Putting the Electability question to bed!

Have you noticed how few of the Mitt Romney supporters back him because they believe he would be the best President?  The reason to support Romney has always been, “He can win.” Is that so? What is it about a guy whose record winning elections would earn him a trip back to the minors if he were a big league starter that should make us so convinced he is the only one who can go up against the “big bat” of the incumbency and get the put out? Why should we assume that though Santorum would be far and above the better President we should select Romney because he’s the best candidate?

Some will say Romney has money. This is true and he has proven that when he can outspend an opponent 5-1 he does fairly well. He won Florida and came in a close second in Iowa with his spending; he then rode the momentum from Florida to win Nevada. Is that impressive?  The only wins he has without a media blitz smear assault are New Hampshire and Maine, and if a New England Governor can’t win those that would be a story. Meanwhile Santorum has done more with less than nearly any campaign in recent history. He won Iowa than swept Colorado Minnesota and Missouri, and will undoubtedly gain a great deal of financial support now that the conservative base seems to be solidifying around him. This is important because the Republican nominee will not be able to outspend Obama 5-1, not to mention the millions of free advertising the traditional media will give him. The problem with Gov. Romney’s attempts to “buy” the nomination is that his ads are high in why-not-vote for the opponent (even if the facts he uses are at times suspect) and very thin in the why-vote for me factor. Further, though this is a subjective opinion, I do not see Gov Romney going after Obama nearly as viciously as he did Newt, even though you don’t have to take any of Obama’s quotes out of context or exaggerate his record to make a very persuasive argument.

The second reason we are told we need Romney is that he will attract moderates and independents. (I addressed this in my first ever post on 3/24/11) let us recall that 42% of this country considers itself conservative and only 21% liberal. To win a general election a Republican must first win the conservative base. A strong conservative will have no trouble winning over 10-12% of the moderate vote if he excites the conservative base. This is how Reagan won a 49 state landslide. I would say even if you concede that Romney is more attractive to moderates (which I do not) than if he cannot win over the conservatives which he has yet to do, he would need to dominate the moderate vote by unrealistic percentages. Santorum on the other hand would rev up the conservative base and moderates would respond to the excitement of those supporters.  

What no one claims would propel Romney to victory is his record. I am certain the next round of trash the conservative from the Romney camp will focus on two votes on Santorum’s record. Certain earmarks that brought federal funds to Pa and the prescription drug plan for Medicare. Legitimate points, though I do not doubt Santorum has answered them to the satisfaction of most conservatives. In spite of this Santorum offers a clear sharp contrast between his own ideology and that of the President. With Mitt we are weakened on three of our greatest points of debate. First is TARP Romney and Obama support and defend it. The second is the global warming hoax. Romney and Obama believe in it, though Romney’s position may still be evolving. The third and most damning for Romney is health care. Romney vows to overturn Obama-care because the federal government lacks the authority to impose it but he does not oppose any aspect of it on moral grounds. In fact Romney care which is virtually identical to Obama-care still has the support of the Mass governor who implemented it  some where in the core of his being Mitt Romney, like Obama, believes that government is better suited to make health care choices than is the individual. It is difficult to get exited about Romney as a capitalist when he rejects the free market in healthcare in his own state, in fact he sabotages it. I find it hard to see Mitt Romney as a champion of limited government when he believes that government, albeit state not federal, has the right to force individuals to purchase products they may not want.

I find it very difficult to see Romney as a champion of liberty when he as governor refused to exempt religious hospitals from giving emergency contraceptives and abortives to certain patients. Obama is disregarding religious liberty in the same way.

Neither Romney nor Santorum have any major ethics gaps or great personal moral failings for the left to exploit, as was the case with Newt. Whoever the nominee is however they can expect to be beat up by the Obama attack machine which will make the Romney attack squad seem amateur.

Maybe Romney is better looking than Santorum? Beats me, I’ll let any ladies out there tell me about that. I am certain however that conservative women would not fall into that trap.

Personally I think the idea of voting for “the best candidate” as opposed to “the best president” is flawed from the get go. I will go for the candidate who I believe in every time. I think more people will than we realize and that makes Santorum not Romney the most electable candidate standing.

Until next time keep on the firing line!