My Case for Mitt Romney
Alecia T. Williams

Last week several polls continued to reflect a likability gap between President Obama and Mitt Romney–a 26-point spread in some polls.

The left is seizing on the President’s “empathetic / buddy image” and in contrast are relentlessly trying to portray Mitt Romney as a wealthy individual who is out-of-touch with struggling Americans.

The media is clearly helping.  How many times have we heard about “a couple of Cadillacs” compared to in-depth discussions of Obama’s tax returns and his $790,000 income?

(Last time I checked, $790,000 dwarfs the income of everyone I know).

Does all of this matter and is it possible for Mitt to bridge the gap?  How will these sentiments actually impact the vote this fall?

I would argue that although “likability” is an important influence in the way people vote, the November election is going to be driven by a yearning for economic stability.

Fortunately for Mitt, his experience in driving the economy and his record of job creation completely overshadows the President’s dismal record of addressing these very issues.

I truly believe that Mitt Romney’s experience will be the game changer of this election.

Fox News and CNN released polls last week which although supported the evidence of the likability gap, the polls also showed that Romney was viewed substantially stronger on the economy.  When asked, “which candidate do you think has the best experience to fix the economy?”  Mitt Romney won every time.

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Americans are tired and we are yearning for improvement.  We are aching for economic stability.  We are longing for prosperity and we are desperate for something better.

So for now, it appears that the election is shaping up to be a choice between “likability” and “qualifications.”

What will be the tipping point?

A few reasons why I believe that the White House should be nervous:

1) The Economy
Mitt Romney will continue to make the case that our economy is fragile and that three years of economic performance under this President has been disappointing and dismal at best.  The truth remains: recovery from the recession has not happened, millions of Americans are still out of work, millions of people are still losing their homes and job creation in this country remains unpredictable.

Image source: InlandPolitics.com

And it is not as if President Obama hasn’t tried to fix it.

Obama’s unprecedented $4 trillion stimulus didn’t work.  It only demonstrated that spending borrowed money doesn’t effectively stimulate the economy.

In contrast, Mitt Romney’s 25 years of job creation will inevitably portray him as a seasoned-economic manager whose skill-set has time and again led to unprecedented economic growth and opportunity.

2) Immoral Deficits
For decades, we have watched our government borrow and spend unthinkable amounts of money.  Money which is burdening our citizens and forcing a risky dependency on foreign countries.  The debt today stands at $15 trillion (US Debt Clock).  Can it ever logistically be repaid?

Under this President we have watched our government place huge bets on very expensive and unproven programs.  The impact of his policies has been insignificant and weak.  As I argued here, the President asked us to place a $4 trillion bet with tax payer money.  We have nothing to show for it.

In contrast, Mitt Romney’s approach to the economy is much different.  His resume unveils a seasoned manager who has years of being accountable with other people’s money.  He is a disciplined leader who responsibly identifies “Wants vs. Needs.”

His influence will be a refreshing and moral approach to our government’s spending habits.

He did it as Governor of Massachusetts.  He eliminated wasteful programs, he combined inefficient government agencies and he successfully closed a $3 billion dollar budget shortfall.  He did it without raising a single tax.  He did it without borrowing a single dollar.

These are the kinds of results that are possible under the direction of a disciplined, economic manager who understands how the economy works.

Image from mittromney.com

One of my favorite Mitt Romney campaign slogans is, “We have a moral responsibility not to spend more than we take in.”

I couldn’t agree more and I believe that message will resonate with voters.

3) Empathy vs. Solutions
A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that 49 percent of those questioned think that President Obama “better understands the economic problems people are facing in this country.”

It would appear on the surface that President Obama has the upper hand on the “Empathy Factor.”

psychicbutsane.com

So how does Mitt address it?  I would argue that he simply needs to ask one simple question, “Does caring about someone’s problems grant that person the ability to know how to fix those problems?”

The answer is of course not.

While I believe that President Obama truly cares about our economic problems, his attempts to fix those problems have failed.

Under this president’s watch, social welfare programs for the poor have nearly doubled.  Furthermore, more than 2.6 million Americans have dropped out of the middle class and are now living below the poverty line. (CNN poverty rate index report).

The truth remains: Empathy doesn’t grant an ability or skills to solve problems.

