Romney’s problem is
that he’s too nice
And too humble.
What he accomplished at Bain creating jobs is amazing. What he did in saving the Salt Lake Olympics
is nothing short of astonishing. How as
governor he managed Massachusetts – and yes, how he put through comprehensive
healthcare reform there – working with Democrats and Republicans in the bluest
of states, is something we haven’t seen in years from other politicians.
If you watched any of the Republican convention and saw the
testimonials from ordinary people about what he did for them and their families,
you couldn’t help but be moved. There
wasn’t a dry eye in the place, and perhaps none among the TV audience either.
So why doesn’t he talk about all this more?
I think he simply feels uncomfortable talking about
himself. He’s doesn’t want to brag. He thinks that all the selfless things he’s done
for others were not extraordinary, but just the right thing to do. If he were Jewish, they would be his mitzvahs
– good deeds done that are never spoken of; the responsibility of every good
person to help others in need.
There’s no doubt that he is an honestly good man. A good father. A good husband. A
pillar of his community. More
importantly, he’s someone who was always there to do what was needed solely out
of compassion and an intrinsic sense of duty to others.
Under any other circumstances, he’d be a saint. He would be – rightfully – admired for his
charitable work, his own personal sacrifices for others and all the good things
he’s done.
There’s also his business and governing success to
consider.
He’s proud of what he accomplished at Bain, but rarely
speaks about how Bain helped build companies like Staples, or helped pension
funds that invested in Bain.
In governing Massachusetts, he reduced their debt and
brought them back from impending financial disaster – and he did that by
working with the largely Democrat legislature.
At the same time, he put together a comprehensive health program that
worked for that state.
He rarely talks about those accomplishments, either.
He’s demonstrated that, unlike a lot of our current
politicians, he is willing to reach across the aisle, put party interests
aside, and make the compromises needed to get what’s required.
Again, under any other circumstances, he’d been the perfect
model for what we want and need as President.
Solid business experience. Proven
experience in governing. Openness to reasonable
compromise and a willingness to put party politics aside to achieve the best
result.
So why is he taking such a hammering in this election cycle? (Especially against a President who has no
business experience, no apparent competency in running the government, and an
unwillingness to consider any ideas but his own.)
The simple fact is that Romney’s humility is killing him.
Unlike Obama, who has no problem claiming credit for
everything positive and blaming G.W. Bush for anything negative, Romney is a stand-up
guy who has trouble taking credit even where credit is due. Maybe he thinks it’s unseemly. He has to get over it, if he wants to
win.
He needs to change his attitude. He needs to stand up for what he’s done. He needs to be more out-there with his
accomplishments. He also needs to let
the public know that he’s not just some rich fat cat who only cares about
himself and other rich people. He’s put
his own skin in the game when it mattered to ordinary people; not enough people
know this.
Another drawback – at least in the eyes of the media – is that
he’s honest. What he said at that taped Republican
fundraiser – while not politically correct – is undeniably true.
People not paying any taxes aren’t interested in tax reform –
it’s working just fine for them now.
People who feel they are “victims” and deserve special treatment won’t
vote for Romney – he promotes personal responsibility. And the Palestinians don’t want peace.
Anything in those three statements that wasn’t true?
Candidly, for Romney to win he has to overcome three
obstacles. Obama. The media.
And himself. He can’t do anything
about the first two, but he can do something about himself.
If his fear is that he’ll lose the far right by claiming
credit for healthcare in Massachusetts, or governing toward the middle, he
should realize that the far right will vote against Obama no matter what. They’d vote for a ham sandwich instead of
Obama.
Plus, for all the frenzy over the individual mandate – which
was part of the Massachusetts plan – the mandate is actually a good idea in principle
and nothing to be ashamed of. Conservatives
came up with the idea years ago long before the Democrats. It only makes sense that everybody pays into
their own healthcare.
It’s the rest of ObamaCare that’s a complete mess. It’s an incredible mash up of bad ideas and
even worse ideas, coupled with bribes, political payoffs, exemptions for the
politically connected, sweeping and costly new bureaucracies, all wrapped in a ponderous
piece of legislation that Congress didn’t read before they passed it. That makes it perhaps the biggest piece of
stealth legislation ever. And with a
provenance like that, you can be assured that virtually nothing good will come from
it.
So what’s Romney to do to turn things around?
Step up. Stand
up. And don’t be afraid of telling
people who you really are and what you’ve accomplished.
It’s no time to be humble. Obama certainly isn't.
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