Super PAC Committee Is Washington's Dumbest Idea




=============================================



.

[GOPJ]

Romney has outspent each of his rivals — and all of his rivals put together. His campaign organization has been operating for years, and it has put his name on the ballot everywhere, while neither Santorum nor Gingrich had a big enough organization to get on the ballot in an important state like Virginia.

In the general election, President Obama will have all the advantages against Romney that Romney currently has against his Republican rivals. Barack Obama will have boots on the ground everywhere — not just members of the Democratic Party organization but thousands of labor union members as well.

Always interesting - thanks for the ping.

[Bobbisox]

BUMP TO THE TOP! Thomas Sowell nails it again.

I love to read his articles. It is now up to Louisians to bring Newt back to the top. I hope and pray Mr. Newt can somehow show Santorum is not the most conservative alternative to Romney.

Mr. Newt is magnificant, and it would be a real shame if we lose this opportunity for such a fine President. EAGLES UP MR. NEWT!

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I never understood why we wrote off and ignored our best conservative spokesman. Here he nails Obama as an outright Communist who will destroy this country. We need him again.

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/alan-keyes-the-truth-about-obama/4ac40525253bfd565eae4ac40525253bfd565eae-727761945991?q=alan+keyes&FORM=VIRE7

[Paved Paradise]

Yeah, just stay home, Vlad. Nothing like impaling oneself. I have been supporting Santorum. When Newt/Rick/Mitt gets the nomination, I’m going to GLADY pull the lever for whomever is on the GOP ticket. No matter what flaws you want to pull out, there is NO way any of them even come close to the buffoon we have now. Time to grow up.

[Paved Paradise]

That’s “GLADLY.”

[reaganaut]

You party over principle types are the reason the GOP has gotten so liberal that they are pushing a socialist (Romney).

I will stand on my principles, because the GOP has already left me.

[Paved Paradise]

You are a fool. I’m not a “party” over “principle” person. I’m someone who thinks Obama is going to turn this country into a living hell...and it’s well on it’s way. People who put on airs about having principles always crack me up. You think you have more principles than the rest of us. Sure you do. Meanwhile, you might as well just vote for Obama. Then you can sit at home and kvetch about how everyone else has ruined things for you, when all along it’s folks like you who will sit back on their principled haunches and allow the destruction to take place.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

You party over principle types are the reason the GOP has gotten so liberal that they are pushing a socialist (Romney).

Did you include me by mistake. I don't remember saying anything to indicate that.

However, now that you have brought it up, why would you consider yourself morally superior because you will sanctimoniously sit home and help elect an anti-Christ, anti-American, Communist all on the basis of what you consider to be "principle?" Do you not believe in the lessor of evils?

The reason the party has gotten so liberal is because the leaders foolishly chase the illusive and mythical mushy middle by softening our conservative approach. However, a rino is better than a Communists. Don't you agree?

[reaganaut]

Did you include me by mistake. I don’t remember saying anything to indicate that.

- - - -
No, I included you because you included me.

I will not vote for Romney EVER. I won’t stay home, and I never said I would. I will vote down ticket, but it is the GOP’s fault and I will no longer support a party who doesn’t represent me. As a Christian AND a Conservative, I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR MITT. The GOP is self destructing, that isn’t my fault.

Why would you go to the polls and vote for an anti-Christ, anti-American, Communist all on the basis of what you consider to be “principle?” (Romney). Romney IS A COMMUNIST just as much as Obama and the GOP elite knows a lot of you will bend over and take it. I did for McCain and NEVER AGAIN.

[reaganaut]

I’m not a “party” over “principle” person

- - - -
If you vote for Mittens, yes you are. Romney will be NO different that Obama...mark my words.

I can not vote for either. But I am sick of the GOP shoving RINOs and socialists down our throats.

[Paved Paradise]

Okay...so did you campaign (work) for the candidate you wanted? Did you donate money? I always DO something. I don’t just squeak away. Meanwhile, you have no idea that Mitt Romney is going to be the SAME as Obama. Meanwhile, although Mitt was not MY choice, nor is he MY favorite by any stretch, I think he is vastly different from Obama. Vastly. For one, he’s NOT a lefty. And that’s as different as night and day.

[Paved Paradise]

P.S. If it’s between Mitt and Obama and Obama wins, your NO vote is as good as vote for Obama. I’m sure the Left, the Media, and all who are on Obama’s side are just gleeful in knowing that there will be people like you.

[Paved Paradise]

If you think Romney is a Communist, you really need to recheck the definition. Sheesh.

[Paved Paradise]

You made such a good point. I wish MY perfect candidate was out there, but there is no such thing. All this weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth because Mitt/Newt/Santorum (or it could be anyone) has flaws. Oh my. Meanwhile, Reagan wasn’t perfect either. I see many adore and idolize him as if HE were the Messiah on the conservative side.

