Romney going the way of Dole

 

By the time you read this you will have seen reports that President Obama has surged to a significant lead in the critical swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida and is on his way to a second term barring…

People are seeing that Mitt Romney is going the way of Bob Dole, only worse. Much worse. Only a desperate man would attack a U.S. president to score political points while the U.S. consulate in Libya was under fire. The eruption of Muslim zealots over a poorly made movie by a radical religious “Coptic Christian” ended in the senseless deaths of four Americans, including our ambassador. Then Romney said he would keep some parts of Obamacare. Then Republican zealots erupted in protest after Romney committed an unforgivable heresy in their eyes. So Mitt walked backwards on his Obamacare comments the next day.

People are beginning to see that Romney is not only wishy-washy, but he is nothing but a tool of the billionaires whose outrageous self-interests, greed and pursuit of power far outweigh the consequences for America’s future. It’s all about their future — their wealth, their children — not ours.

But Democrats who rejoice at the thought of Romney going down are seriously shortsighted.

What happens if the Republicans keep control of the House of Representatives? Or maybe take control of the Senate?

If both happens then Gridlock I that you saw during the past four years will be followed by an even more horrendous Gridlock II, The Sequel, during a second Obama Administration.

Time and again you have witnessed the Republican Party’s game plan of intransigence and obstructionism that emerged one week after Obama was sworn into office. If President Obama is re-elected this ugly strategy will return, this time with a vengeance.  Make no mistake about it: the 21st Century version of the Republican Party has embraced a take-no-prisoners, win-at-all-costs approach approaching fanaticism. It bears no resemblance to the Republican Party of yesteryear and those class-act icons like Nelson Rockefeller, Lowell Weicker, Chuck Percy, Everett Dirksen and the elder Romney — George.

We have seen the party of John Boehner and Mitch McConnell obstruct reasonable efforts to strengthen the economy because it might make President Obama look good. Then they exploit the economy’s weakness for political gain just as Romney tried to exploit the violence at the U.S. consulate to score political points.

These are scary times. You have already heard the outrageous statements from the far right wing of the Republican Party too numerous to mention in this letter. These are not bizarre, off-the-cuff comments. These are declarations of intent.

You can’t stop this horrific vision of America by just re-electing Barack Obama. He needs people on his side. You already have seen what gridlock has done to Washington. You want that again?

Moderate, thoughtful voters who lean Republican have a huge decision to make on Nov 6. I hope their conscience guides them when they enter that booth and vote in secrecy.

 

Wayne Falda

Edwardsburg