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Audacity of Truth
Is Mitt Romney laying the groundwork for a 2012 run?
He’s sounding very fiscally conservative in his New York Times opinion piece on the auto industry’s push for bailout money from Washington, but as James Joyner points out, he was sounding a decidedly different tune when he was running for the GOP nomination earlier this year.
What’s changed? Maybe Romney saw the writing on the wall and figured out that the initial position he took on DC “helping” the auto industry back during the primaries is what helped cost him the conservative vote. He’s changed his mind on so many policy positions before in the interests of political expediency, so it’s not exactly a stretch to suggest he’s doing the same thing for the same reasons now, especially considering that the GOP is on the search for someone (like Michael Steele, perhaps?) who can lead the party in a positive direction going forward.
Earlier this year, a few prominent GOPrs met privately with Romney to discuss the possibility of him being that person. I hope they’ve changed their minds. I disagreed with the idea then, and I disagree with it just as strongly now. I don’t think Romney’s a bad person, but you just never know where he stands on anything from election season to the next.
And speaking of the auto industry and bailouts, check out what one GOP House member (who lost his bid for re-election) had to say about the money being proposed for the bailout. It’s a good thing he’s on the way out the door, but too bad it had to be for a Democrat who probably believes the same thing he does in that the bailout money is “not your money.”
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3 Responses to “Is Mitt Romney laying the groundwork for a 2012 run?”
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I supported Mitt Romney for 2008. That support shifted to McCain after Romney withdrew. Both candidates as well as others in politics change positions from time to time. It is popular to regard changes in position with the immortal term ‘flip-flop’ alluding to the ‘political expediency’ description. The other side of the coin is having the courage to admit your position was incorrect and change it.
To support government intervention in the auto industry has the Iacocca example as a successful event but some regard it not as wonderful as most recall. The current bailout craze likely does not have much in common with that but is one case that may explain why some may have supported such a notion.
McCain almost lost his chance at nomination with the McCain/Kennedy and the White House amnesty plan in 2007. After the resounding defeat mostly due to public outrage he expressed his support of it as a mistake but appears to still hold the view favoring some sort of ‘path’ which amounts to amnesty.
The problem for Romney, McCain and others is the public may give you a pass on a position change or two but there will be some limit which when exceeded will earn them the flip-flop anchor. In general however the term is applied to quickly in many instances.
Huckabee has been more visible lately and may raise the question on whether he is working on 2012 also. Much can change in a few years but I suspect any candidate from the 2008 contest minus the victor will have a slim chance for success in 2012.
Friends and relatives who live in Taxachusetts tell me Romney governed there in a not-so-conservative manner on several fronts. They still consider his support for mandatory health insurance decidedly leftist no matter how he spins it.
Many have expressed support for universal health coverage or some other panacea and nearly everyone agrees our health care system is flawed.
If I recall the MA situation correctly Romney responded to the urging for such a solution and in working with the legislature there came up with whatever you want to call what they have. It seems to me it was more a matter of this is what you want so I will put it together for you. Since then I have read reports where the state is unable to cope with the costs. Not a big surprise for such a plan.