Mitt Romney, the Flip Flopper, Debates Himself

Kudos to Daily Kos! I cracked up watching this. The question remains. Who won? 🙂

This is another example of how Mitt Romney is the undefeated champion of flip-flopping. He will say anything to get elected. How is that different from any other politician you ask? Usually during the primaries, you’ll see a candidate pandering to the base. They espouse every Conservative (or Liberal) talking point, beating their chests like they’re God’s gift to Conservatism (or Liberalism). Then, during the general election, they move to the center. They have to court Independent voters, so they can’t seem too partisan.

Mitt Romney didn’t just do this. He goes from sounding like a Left wing Liberal to a card carrying Conservative. The change is pretty startling. Here are some examples:

ABORTION
“I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years, that we should sustain and support it. I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice.” — Debate, Sen. Edward Kennedy, 1994

“What I would like to see happen would be for the Supreme Court to say, look, we’re going to overturn Roe v. Wade and return to the states the authority to decide whether they want to have abortion or not, state by state. That’s the way it was before Roe v. Wade. So I am firmly pro-life.” — Town Hall Meeting, Hopkinton, NH, 2011

GUN CONTROL
“Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts.” — Assault Weapons Ban Bill, Signing Ceremony, 2004

“I don’t support any gun control legislation, the effort for a new assault weapons ban, with a ban on semi-automatic weapons, is something I would oppose.” — Interview, Conservative Bloggers, 2008

HEALTH CARE REFORM
“I’m proud of what we’ve done. If Massachusetts succeeds in implementing [Romneycare], then that will be a model for the nation.” — Speech, Baltimore, 2007

“At the time I crafted the plan in the last campaign I was asked is [Romneycare] something that you would have the whole nation do, and I said no. This is something that was crafted for Massachusetts. It would be wrong to adopt this as a nation.” — GOP Primary Debate, 2011

VIETNAM WAR
“I was not planning on signing up for the military. It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam.” — Quote, Boston Herald, 1994

“I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam.” — Quote, Boston Globe, 2007

Wow. I guess he can reach across the aisle…to tap the opposite version of himself when needed.

Afterthoughts and the Afterbirth

Since Obama attempted to settle this discussion once and for all, I’ve been reading different takes on the issue. Even though I naïvely thought this would placate them, Birthers called it a fake within a few hours of its release. There’s no getting through to them. The only way these people will believe he was born in Hawaii is to jump into a time machine and be in that delivery room. Since that’s not possible, this might do it. A picture needs to surface that has hula girls spelling out the date, a copy of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin to corroborate, and a large sign that says “Kapiolani Maternity Home” in the room. Dr. Sinclair, the obstetrician, wearing Hawaiian print scrubs would be a plus. Until said picture materializes, there will always be doubt in true Birthers’ minds.

Donald Trump, who brought this issue back into the spotlight, is not a true Birther. Nor is he a serious candidate for the GOP. He should just come out and say it: “Please watch my show, The Apprentice, NBC, Sundays 9:00 PM.” It’s about ratings. A Sunday night time slot, while not the dreaded “Friday Night Death Slot,” is not that popular. Something has to get people watching – especially now that Gary Busey is gone. Trump is not a birther or a politician. He’s a fame whore.

Orly Taitz, is not only a true Birther, she is the Queen Birther. What she said today after the release was telling. She says that under race of Obama’s father, it should have read “Negro” instead of “African,” given that it was the early 1960s. The fact that she would bring that up makes those racist undertones that much louder. Reverend Jesse Jackson spelled it out:

“The birther fringe and those continuing to challenge the legitimacy of the president’s birthplace might otherwise be an irritating distraction were it not for the fact that it is just the outer layer of a more fundamental, ideologically based states rights’ movement. Their “questions” about President Obama’s birth certificate, his religion and most recently his college admissions are silly and based upon unfounded accusations — coded and covert rhetoric to stir up racial fears.”

That’s what it is about. Questioning Obama’s right to be POTUS is saying, “I can’t believe there is a black man in the White House.” A commenter on The Daily Kos, Borg Warner, said it brilliantly: “A hard core section of white Americans can’t stand that a $&^^(@ (their word not mine) is in the whitehouse who didn’t come in the service entrance…it is that basic and it should be hung around the Republicans collective necks.”

They can bitch and moan and say that we’re playing the race card. It doesn’t matter. We see them for who they are. No other presidential candidate turned President, was hounded in such a manner.

Those of us who are reasonable knew long ago that Obama was born in Hawaii. Obama’s gesture wasn’t necessary, but I think he was just damn tired of it all. So, from now on, anything Birther-related will be classified as Afterbirth. Messy, full of waste, and if not expelled, can be toxic.

Beseeching Obama’s Base

Dear Fellow Democrats and Liberals, Progressives, and the occasional Leftist who votes for our team,

I was perusing the diaries on Daily Kos earlier this evening. I read so much disappointment, frustration, and some hate for Obama. Some are threatening to not even vote for him. Of course, my head started to spin.

I know that a lot of you are extremely disappointed in him. I love him, but there are things he has done that I don’t agree with as well. Extending tax cuts for the wealthy pissed me off. I do see where he was coming from because by “compromising,” he was able to get the tax cuts to the middle class. Mainly, I am disappointed because in his attempt to please everyone, he ended up pleasing no one.

Some of you have much stronger feelings against Obama – that he’s moving way too close to the center. You believe he has conceded too much. Compromised too much. Maybe he has, but will that really drive you to not vote? Or vote for some 3rd party candidate who has a Slurpee’s chance in hell? If you are considering it, please imagine the alternative. Do you want someone who will continue the erosion of women’s reproductive rights? Someone who will always have the corporations’ best interest at heart? Someone who has no problem jumping into a war with the next country who looks at us wrong?

I heard someone say in the summer before the midterms, it’s better to vote for the friend who disappoints you, than let the enemy back in. I think about that a lot, and I hope you keep it in mind over the next year and a half. He’s going to do more to disappoint us, I’m sure, but there’s something we have to remember. Bottom line, he is a politician. He’s going to do what he has to do to get re-elected. I’m going to vote the politician who shares my ideals and views. It’s easier to get through to “ours” than “theirs.”

I’m not asking you to campaign. I am asking that you vote for Obama. Even if you will be gritting your teeth while doing so and having a stiff drink afterward. I really don’t want a President Huckabee. Do you?

Love,

Spinny (a.k.a. an Obama “apologist” on Daily Kos)
xoxoxo