I firmly believe that this is why the White House should be nervous.  This is the message that will resonate with voters.

Perhaps this is why a CBS News/New York Times poll released Wednesday, found Mitt Romney in a dead heat with President Obama for the White House.

2012 is a pivotal election year.  The future of our economic prosperity and stability will hinge on its outcome.

Although President Obama may be a likable guy who is concerned about the poor, his efforts haven’t been able to help us emerge from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Mitt Romney simply needs to remind Americans that we deserve more, that prosperity is attainable and that we should not be content with the state of this economic recovery.

America deserves better.

Americans will see that we will benefit from Romney’s resume and I would argue that voters will see that it is time to let a professional to do the job.

Go Mitt!

Please read more about why I believe that Mitt Romney is the right leader, with the right experience, who has emerged at the right time.
My blog: yesmittromney.blogspot.com

As the party’s nomination process becomes clear in recent days, I have heard some in the Republican Party suggest that they’re going to sit out the general election, as some form of protest vote. They assert that because they’re “sick and tired of the media or the establishment thrusting moderates on us”, they’re staying home.

These same folks suggest that in 2016, the party will be able to “start over”, win hearts and minds and somehow, this will allow the party to put up a “true conservative” candidate. There is at least one major flaw in this rationale. How much further down the road to Greece or Portugal are we today as a result of Barrack Obama’s decision making? Do these folks honestly think that four more years of Obama’s handouts are going to magically win over moderates and independents? In four years, Obama will be able to buy millions more votes for his ideology, and the country runs the risk that by 2016–there will be no real contest. For the skeptics, I suggest one should go live, for at least twelve months, in Spain or Italy or virtually any central European nation and see what unabaided “social democracy” looks like. But this is a topic for another day.

My real point today is that many of these protest voters suggest that Romney is just like McCain. While both are republicans, and both have some success working with political enemies, the similarities end there. Let me state that John McCain is a truly great member of our society and has contributed mightily to our nation, but what follows here, are four major differences between McCain and Romney.

John McCain is an insider, a career politician. Following a distinguished military career, McCain spent virtually his entire life in Washington, DC. He was, and remains today in many ways, the consummate insider. He was, in fact, the establishment pick for the party in 2008. Mitt Romney on the other hand, has never set foot inside the beltway. He’s never earned a penny from government service.  He took no salary as Mass governor and has only served in public office for 4 years.  As such, he has not yet been blinded and beguiled by the toxic milk of the federal teat. It is likewise a testament to his successful campaign that he has earned the support of so many in congress without spending sixteen years as an insider, trading earmarks with his constituents. Romney “earned” it over the last 6 years by being the most competent conservative in the party.

Secondly, McCain, while a good lawmaker in some respects, was a Senator. He was and is–a lawmaker. There is a fundamental difference between a congress member and a governor, my friends.  While making laws and schmoozing lobbyists may be a necessary evil in our system, it is a far cry–and distant skill set– from being the holder of responsibility for a large electorate.  As a lifelong senator, McCain never signed the front side of paycheck. He never had to truly balance a budget or do any of the myriad of things that a governor has to do. Romney is a private sector professional who has brought his knowledge skills and talents to government.   Romney has, for 20 years in private industry, made decisions, plotted strategy, and actually implemented thoughtful change management strategy. These are the skills of a nation’s chief executive.  They are far different than the skills acquired in congressional service.  There is a reason that the party usually nominates Governors.

The third difference is sensitive, but noteworthy to many.  While he’s no Newt Gingrich with the ladies, John McCain has acknowledged a history of marital infidelity. Not a serial philanderer mind you, but someone who once sold out his personal oath of fidelity just the same. Romney’s family and spousal faith is a well-established fact. If there was a skeleton there, Ted Kennedy would have found it in 1992. One need not trust me on this matter, better yet, trust all who know Mitt Romney. There is no cleaner history around. When it comes to familial and personal trust, Romney is no John McCain.

Finally, John McCain was, especially early in his career, a hothead. He was fiery and emotional under some circumstances. This is a capacity that served him well at times. But it is not the temperament that serves the world’s voice of democracy under fire.  Romney, contrarily, draws the ire of his party for being so emotionally balanced that you could offend him in the worst way, and he’s likely to forgive and move on. His years as a CEO and turnaround guy has taught him that when the storms of change come, and the oarsmen are panicking, the captain will be calm.

