Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:03 pm
It is accepted as a universal truth that Americans expect their leaders to possess a certain level of integrity to stand up to prevaricators whether they are foreign leaders or home-grown malcontents. Willard Romney has accused President Obama of acquiescing to world leaders and promises that if elected, he will represent American ideals with strength and resolve when dealing with any country, but his record tells a different story. It is no secret that Romney’s resolve on issues is non-existent based on his ever-changing positions on important national topics of interest to the American people, and it exposes his lack of conviction and flawed character. However, his vacillating positions on issues aside, his reticence to stand up to his extremist supporters demonstrates a feebleness that defines a pandering prostitute and not a statesman with character or conviction.
When his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination began dropping out of the race, Romney all but secured the nomination to challenge President Obama in November, and the need to pander to fringe groups like the birthers, gun-crazed pseudo-patriots, and misogynists was no longer necessary, and yet to solidify his standing as a “true conservative,” he prostituted himself to Donald Trump, Ted Nugent, and Rush Limbaugh. The point is thus; if Romney cannot stand up to Limbaugh, Trump, and Nugent’s extremism, how can Americans expect him to show strength and resolve when dealing with China, Russia, and Iran?
When Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he signed a permanent state-level ban on assault weapons in 2004 and said, “I don’t line up with the NRA.” In 2002 he said “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts. I support them. I won’t chip away at them. I believe they help protect us and provide for our safety,” and in 2007 he said he would support renewing the federal assault weapons ban because “these guns are not made for recreation or self-defense … They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.” Fast forward to 2012 and to garner support from the NRA gun crowd, he sought and accepted the endorsement of one-hit aging rocker Ted Nugent whose inflammatory rhetoric insinuating he would kill President Obama if he wins re-election garnered a visit from the Secret Service. To make matters worse, Romney failed to condemn Nugent’s violent rhetoric and his spokeswoman said, “Divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from. Mitt Romney believes everyone needs to be civil.” A man of character and conviction would have condemned Nugent immediately, but either out of fear of the gun-crowd or pandering for their support, Willard remained silent.
After Rush Limbaugh impugned Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke’s character, instead of railing against the misogynistic attacks, Romney said, “It’s not the language I would have used’’ and it revealed that he either agreed with Limbaugh or was terrified of denouncing him. It is likely a combination of Romney’s fear of offending conservatives and lack of character to challenge Limbaugh’s presumed power within the Republican Party. Robert P. George, a law professor at Princeton University said he was reluctant to fault Romney for avoiding a fight with Limbaugh, and it further demonstrates that Willard’s character is sorely lacking if he fears a radio personality who works for one of Bain Capital’s holdings (Clear Channel Communications). However, fearing Rush Limbaugh pales in comparison to Romney’s pandering to reality show host and conspiracy theorist Donald Trump.
When Willard Romney stood on a stage next to Trump after he continues questioning the legitimacy of President Obama, he revealed his willingness to prostitute himself for votes from the birthers. Romney said, “I need to get 50.1 percent or more, and I’m appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people.” Instead of showing an ounce of backbone and condemning Trump’s lunacy, he chose to acquiesce to a racist and conspiracy theorist because he needed the help of “a lot of good people.”
There are pundits who claim Romney is trying to convince conservatives that he is in their camp, but if he had real leadership skills and strength of resolve as a statesman of character, he would rail against the lunatics who are polluting political discourse and driving the Republican Party into a fringe extremist organization. There are only two reasons Romney is terrified of standing up to the maniacs driving the conservative movement and regardless which explanation proves to be true, they portend a poor leader. Either he is a rank coward who cannot muster the courage necessary to take a stand and push back against what is arguably extremism of the highest order, or he is a prostitute who will sell himself to lunatics to win in November.
One would think that as the Republican Party’s standard bearer, Willard would change the tone of the contentious primary battle and show he has the capacity to lead, but his abject failure at condemning nut-jobs on the right is an indication he lacks rudimentary leadership skills. Between his pandering to the fringe element of the Republican Party, and his dithering stance on the issues depending on which audience he is addressing, the truth is that for political expediency and a win in November, Romney will do and say anything to become president. What should frighten the life out of every American is why winning the presidency is worth conceding leadership and it is down to Romney’s religion. If Willard cannot stand up to Limbaugh, Trump, and Nugent, he will not stand up to the Chinese, Russians, or Iranians, but more terrifying is that he will not stand up to the Mormon First Presidency that Romney has sworn allegiance and absolute obedience to and that is the real peril for America if he is elected president.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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