Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Romney? Be Serious!

Just because a bunch of kids at CPAC like his looks?

... if Mitt Romney is the political answer for conservatives, the question must be, "How might the conservative movement commit intellectual suicide in the quickest manner possible?" His ideas about health care are virtually indistinguishable from those offered by President Obama, save for the fact that Romney is more disingenuous than Obama regarding the reforms he has in mind. Regarding the auto industry, he is indecipherable, having taken both pro-bailout and anti-bailout positions (the former as a candidate, the latter as an ex-candidate in the New York Times, and yes, it's just another of the usual set of politically opportunistic Romney flip-flops). His alleged fiscal discipline was on vacation during his governorship in Massachusetts. And he is fond of making the case for protectionism and, as your post pointed out, tighter business regulation, asset valuation divorced from market realities, and industrial policy for any troubled sector with political support.

To be fair, one can't necessarily say that what Romney believed yesterday represents what he believes today, or that what he believes today represents what he will believe tomorrow (witness his incredibly well-timed flip-flops on abortion, gay rights, gun control, and a whole host of social issues). Yet the fact that this unprincipled political chameleon is being offered as "the last, best hope for conservatism" (to steal a phrase) speaks volumes about the intellectual and political wreckage on the Right at the moment.

Other than that, he's a nice guy!

The Corner, via ProEcclesia

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