So, next time someone tries to tell you that they’re going to stay home on November 6^th, to spite the party—invite them to consider for these reasons, among others, that Mitt Romney is no John McCain.

“Why do I support Mitt Romney? It’s not because he “looks” presidential or because he has been a constant front-runner in this race.  It’s not because of his electability or his Mormon faith.  No, it’s because he is the only man who can get America back on track and his record proves it.”

Click here to read more at GO! Political 

Mason-Dixon Florida 2012 Presidential Poll

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

• Mitt Romney 42% [28%] (23%)
• Newt Gingrich 31% [5%] (11%)
• Rick Santorum 14% [2%] (1%)
• Ron Paul 6% [4%] (3%)
• Undecided 7% [17%]

GENERAL ELECTION

• Mitt Romney 48% [51%] (48%)
• Barack Obama 44% [43%] (43%)

• Barack Obama 50%
• Newt Gingrich 41%

• Barack Obama 50%
• Rick Santorum 39%

President Obama Job Approval

• Approve 46% [41%] (43%)
• Disapprove 49% [56%] (56%)

Survey of 800 likely voters, including a subsample of 500 likely Republican primary voters, was conducted January 24-26, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points among all registered voters; +/- 4.5 percentage points among likely Republican primary voters.  Results from the poll conducted August 18-22, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April -7, 2011 are in parentheses.

–Data compilation and analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal

There’s one mention of Newt Gingrich in The Reagan Dairies. It’s in Chapter 3, which covers 1983. Page 123 in the book:

“Newt Gingrich has a proposal for freezing the budget at the 1983 level. It’s a tempting idea except that it would cripple our defense programs. And if we make an exception on that every special interest group will be asking for the same.”

Newt Gingrich’s decision to attack Mitt Romney as being in the mold of Charlie Crist (while comparing himself to Marco Rubio) during his campaign stops in Florida today has raised the ire of a key figure in Florida politics: none other than Marco Rubio himself. Rubio had a little to say about Gingrich’s attacks:

Newt Gingrich’s decision today to bash Mitt Romney for hiring former Charlie Crist loyalists and employees doesn’t seem to be sitting well with Sen. Marco Rubio, who drove Crist out of the Republican Party before beating him at the polls in 2010.

Said Rubio: “Mitt Romney is no Charlie Crist. Romney is a conservative, and he was one of the first national Republican leaders to endorse me. He came to Florida, campaigned hard for me, and made a real difference in my race.”

Emphasis mine. Not a good idea to wake the sleeping Rubio dragon and make him come out against you, Team Gingrich. Given the fact that Rubio has committed to remaining neutral in the GOP primary race, this may be as close to an endorsement as our candidates might hope for.

H/T Race42012′s Matt Coulter

ARG Florida 2012 GOP Primary Poll

• Mitt Romney 42% (19%) {28%} [15%] (26%)
• Newt Gingrich 25% (50%) {11%} [3%] (11%)
• Rick Santorum 9% (1%) {1%} [1%] (1%)
• Ron Paul 8% (2%) {4%} [4%] (1%)
• Rick Perry 3% (2%) {5%} [16%]
• Undecided 8% (10%) {12%} [12%] (11%)

Among Men

• Newt Gingrich 34%
• Mitt Romney 30%
• Rick Santorum 10%
• Ron Paul 7%
• Rick Perry 0%
• Undecided 10%

Among Women

• Mitt Romney 56%
• Newt Gingrich 14%
• Rick Santorum 8%
• Ron Paul 8%
• Rick Perry 6%
• Undecided 6%

Survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters (548 Republicans and 52 independents) was conducted January 13-15, 2012. The margin of error is ± 4 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted November 27-30, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted October 7-12, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 18-24, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April 27 – May 2, 2011 are in parentheses.