I’m committed to unseating Obama. After talking with many people, I keep hearing a lot of the same rhetoric. A friend of mine in Southern California said his guy was Cain (that was my choice, too, until all that nasty stuff happened and he withdrew). He likes Newt but doesn’t think Newt is going to do it so he’s going for Mitt. I’m a Santorum supporter. Like I told a lot of people, I’m practicing Blood-Type-Voting this year. Yeah, A-B-O. Anybody BUT Obama.

[JediJones]

LOL, you don’t think Mitt’s a lefty? Since he’s a proven, known liar, the only thing that matters is his record as governor. And there is no Republican governor I’m aware of whose policies were further to the left.

Scenario A: If RINO Romney wins and is unpopular, as he was as governor and is to an historic degree in this primary, the Democrats sweep Congress in 2014, as the opposition party always does when a sitting president is unpopular. Then they boot him out in 2016, in a repeat of 2006-2008. What follows is a hard-left majority government, which no doubt would abolish the mandate with pure socialized medicine, full abortion up to partial-birth coverage, big tax increases, shutdown of American energy production, etc.

Scenario B: If Mittsky Romneyev wins and is POPULAR, then conservatism as we know it is dead. We’ll get 16 years or more of GOP elite “moderate” rule. The only options to vote for will be left and hard-left. Expect every issue you care about to be compromised, which will mean liberals got most of what they wanted.

Scenario C: If Mitt loses, we can vote in a Republican conservative Congress in 2014 to continue gridlocking Obama. There’s very little Obama has done besides Obamacare that isn’t reversible under a new administration. That’s the benefit of forcing him to do everything by executive fiat. If Obamacare is overturned by the Supreme Court, then his worst legacy will be wiped out even before the election. Then in 2016 we get another chance to nominate a conservative against an unknown Democrat candidate.

We can keep letting the GOP’s hand-picked moderates go down in flames unless and until they and/or their sheeple party line voters finally get the message. If we want conservatism to win the day, it might make sense to do a strategic retreat in this presidential election if Massachusetts Mitt is the nominee.

[steveo]

I'm with you Vlad! I'm going to sit home too... I love the idea of the country in it's death throes as long as I can have my moral superiority.

I'm in no way a fan of Mitt but not voting against Obama is like giving your executioner advice on how to properly insert the IV.

[The Shrew]

The biggest single reason why Governor Romney is the front runner is that he has had the overwhelming advantage in money spent and in "boots on the ground" running his campaign in states across the country.

Dr. Sowell puts the hammer to the nail with this comment. I wonder what will happen when the Obamabots start questioning where those "boots on the ground" came from? Then you will get the leaks from minor campaign operatives that, "Yea, everyone I work with is from the local Mormon Temple." Next thing you know there will be stories in the NYTimes about the legality of church's supporting candidates and why should they have special tax exempt status. Then, there will be the FEC investigations about illegal contributions to the campaign in terms of time and money.

I swear to you that more tears are shed by answered prayers than by un-answered prayers. IMHO, The LDS church is going to regret the day Romney becomes the nominee.

Regards,

TS

[Paved Paradise]

What I hear you telling me is that should it come to Obama vs. Romney, you will allow another 4 years of Obama. How despicable. No wonder we are in trouble.

[Paved Paradise]

((applause))

[reaganaut]

I lived under Communism in Yugoslavia. I know the definition far better than most Americans and Romney is a Communist.

[reaganaut]

If it’s between Mitt and Obama and MITT wins, your YES vote is as good as vote for Obama. I’m sure the Left, the Media, and all who are on Obama’s side are just gleeful in knowing that there will be people like you.

Mitt is counting on people like you to just roll over and vote for the (R). You are being played.

If you vote for Romney, you are not a Conservative. Period.

[reaganaut]

so did you campaign (work) for the candidate you wanted? Did you donate money?

- - - -
Yes and Yes. I always do. And this election it was 3 different candidates as my first choices left (Bachman, Cain, now I’m behind Newt).

Yes, I do know Mitt will be the same as Obama, look at his record. Look at his lies. I know a whole lot of people like him, Mormonism breeds liars who are trained to say anything to get the results they want - it is called an LDS mission.

You don’t think Romney is a LEFTY?!?!? Have you been paying attention here? Romney is FAR LEFT. Just check out the Romney truth file here.

You need to wake up, boy. Romney is an evil lying liberal.

[Paved Paradise]

I feel sorry for you. First, let me just state that as a Christian, I put my faith in God, so regardless of the election, I know who is sovereign over my life and all things. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lie down and just let the socialists/lefties steamroll over me.

I completely disagree about your stance on Romney. He’s NOT my guy, but like I said, Anybody but Obama. And the only way you can be disproved is if he wins. Meanwhile, Santorum is starting to sound like a nut job.

I voted for Santorum in the Ohio primary. Romney won here. What do you want people to do? Meanwhile, why don’t you post some serious links that support your own wacked out ideas. If Romney was a true lefty, that means, everyone is in the dark and only you know the REAL truth. As for Newt, he had his chance back when and blew it...