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Philip Klein: Romney and the Right
National Review Online ^ | May 22, 2012 | Philip Klein

Posted on 05/22/2012 2:54:18 PM PDT by neverdem

This November, millions of conservatives will find themselves in the familiar position of holding their noses to vote for a problematic Republican presidential candidate, because the alternative is far worse.

Although conservatives don’t exactly have fond memories of the candidacies of Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole in 1996 and Senator John McCain in 2008, the almost certain nomination of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has its own sting.

In 2010, tea-party energy swept a new generation of conviction conservatives into statehouses, governors’ mansions, and the U.S. Congress. Many on the right held out hope that the big payoff would be putting a principled conservative in the White House.

Instead, at a pivotal juncture in American history, the best hope for replacing President Obama now rests with a man who claims to be “severely conservative” with the same degree of conviction he once conveyed when claiming to be “progressive.”

In a new e-book, Conservative Survival in the Romney Era, I try to reconcile two competing responses on the right — disillusionment on the one end and a desire to reflexively fall in line behind Romney on the other.

Clearly, sitting out the election isn’t an option for conservatives, given the need to defeat Obama. On the other hand, refraining from criticizing Romney now that he’s the presumptive nominee would lead us down a treacherous path.

In 2000, the short-term desire to defeat Al Gore made conservatives overlook the dangers inherent in George W. Bush’s big-government “compassionate conservatism.” Then, as conservatives expended energy defending Bush from liberal attacks during his presidency, the Republican-controlled Congress tossed aside limited-government principles, and spending soared. It rose from $1.86 trillion in 2001 to $2.98 trillion in 2008, according to the Congressional Budget Office, an increase of 60 percent. Not only did Bush fail to reform entitlements, he actually expanded them — in the form of the Medicare prescription-drug law — by more than any other president since Lyndon B. Johnson.

As the United States hurtles toward a fiscal crisis fueled by runaway spending and an unsustainable welfare state, the nation cannot afford a repeat of this pattern under a Romney presidency. That’s why it is important for conservatives to make it clear early that they will have no qualms about criticizing Romney if he doesn’t run and govern as a conservative, although they will gladly give him their support when he earns it.

Clearly, a lot of conservatives are skeptical that the formerly pro-choice, pro–gun control, pro-mandate governor is genuinely committed to conservatism. But instead of rehashing the primary campaign, conservatives should look at productive ways they can keep pressure on Romney to make sure he adheres to a limited-government agenda on key issues such as tax reform, entitlements, and health care.

Ironically, one of the most frustrating aspects of Romney’s character — a calculating political nature that has enabled him to effortlessly reverse prior statements and positions — could prove essential to conservative efforts to pressure him into doing the right thing.

Critics of Romney who argue that he’s really a liberal and boosters who claim that he’s a true conservative both err by attempting to understand Romney through an ideological prism. In reality, he’s a businessman who wants to apply his well-honed management skills to the public sector. If one is to be successful in the business world, the important thing is to satisfy customers and maximize profits.

If Romney is convinced that conservatives will enthusiastically support him no matter what, then he’ll make the calculation that he has room to migrate left during the general-election campaign and throughout a potential presidency. But if he feels uneasy about his support among conservatives, he’s much more likely to run and govern from the right.

Rather than resting on their 2010 laurels, conservatives should work hard this year to put as many principled lawmakers as possible into Congress — people who won’t merely talk tough about shrinking government when a Democrat is in the White House, but who will be willing to resist calls for party unity and stand up to a Republican president if he tries to expand government.

Supporting Romney as the only alternative to Obama doesn’t mean that conservatives have to spend the summer and fall defending Romneycare to their friends or making excuses about his history of flipflops to their neighbors. By staying true to their principles, conservatives will not only feel better about themselves, but they’ll also improve the odds that Romney will run as a conservative in 2012 and govern as one if elected.

— Philip Klein is senior editorial writer at the Washington Examiner and author of the new e-book Conservative Survival in the Romney Era.