–Data compilation and analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal

Rasmussen 2012 Presidential Poll

• Barack Obama 42% {39%} [44%] (42%) {42%} [42%] (44%) {43%} [42%] (42%) {43%} [43%] (42%) {44%} [40%] (43%) {46%} [42%] {45%} [42%] (44%)
• Mitt Romney 42% {45%} [41%] (43%) {45%} [40%] (38%) {42%} [41%] (44%) {42%} [41%] (44%) {41%} [43%] (39%) {38%} [43%] {40%} [44%] (44%)

Survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted January 3-4, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted December 27-28, 2011 are in Results from the poll conductedDecember 20-21, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 14-15, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted December 8-9, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted November 30 – December 1, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted November 21-22, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted November 9-10, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted November 1-2, 2011are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 24-25, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted October 16-17, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 8-9, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conductedSeptember 28-29, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted September 18-19, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted September 10-11, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 25-26, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the polls conducted August 17-22, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the polls conducted between July 14-15, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted March 6-9, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted January 3-4, 2011 are in square brackets. Results from the poll conducted November 24, 2009 are in parentheses.

Inside the numbers:

Romney holds a slight 45% to 41% lead over Obama among men. Among women, the president edges Romney 43% to 40%. Obama draws his strongest support from voters under the age of 40, while Romney leads among older voters.

Among voters not affiliated with either political party, Obama is ahead of Romney 39% to 33%. But 28% of these voters either favor some other candidate or are undecided.

Eighty percent (80%) of Tea Party members support Romney, but the president holds a 51% to 33% lead among voters who say they are not part of that movement. Obama captures 57% support from union members but is edged by Romney 44% to 40% among those who are not unionized.

–Data compilation and analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal

This poll does not reflect today’s exact polling averages because it started in December, whereas the poll released by Rasmussen was conducted just yesterday on January 4th.  This pretty much nullifies the notion that Romney cannot make it above 25%.  Also, the Gallup poll had Newt Gingrich in 2nd place, while the more up to date poll by Rasmussen has Newt in 3rd place.  Perhaps the reason he is so bitter lately?

Gallup 2012 GOP Nomination Daily Tracking Poll

• Mitt Romney 27% {26%} [24%] (26%) {27%} [25%] (24%) {23%} [22%] (21%) {23%} [23%] (24%) {24%} [24%] (24%) {23%} [22%] (23%) {23%} [23%] (23%) {25%} [23%] (22%)
• Newt Gingrich 19% {22%} [23%] (24%) {23%} [25%] (25%) {26%} [26%] (27%) {25%} [25%] (26%) {28%} [28%] (29%) {31%} [31%] (33%) {33%} [35%] (37%) {34%} [36%] (37%)
• Ron Paul 13% {13%} [13%] (11%) {11%} [11%] (11%) {12%} [13%] (12%) {12%} [12%] (11%) {10%} [10%] (10%) {9%} [8%] (8%) {9%} [9%] (9%) {10%} [9%] (8%)
• Rick Santorum 11% {8%} [6%] (5%) {4%} [4%] (3%) {3%} [3%] (4%) {4%} [4%] (4%) {4%} [4%] (4%) {4%} [4%] (3%) {2%} [3%] (2%) {2%} [3%] (3%)
• Rick Perry 6% {6%} [7%] (7%) {8%} [8%] (8%) {8%} [8%] (7%) {8%} [8%] (7%) {6%} [6%] (5%) {6%} [7%] (6%) {6%} [6%] (6%) {5%} [6%] (7%)
• Jon Huntsman 2% {2%} [2%] (2%) {2%} [1%] (2%) {1%} [1%] (1%) {2%} [2%] (2%) {2%} [2%] (2%) {2%} [2%] (2%) {2%} [2%] (1%) {1%} [1%] (1%)

Survey of at least 1,000 registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents was conducted December 28, 2011 – January 4, 2012. The margin of error is ± 3 percentage points.  Results from the poll conducted December 27, 2011 – January 3, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 26, 2011 – January 2, 2012 are in Results from the poll conducted December 23-29, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted December 22-28, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 21-27, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 20-26, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted December 19-23, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 18-22, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 17-21, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted December 15-20, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 14-19, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 13-18, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted December 12-17, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 11-16, 2011 are in Results from the poll conducted December 10-14, 2011 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted December 9-13, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted December 8-12, 2011 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted December 7-11, 2011 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted December 6-10, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 5-9, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 4-8, 2011 are in parentheses. Results from the poll conducted December 3-7, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted December 2-6, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 1-5, 2011 are in parentheses.

–Data compilation and analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal