Political Rant

Politics make my blood pressure rise like bad basketball does. This really irritated me today, so it goes on the blog. Topic: Mitt Romney. Reason: He's a Mormon, so I'm supposed to believe he is honest, has integrity, is a good member of the Church and should have my automatic vote, right? Wrong. I don't like the guy. If he were in my ward, I'd think he was a pretentious weirdo who I wouldn't want anything to do with.

Watch this video. It is supposedly from a campaign stop in South Carolina. Here is the text if you'd like to follow along.

MAN: “What will you do to support the 99 percent seeing as how you are part of the one percent?”

ROMNEY: “Let me tell you something. America is a great nation because we’re united. And those who’re trying to divide the nation, as you’re trying to do here and as our president’s doing, are hurting this country seriously. The right course for America is not to divide America and try to divide us between one and another; it’s to come together as a nation. And if you’ve got a better model – if you think China’s better, or Russia’s better, or Cuba’s better, or North Korea’s better – I’m glad to hear all about it. America’s right and you’re wrong.”

Ok, now here is my political rant:

1) I think this may have been staged to make Mitt look like "Mr.-Patriotic-America-is-the-Greatest-and-as-President-I-will-not-waiver-from-that-ideal."

2) I think that perhaps the clip is taken out of context and there was more to what the man in the crowd said than was put on the video.

3) Maybe it wasn't staged. Maybe this is another example of Mitt pitching a fit. (Do you remember the Olympics traffic debacle? ) If so, here are my talking points:

A) In true politician style, he refuses to actually answer the man's question.

B) I'm not into the whole "We are the 99% thing," and as much as the Warren Buffet/Obama plan to have the wealthy in American be taxed higher to bail out our failing economy, sounded like an alright idea, I don't see anything wrong with wealthy people in the U.S. keeping their own money and doing what they please with it. I would hope that most extremely wealthy people would find ways to be generous and give back, but I don't think it should be a government mandate to do so. With that said, though, a person running for public office with intent to represent 100% of the population, should try to be a bit more understanding and sincere about helping those unlike himself.

C) We live in a nation where we have a protected right to question our government and challenge what we don't think is good and fair. If you don't respect that, can't answer a question that challenges your own beliefs, or look at both sides of an issue, you shouldn't be holding a public office. Since when does questioning your political leaders (or potential political leaders) make you un-American and make you "wrong."

D) Who is voting for this guy? He is so far removed from any sort of normal life. He's born to American aristocracy and has been groomed to be a politician. What does he know about "average" people? It's an honest question, "How are you going to help the people of the United States who aren't as well -off as you?"

E) Finally, for anyone who is still reading this, what in the world was Mr. Romney doing dropping the names of current and former communist countries? He's saying, "you better not challenge me or you must be a communist?" Duh! What is your problem. "I'm right. You're wrong. I'm 10 and going home to tell my mom that you don't like me." He was simply rude. He said flat out that the person was wrong and his opinion was not worth listening to. Who wants to be led by someone like that?

This is the problem with our country today. Any decent, smart, rational person who might actually have the ideas and know-how to get things done in our country is too decent, smart, and rational to get within 10 feet of politics, political offices, or guys like Mitt Romney.

Nice Mormon guy? Sure. Future president? I hope not.