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012election; election2012; kenyanbornmuzzie; mittromney; romney
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1 posted on 05/22/2012 2:54:25 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

No ROMNEY. NO RomneyCARE.

NO MORE ROMNEY LIES.

NO MORE ROMNEY OVERRIDE OF CONSTITUTIONS.

NO MORE RINOS.


2 posted on 05/22/2012 2:58:02 PM PDT by Diogenesis ("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. " Pres. Ronald Reagan)
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To: neverdem

Nope. Not voting for evil.


3 posted on 05/22/2012 2:58:48 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (If you like lying Socialist dirtbags, you'll love Slick Willard)
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To: neverdem

I don’t see it as voting for a Republican. I see it as voting for the lesser of two Democrats. And the Democrats saddled us with McCain in 2008 as well.

With no Democrat challenger, we again got Democrat crossover voters mucking about with the process of REPUBLICANS determining their candidate.

I live in Texas where the past umpteen election cycles have provided me only Democrat and undeclared Democrat candidates for Governor (or “former” Democrats who were Dem through the years of Reagan and Bush).

I absolutely will vote against Obama in 2012.


4 posted on 05/22/2012 2:58:55 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Barack Obama has cut and run from what he called "the right war".)
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To: neverdem
<"Supporting Romney as the only alternative to Obama doesn’t mean that conservatives have to spend the summer and fall defending Romneycare to their friends or making excuses about his history of flipflops to their neighbors."

This is the first time the Republican party will have a nominee who's impossible to defend. I watched some of Hannity's show last week, and I marveled at the fact that he never promoted Romney's record or accomplishments......instead, he concentrated on Obama's villainy. How in the world can a presidential campaign be won with the sentiment, "Hey, at least I'm not the other guy!"

5 posted on 05/22/2012 3:04:08 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon (Time for a write-in campaign...Darryl Dixon for President)
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To: neverdem
Nope. Mitt? Never!

The author should spend his time and effort to endeavor to dump Mitt and get a small-gvernment traditional values candidate.

6 posted on 05/22/2012 3:04:30 PM PDT by donna (The fruits of Feminism: Angry fathers, bitter mothers, fat kids and political correctness.)
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To: a fool in paradise

I would prefer a demon in the White House to a Judas.


7 posted on 05/22/2012 3:04:56 PM PDT by Louis Foxwell (The day liberals grow up is the day tyranny ends.)
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To: donna

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”-John Quincy Adams


8 posted on 05/22/2012 3:07:35 PM PDT by maine yankee (I got my Governor at 'Marden's')
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To: fieldmarshaldj
Its kinda funny. Two of the people who voted to change the rules in Romney's favor after the Michigan primary were removed from their NRC seats the other day. Looks like Mitt may face a fairly hostile delegation from his "home state". The best part is that they got prime seats and hotel rooms for the convention in Tampa. Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
9 posted on 05/22/2012 3:08:10 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: neverdem

Mr Romney... night and day we will focus on 2016. You may have pulled this one off, but I will personally, doggedly primary a true conservative against you, if you win. If 2012 does not dissolve the GOP-e, then I will do my level best to gather around me those who will dissolve it in 2016. Do not rest on your nomination, we will never surrender and we will never give in.


10 posted on 05/22/2012 3:10:02 PM PDT by momincombatboots (Back to West by G-d Virginia.)
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To: neverdem

The author asserts that Obama will be far worse that Romney. I have to say I disagree. On the issues that matter to me, there is almost NO decernable difference between the two. To me, they are both socialist intent on bringing big government, nanny state control to America and in the process distroy the America I know and love.

I will not vote for either socialist.


11 posted on 05/22/2012 3:13:19 PM PDT by taxcontrol
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To: neverdem

For Americans, this will be the first time in our history that they have ever voted for a man who thinks he is becoming a God, and who will become an actual deity to be worshiped by his subjects, in his own heaven.


12 posted on 05/22/2012 3:13:19 PM PDT by ansel12 ( The first American vote for a man who believes that he will become literally God, an actual deity.)
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To: neverdem
Ironically, one of the most frustrating aspects of Romney’s character — a calculating political nature that has enabled him to effortlessly reverse prior statements and positions — could prove essential to conservative efforts to pressure him into doing the right thing.

Huh? Conservative efforts may be able to pressure him into saying the right thing (sort of -- he doesn't seem to know what conservatism is) . . . "doing" is another story!

13 posted on 05/22/2012 3:16:24 PM PDT by maryz
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To: neverdem
Ironically, one of the most frustrating aspects of Romney’s character — a calculating political nature that has enabled him to effortlessly reverse prior statements and positions — could prove essential to conservative efforts to pressure him into doing the right thing.

Critics of Romney who argue that he’s really a liberal and boosters who claim that he’s a true conservative both err by attempting to understand Romney through an ideological prism. In reality, he’s a businessman who wants to apply his well-honed management skills to the public sector. If one is to be successful in the business world, the important thing is to satisfy customers and maximize profits.

This is pretty much what I've been saying all along. The Romney-haters on this site insist that he's a genuine, ideological leftist. This is foolish. Romney gets along by going along. It is up to us to make sure that it is conservatism with which he finds himself going along.

We need to get Romney elected, get genuine conservatives elected to as many other offices as possible, and then start a morning-in-America nationwide conservative revival along the lines of the big tent, small government, free enterprise, fiscally conservative tea party movement agenda.

We conservatives have a lot of good young prospects coming up through the ranks. It is a tragedy that none were ready to assume the mantle this year but that's how it goes. We work with what we have now and set ourselves for steady progress over the longer term.

Start where you are.
Use what you've got.
Do what you can.

This is the way of success.

14 posted on 05/22/2012 3:21:09 PM PDT by rogue yam
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Boop Their Noses – They’re So Cute!

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15 posted on 05/22/2012 3:26:54 PM PDT by TheOldLady
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: Diogenesis
Looking at the track record of Congressional Republicans, and the way the party apparatus works to control outcomes of Congressional votes, it is difficult to believe that a Republican Congress will hold a Republican President's feet to the fire, no matter how leftwing his proposal.

There's a good chance the Supreme Court knocks it down this June.

Replace with what?

We don't need a replacement, we need t hg e federal government out of the health care business.

Will Congressional Republicans kill a Republican President's replacement heath care program? Don't bet on it.

17 posted on 05/22/2012 3:44:48 PM PDT by CharacterCounts (A vote for the lesser of two evils only insures the triumph of evil.)
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To: Diogenesis
Looking at the track record of Congressional Republicans, and the way the party apparatus works to control outcomes of Congressional votes, it is difficult to believe that a Republican Congress will hold a Republican President's feet to the fire, no matter how leftwing his proposal.

Consider health care:

There's a good chance the Supreme Court knocks it down this June.

But Romney wants to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Replace with what?

We don't need a replacement, we need the federal government out of the health care business.

Will Congressional Republicans kill a Republican President's replacement heath care program? Don't bet on it.

18 posted on 05/22/2012 3:48:46 PM PDT by CharacterCounts (A vote for the lesser of two evils only insures the triumph of evil.)
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To: neverdem

This whole campaign season is rather novel for me. If I turn on the news and there’s a Crossfire-style segment with pundits representing Obama versus Romney, I turn it off. If I click on to talk-radio and the discussion is defending Romney, I click it off. I see Romney giving a speech on tv, I turn it off just like I turn off Obama’s. This is a total reversal for me, after three decades as a political junkie.

During election cycles I’ve always had someone to root for each time, but this time, I can’t get myself the least bit invested in the proceedings. It all seems so pointless. The only thing left that manages to somewhat get my pulse-rate up is the potential of Tea Party type candidates to successfully oust the old-guard GOP-e into a well-earned oblivion.


19 posted on 05/22/2012 3:49:05 PM PDT by greene66
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To: neverdem

RomneyCare.

That’s all I ever need to know.


20 posted on 05/22/2012 3:59:57 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (The Presidential Race is about the relative light reflectivity of your Slavemaster.)
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