A blog for America's neighbour to the north that support Mitt Romney and what he stands for. As the U.S.'s closest friend and ally Canada is greatly affected by U.S. policy and politics.
Jim Cramer, the popular TV/Book stock market guru of America, endorsed Mitt Romney in a short interview with MSNBC. He told them that Mitt was "THE BEST businessman in North America" and would be hands-down the best candidate for the economy. Cramer believes that Romney would increase growth in American GDP and effectively compete against China. It is more than clear from the vast number of economic, wall street, and top business people supporting Mitt Romney that he would be the #1 man for the job as far as economic conservatives are concerned. Many agree that America's massive debt and economy, on the verge of recession, can use a healthy dose of Romney. But don't take it from me....take it from Jim Cramer after the jump.
Many of you may have already seen this video, but I found it very inspiring and rejuvenating in my support for Mitt. Sometimes when it seems like progress is slow it really pays to take a step back and experience a change of perspective to see what has actually been accomplished. Even though Mitt's rise in the polls has been slow but steady, this video shows the monumental strides of progress he has made and it is clear that a real chance to win is emerging. Mitt is probably the best strategist of all the candidates and knows exactly what needs to transpire for him to take the nomination, and it is very obvious that his opponents see this, as the democrats take more shots at Romney than any other Republican. They are well aware of his ability to unite the conservative coalition and create a voting force that can dominate any one of them in the national election. Here is the video of Mitt's path to victory after the jump
Not only are Mike Huckabee's supporters already crazy enough to vote for him, but their lack of judgment gets even sadder as they insult Rush Limbaugh, one of the most influential pundits in the conservative political world. Smart move. Really! I mean the guy only has at least 13.5 million faithful listeners.....MINIMUM! It just goes to show you how Huck has a following of lemmings that completely lack common sense, and hope that he gets elected, only to be 100% absolutely annihilated by the democrats and completely ruin the conservative coalition. The more I find about about this guy, the more I am in total awe at how biased some people can be against a candidate's religion. It is truly saddening. Well, Rush Limbaugh had a few things to say about Huckabee today, one of my favourite quotes being "“the Huckabee campaign is trying to dumb down conservatism in order to get it to conform with his record.” Couldn't have said it better myself Rush. Rock on brother!
Nutmeggers For Mitt wrote an excellent and detailed article all about it at:
Ronald Reagan said that that the Republican Party can put together a conservative movement that can win time and time again. This movement is commonly called the conservative coalition, which is made up of the three main types of conservatives: social conservatives, economic conservatives and foreign policy/defense conservatives. These three groups make up what he called the "three-legged stool". THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION.
Mitt Romney shares this same philosophy. He believes that Republicans need to stand united in order to ensure that conservatives have a say in how America is run. He has explained this concept many times, including during this interview he had with Fox News:
Of the three major candidates leading the polls for the Republican nomination, only Mitt Romney offers real appeal to all three legs of the stool.
Huckabee's views are attractive to social conservatives, but to economic and defense conservatives he falls severely short of representing their interests.
Giuliani is great for defense conservatives and decent to economic conservatives, but boasts extremely opposing views to social conservatives.
Romney is the perfect candidate to (and only one who can) represent all three. His platform outlines his goal of a strong economy, a strong military, and strong families. He experience and ideas have potential to strike a chord with the majority of conservatives, and therefore is the only candidate true potential to defeat the democrats. Even then, it will be a tough battle, but he is the only hope for the Republicans to win it. Read more!
Tom Tancredo has decided to drop out of the race for POTUS and throw his support behind Governor Romney. I kind of like Tancredo! He knows what is important to him and stays strong in supporting that stance. I hope he remains in the public in his support and look forward to his contributions to Team Romney. Well done Tom and welcome aboard. By the way, tell us what you thing about immigration. Just kidding, we know!
So I have to be honest, I didn't come to be a Romney supporter right out of the gate, I was converted, though not by your traditional means; every other candidate has schmuckified themselves leaving the only respectable choice as Romney and thus my conversion. Let me walk you through my logic, and if you disagree, by all means, lets talk about it.
The crowd of potential republican nominees is thick with good politicians made pathetic by presidential aspirations. The ones that had enough of a following to get consideration are Thompson, McCain, Huckabee, Gulianni, and by sheer ignorance of the internet, Ron Paul. When the race started, I was a Gulianni supporter, I had high hopes for the fella. He has a smooth demeanor about him, he handled the pressures of 9/11 well, and most emphatic was his popular momentum. He was the name on the ticket if you had a heart and wanted someone who knew what they were doing. So what happened? Gulianni pulled out all his stops too early. He had enough ammo to get us all excited, then nothing to sustain his momentum. There was no character to back up his ideas, and since his ideas aren't revolutionary enough to carry his platform on their own, he just looks like a schmuck when the proverbial poop hits the fan. He's the mayor with no federal level experience to give clout to his ambitions, just a lot of people who gave credit where credit was claimed and not necessarily earned.
Then Thompson. I like Thompson. I liked him because I saw him in a movie about nuclear terrorism and the US being attacked by middle eastern terrorists who get these bombs and smuggle one in through the Canadian border. See, Thompson recognizes the power of "The Friendly Neighbor to the North" and dang straight, we hold yer fate in our hands... well, that's what I remember from the movie anyway. So Thompson plays the president in this flick and has a kind of West Wing flair to him that played to his favor when I found out the ole Arizonan was gonna try and take his Hollywood role to reality. So what happened? Hollywood lied to Thompson. In the debates, it almost seems like Thompson is considering policy questions for the first time. He is yet to have his feet put to the fire and as such, he has been able to wing it as he goes. The problem with that is that is simply insufficient. He realized he could be a "real life president for realses" a little bit too late. I'd like to see him run again, but only when he wants it a bit more and has thought out what he would actually do with a term as president. More on this when we get to Ron Paul. Though to Thompson's credit, there's no video of him in drag smothering his face in another draq queens bosoms *cough* Gulianni *cough*.
McCain I've never been able to fully appreciate. He is the Ross Perot of the modern era. How many times did Ross run, like three? Welcome back McCain, it's good to have back for another try at it. Lets refresh on Perot, brilliant platform, could have taken care of our national debt, probably with his own investments, and would stare incredulously as he would lose time and time again to inferior plans, platforms, and policy. He lost cause he could never be a president, he was just a guy with good ideas. Not a leader. Not someone America could ever follow as a commander and chief... enters McCain. The guy has good ideas, probably right up there so far as qualifications go, and has stared, or screamed when in Iowa, as he loses to guys who may be inferior in many ways. He will never be president because he's not a leader, America could never follow him as commander and chief, the guy is too unpredictable. McCain, fella, your a great guy, but your brand loses value every time you run and don't win, and like the hot chick to the geek in high school, we all say to you... It's never gonna work, it's not you, it's us... all of us, everyone McCain... not gonna happen. Please stop waiting for me outside the gym, you're creeping me out.
Huckabee. ahem. Where to begin. Now honestly, Huckabee isn't half bad, he's a pastor for crying outloud, and in case you hadn't heard give him a 30 second spot, he'll work it in somehow, like
Moderator: Huckabee, what's your stance on foreign policy Huckabee: Well when I was a pastor Jesus said to do it like this... Anybody want to contradict Jesus?
That's paraphrased, sadly it's only modified slightly. He's in a Gulianni situation right now though, only he lacked any 9/11 catalyst to give him real merit. I don't know why he has such a huge following, but again, flash in the pan syndrome. He doens't know where to go from here. When you're at the top, you have to be able to pull something off to keep momentum. To his credit I think he's genuinely surprised he's even contending. When you listen to his speech rhetoric it goes from an "if I ever were to be president" to "when I become president" The fact that it's only after he gets a following in Iowa that he begins to invest in a real staff that underlines the unexpected nature of Huckabee's appearance. Indicative of this will be his shining moment [passed] and then supernova self destruction [McCain again?]
Finally, Ron Paul. Ron Paul is hearted by youngsters everywhere. I think Ron Paul is what Perot wishes he had been able to become, a cult classic. He has a huge following on the internet because of his strict adherence to the constitution. It's a simplistic approach in my mind that takes no consideration for real issues and scenarios that require one to apply the constitution to real situations and not just read it and hope everyone will interpret it the same as you. Ron Paul, in all fairness, is probably one of the best candidates out there, but he doesn't know how to play the game. There's more to running a country than good ideas. The ability to bring rubber and asphalt together and make things move cannot be underestimated, and unfortunately in a Ron Paul scenario, his rose will never bloom, poor fella.
Then you look at Mitt, who isn't perfect by any stretch, but he's got real experience, has yet to make a buffoon of himself, and good ideas that build on each other. He not only has proven capable of sustaining himself while on top, but look at him after being knocked back in Iowa, there's no hiccup in his stride, the man has real substance. Flaws acknowledged, there is no better option.
Now since seeing the light o' Romney, I've found much more reason to sing praises to the man, turns out he's great, but that's for another post. Or the reasons to vote for mitt series. My personal favorite is number 11,021,419 I love that one.
Warning – Even though the first paragraph is solely about Canada, I promise that I will make a point pertinent to the US election later!
Canada is known for many things, including its famous world class health care system.Sure we pay higher taxes in Canada, but we all get “free” health care.Even film maker, Michael Moore rants and raves about the superiority of Canada’s health care system in his movie “Sicko” (even though he based much of the movie on his opinion instead of facts).Unfortunately, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.Now I am not ripping on Canada, as I am proud of my country and what it stands for.However, our supposed world-class health care system isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.It started off great decades ago, but over the years it has worsened.Canadians actually complain vehemently about long wait times at hospitals, the yearly decrease in what is actually “covered” under the public health plan and, most of all, the increased taxes to pay for it all.Despite its downside, I do consider Canadian health care to be among the best in the world, but at the same time I believe it needs improvement in many ways.The root of most of the problems associated with Canadian health care is the fact that it is run directly by the government.
Unfortunately when the government runs social programs such as health care, it is extremely inefficient in its use of funds.Since there is no competition, it often spends the money unwisely, creating superfluous departments and committees, hiring way too many people to do the job of one person (hence why the Soviet Union was so inefficient and corrupt).However, it is also important that the government have a role in some aspects of public life, such as health care, otherwise only the wealthy would be served and the poor left to fend for themselves.This is the one of the biggest catch 22s in politics.The republicans say that the government should tax people less and offer less social programs, where democrats say that the government should intervene by raising taxes and offer the public more social programs.This fundamental difference creates much contention between these two parties.But isn’t there a happy medium?The answer is YES! When I first heard about what Mitt Romney did for health care in Massachusetts I was blown away.He was somehow able to get the best of both worlds; he made health care universally available to the whole state, yet he did not raise taxes.This is an amazing accomplishment and it easier said than done.So how did he do this?Well basically he made it mandatory citizens for of the state to purchase health insurance if they wanted the basic personal exemption on their income tax and therefore less of a tax refund.Essentially, just as people must buy car insurance, they would also have to buy health coverage.But you’re probably saying “wait just a second there man….don’t they just end up paying the insurance instead of tax….that’s just the same as raising taxes, only calling it ‘health insurance’ instead”.This is true, except that collecting taxes means that the government will then have to use the money in the pot to provide the health care, which essentially means that it will most likely be used inefficiently.On the other hand, citizens who pay for their own health plans instead of the paying increased taxes, can shop around and get the best rates.The availability of competition means better consumer prices and ultimately more health care coverage for less money than if it had been done through tax collection and government run health care.I don’t know about you, but I’d rather pay $500 on my own than $1000 in taxes for the exact same services.
Mitt has an amazing ability to improve the social life of Americans without having to raise taxes or burden the people.With the US debt becoming unbearable to look at, a president is needed who can balance the national books without sacrificing the things that make the United States a great nation.That president is Mitt Romney.He has done it in the past and can and will do it again.
Jonathan Martin over at Politico has just highlighted this ad called "Searched," that will be running in N.H. I happen to have an old article that tells more of the heartwarming story and more...
Mitt Romney was faced with a crisis in July 1996. The 14-year-old daughter of Robert Gay, a partner in Romney's new venture capital firm, Bain Capital, had disappeared. As it turned out, she had attended a rave party in New York City and had become high on ecstasy. Three days later, her distraught father had no idea where she was.
Romney took immediate action. He closed down the entire firm and asked all 30 partners and employees to fly to New York to try to find Gay's daughter. Romney set up a command center in a conference room at the LaGuardia Marriott just outside Manhattan. He hired a private detective firm to assist with the search and established a toll-free number for tips, coordinating the effort with the New York City Police Department, but he still wasn't satisfied. He raced through his Rolodex and called everyone Bain did business with in New York. He asked them to help his company find their friend's missing daughter.
The company's accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and its law firm, put up posters on street poles with a photo of the missing teenager. Cashiers at Duane Reade Pharmacies, which was owned by Bain Capital, put fliers in the bag of each shopper. Romney and others from the Bain Capital posse trudged through every part of New York, even scouring Central Park, and talked with everyone they could - prostitutes, drug addicts - anyone who may have seen her. They also made rounds at the local nightclubs at 3 a.m., hoping someone somewhere could identify her.
The same day the Romney team came to New York, the hunt made the evening news. Television cameras showed photos of the girl and video of investment banker types prowling through Central Park.
The next day, a teenage boy she was with phoned in. He asked if there was a reward. But the boy got nervous and quickly hung up. Luckily, the police traced the call to a home in Montville Township, N.J.
Gay's daughter, when they found her in the basement of that home, was shivering through detox after a massive dose of ecstasy. Doctors later told Gay that he was indeed fortunate - his daughter probably would not have lasted another day. "It was the most amazing thing, and I'll never forget this to the day I die," Gay says, adding of Romney's intervention, "I'm not sure we would have gotten her back without him."
It is often during a crisis that we gain insight into a person's real character. Romney's action demonstrated leadership, loyalty, and selflessness - attributes that Americans just might like to see in a president of the United States. People say that Mitt Romney lights up a room. But there are all kinds of ways to light up a room - fluorescent, neon, sunlight, strobe. Romney alternates between sparkle and a warm, steady glow. He is not in your face. He is low-key, self-assured, and self-contained.
That could be a metaphor for Romney's candidacy. When the subject of the 2008 presidential election comes up, Republicans talk about the prospects of the obvious front-runners, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But they often end the conversation by saying, "You know, I really like Mitt Romney." The fact that Massachusetts, where only 13 percent of registered voters are Republicans, could elect Romney governor by a five-point margin (50 percent versus 45 percent for his Democratic opponent) underscores his popularity among Republicans and Democrats alike.
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When Mitt Romney was a senior in high school, he met Ann Davies, the attractive daughter of the mayor of Bloomfield Hills. Davies attended Kingswood School, the sister school of Cranbrook. She and Romney came to the party with dates but left together. Soon they were going steady. She was 15 and he was 18.
Romney went off to Stanford, where he and Davies continued to see each other. After his freshman year, Romney left for France to begin a 30-month stint as a Mormon missionary, just as his father and Marriott had done. Romney lived in a seedy hotel in Le Havre
In the summer of 1968, 21-year-old Romney was driving a Citroën in the rain on a mountainous road near Bordeaux with five other missionaries. As they rounded a curve, a Mercedes, possibly passing another car, veered over the median. The Mercedes, traveling at 70 mph, slammed almost head-on into Romney's car. Viola Anderson, the wife of his mission president, suffered crushed lungs and died. Romney was thrown from the car.
"He was unconscious from a blow to the head," Jane Romney says.
A police officer who came on the scene thought Romney was dead. On his passport, he wrote in pencil, Il est mort" ("he is dead"). Fortunately, Romney had suffered only a broken arm.
While Romney was in France, Davies, an Episcopalian, decided to convert to Mormonism. She began attending Brigham Young University, which is affiliated with the Mormon church. Upon his return, Romney transferred to the school as a sophomore to be with her.
They were married on March 21, 1969. She was 19 and he was 22.
An English major, Romney graduated in 1971 with a 3.97 grade-point average. Because he ranked at the top of his class in the College of Humanities, he was chosen to speak on graduation day.
After a series of student and missionary deferments, Romney became available for military service in 1970. He drew a 300 in the draft lottery, but no man who had a number of 196 or higher was called from that particular drawing.
Mitt decided to attend Harvard Business School, but his father thought he should obtain a law degree, so he enrolled in a joint program at Harvard Law School. In 1975, he graduated from Harvard Law Cum Laude and from Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar and was in the top 5 percent of his class. One of his classmates at Harvard Business School was George W. Bush.
The Romneys eventually settled in Belmont, Mass., a suburb of Boston that adjoins Cambridge. They own a Colonial-style home on 2.4 acres of land on Marsh Street. The home is worth $3.3 million. The Romneys have five sons - Taggart, Matt, Josh Benjamin, and Craig.
Convinced that being a consultant would prepare him to be a top manager, Romney joined Boston Consulting Group. In 1978, Bain & Co., another management consulting company, lured him away and named him vice president. His colleagues included future eBay CEO Meg Whitman.
While he was successful, Romney's role of recommending strategy rather than implementing it frustrated him. He was about to join a Chicago corporation when William Bain, the founder of Bain & Co., persuaded him to start a sister company where Romney would have operational control.
After raising $37 million in startup funds, Romney founded Bain Capital, a venture capital firm, in 1984. For the most part, the company looked for troubled companies that had good potential if management was improved.
Romney had an eye for identifying future success. Notable was Romney's investment in Staples, which had not yet opened its first office supply store.
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Bain Capital went on to help launch or acquire Domino's Pizza, Sealy, Brookstone, and The Sports Authority. Each time Romney looked into an opportunity, he submerged himself in data, analyzed the business, and then was willing to take risks if his instincts told him he was on the right track.
Because of these and other successful investments, Bain Capital now manages $40 billion. By 1990,Bain & Co., the mother ship, was in dire straits because of excess debt. Founder William Bain asked Romney to return to the company as interim CEO to straighten things out.
Romney tightened expenses, renegotiated loans, and improved morale. He returned the company to profitability within a year before returning to lead Bain Capital.
In 1994, Romney decided to run for the Senate against Democrat Ted Kennedy. It was an audacious move, and Romney spent $6.1 million of his own money on the campaign. He felt liberal social programs of the 1960s and 1970s had created a permanent underclass and fostered poverty rather than eliminating it.
Romney managed to win 41 percent of the votes to Kennedy's 58 percent. Generally, that's not a good showing, but it was remarkable considering he was running as a Republican in a staunchly liberal state - against a Kennedy, no less.
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In 1998, Utah state leaders approached Romney about taking over the scandal-ridden 2002 Winter Olympics. More than $1 million in bribes had been paid to members of the International Olympic Committee organizers. Before the scandal erupted, the Salt Lake Olympics Organizing Committee (SLOC) had a projected shortfall of $397 million.
Romney accepted the position and asked Fraser Bullock, one of the seven original partners of Bain Capital, to become his chief operating officer.
Romney traveled all over the world to gather support, as he cut back on SLOC expenses. Without foundation, Woody Paige, a Denver Post columnist, blasted the Winter Olympics as a "massive Mormon marketing scheme."
With Romney at the helm, the games ended with a surplus of $56 million. The surplus money went to fund future Olympics. It was during his busy days guiding the Olympics that Romney received a call from Barbara Anderson, executive director of Massachusetts Citizens for Limited Taxation.
"I know you're busy with the Olympics right now," said the message she left on his answering machine, "but when you get back please save the commonwealth."
It was Anderson's way of telling him she wanted him to run for governor.
"There was no one else on the horizon, and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office," she says.
With the Olympics success under his belt, Romney ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 on a platform of fiscal conservatism, promising to erase the state's $3 billion deficit.
As the new governor, Romney consolidated state agencies, cut employees, and closed what he called loopholes in the corporate tax code. He also tackled the most difficult public policy issue of all, health insurance.
With input from the Heritage Foundation, Romney came up with a way to provide universal health insurance by requiring that everyone buy coverage, just as drivers are required to buy car insurance. If they don't, they lose their personal exemption on their state income taxes and part of their state tax refund. The idea was that in a reformed marketplace, everyone has the responsibility to have health insurance - no more free riders.
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Romney's bottom line in Massachusetts: He erased the budget deficit he inherited when he took over, just as he'd done with the Olympics.
When Romney left office on Jan. 4, 2006, the Bay State had a balanced budget plus a "rainy day fund" - all without ever raising taxes.
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Romney emphasizes four priorities if elected president: defeating the jihadists, competing with Asia, stopping runaway spending, and affirming America's culture and values.
In his NewsMax interview, Romney says he wants to see more money devoted to stopping the next terrorist plot through additional funding for the FBI and CIA. In running the Olympics, he became heavily involved in security issues to make the event safe, says David M. Tubbs, a former FBI agent who was in charge of security at the games.
"Fundamentally, the most important thing you can do to secure this homeland is to keep a bomb from going off," Romney points out. "And the only way you can do that effectively is through intelligence work and counterterrorism. And that means more FBI agents, more careful screening, more tracking of people who represent potential threats."
The FBI has only about 4,000 agents working counterterrorism, compared to New York City's 40,000 police officers. Romney also favors a tougher immigration policy, investing in technology, extending health insurance to all Americans, achieving energy independence, and improving education by measuring progress and "making teaching a true profession."
He has staked out more conservative positions than Giuliani and McCain on immigration policy and abortion. As governor, he decided that 30 state troopers should be trained to arrest illegal immigrants in the state.
On another bedrock issue for conservatives, he believes McCain was on the wrong side. "He voted against the Bush tax cuts," Romney points out. "I was in favor of the Bush tax cuts."
While Romney has generally supported Bush, he criticizes his creation of the Medicare drug prescription benefit without finding ways to pay for it.
Promising to build "a new American dream," Romney formally announced his candidacy on Feb. 13 at the Henry Ford Museum in his home state of Michigan. He cast himself as an optimistic and forward-thinking Washington outsider with the experience and vision to lead the country into a new age.
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Romney's fans range from Kathryn Jean Lopez, editor of National Review Online, to Ann Coulter, to talk-show host Laura Ingraham. While governor of Florida, Jeb Bush gave his blessing to key staffers to migrate to the Romney camp. Grover Norquist notes that Romney was the first major candidate to sign Americans for Tax Reform's pledge to oppose any effort to raise marginal income tax rates. Norquist says Romney is moving to "place himself dead center of the Reagan coalition." If he succeeds, Norquist says, "He will be the strongest candidate for the nomination."
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Romney is "a spectacular candidate," says Republican strategist Mary Matalin, a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney. "He is methodical, and he's definitely got the happy warrior thing. He's substantive, and he's got executive skills. And he's 21st century, too." Romney's Mormon religion will turn out to be a plus, she says, because people "like that have a source of strength."
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Romney said he is "very concerned about the America that my grandkids will enjoy, and your grandkids will enjoy. It can be a stronger, more vibrant nation, or it can become the France of the 21st century - starting off as the economic superpower, military superpower, ending still a great nation, but not the world's superpower. The choices we make today will determine whether America is a more prosperous and secure place for our grandchildren. I can help do that."
Among former presidents, Romney admires Dwight D. Eisenhower. Besides taking on communism, "He was a person whose leadership during World War II made him someone the entire nation revered and respected," Romney says. "And there's nothing wrong with having heroes in positions of prominence."
Having rescued the commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Winter Olympics, Bain & Co., and his partner's daughter, Romney could well be talking about himself.
Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have something in common; they both think it would be an absolute travesty if Mike Huckabee won the nomination. Thompson, in an interview, said that Huckabee isn't really even a conservative. Although he stands for some moral issues that many conservatives feel are important, that's about the extent of his appeal. Thompson claims that Huckabee doesn't share the same views as most conservatives on issues like immigration, taxes, social policies, and more (on these issues, he's as good as a democrat). Furthermore, there are many other candidates that represent these moral opinions and also fit the bill for what a true conservative should be. Mitt Romney is that man. He is a candidate who can please the masses and has the money and brains behind his campaign, not only to win the republican nomination, but also defeat the democrats in one of the most important elections the US have ever seen.
NY for Mitt did an excellent article on Fred Thompson's interview with CBN (Christian Broadcast Network) and there is even a link to watch a video of it. Check it out at:
With Mitt already leading in New Hampshire, catching up to Huck in Iowa (even winning according to some polls), and tied for the lead in South Carolina, his chances are looking pretty dang good! Not to mention that he is doing extremely well in Michigan and better in Florida since Giuliani is dropping. However, the battle is far from over. It's time for voters to start voting strategically, by looking at the bigger picture. A few weeks ago we posted an article entitled "Will Evangelicals play checkers or chess?" It talks about the strategy that voters need to have if they want to keep the conservative coalition together. I am reposting the link for those new to this blog, especially if you're on the fence about voting Mitt, as I think will help you realize how to make your vote really count.
For those of us who are already firm Mitt supporters, I think that this advice from Elect Romney in 2008 is the the best I've heard so far. These are practical ways by which each of us can do our part to help Mitt get the trifecta! Then he will be unstoppable.
According to the Insider Advantage/Majority opinion poll, Romney is leading in the Iowa polls, as 28% of voters were "very likely" to vote for him and only 25% of the same crowd would vote for Huckabee. Here is the link: (*Note - look at the second table on the bottom to see the results for "very likely" voters)
Just like we've been saying for a while here at Canadians For Mitt, the Huckabee surge was just a fad, a one-hit-wonder if you will, and would fizzle away. It appears that this is happening earlier than we expected. Keep in mind that according to most polls, Huckabee is still ahead in Iowa, but his down trend will only continue as voters discover that he does not have the back to fit the burden of the presidency, as he is severely unqualified and the slimiest of all republican candidates.
Here is a great article from John Cronin at "Elect Romney in 2008". I think his piece speaks for itself!
The latest news from the Huckabee campaign is that they have turned down an invitation to rumble with Russert on MEET THE PRESS. A Huckabee staffer said that MH would need “two weeks” of prep time before agreeing to make an appearance on the show and that wouldn’t be possible because of the looming Iowa caucus. This is scary stuff. We are witnessing the spectacle of a man who has risen dramatically in the polls and who is so profoundly under qualified and under prepared to be President that he would need “two weeks” of prep time to face Tim Russert on his news show!! How much prep time would he need before he faced the brutal dictators of N. Korea, Iran, Syria or China?
If you think this post is worthwhile, please use it or any ideas that it might generate, to try to break through the fog that some social conservatives are in when it comes to their support of a man who is not ready to sit across the desk from Tim Russert.
Just a few days ago Huckabee was in the leading Mitt in South Carolina, but recently, according to Rasmussen Reports the two are tied at 23% a piece. Good job Mitt! He is bouncing back, just like he always does. Mitt predicted that Huckabee's success would just be another surge, and it looks like he is beginning to be right. He said:
"I have been through a couple of surges now. First was the McCain surge, then the Giuliani surge, and then the Fred Thompson surge, and now it's the Mike Huckabee surge. And in the past, what's happened is, when the surge occurs, people look more closely at the record of the vision of the person running … and inevitably the surge kinda deflates. I think you will see the same thing here." http://canadiansformitt.blogspot.com/2007/12/huckabees-recent-success-is-just-surge.html
And it's not very hard to see why Huckabee is quickly losing support. From what I've seen, the most comprehensive list of reasons why Huck shouldn't get your vote is compiled the "Red State". Check out the following link from Elect Romney in 2008, which will lead you to the full list at the source.
What do Mike Huckabee's son and Mike Vick have in common. You guessed it, they both kill dogs in their free time. This article explains how Mike Huckabee's son got fired from a scout camp for brutally killing an innocent stray dog. It's almost as bad as letting convicted murderers back into society to kill again (but people, not dogs). Wait a go Mike! For a more detailed account of Huck's son's cruelty click here.
I don't usually post stuff from pro-Huck sites, but these ones were really convincing.
From murderers for Huckabee: "I don't know about the rest of you, but I am voting for Huck in the upcoming election. He is the MAN! I mean, I killed a few people and it looked like I'd be in jail for a long time, well at least until that saint Mike Huckabee gave me a get out of jail free card. Heck, all I had to tell him is that I was a Christian and he got me a criminal pardon. It sure pays to be religious! I plan to kill a few more people now that I'm out, but I'm not worried because if Huck becomes president, I'll just tell him that I've been born again and I'm as good as free. So, if you're considering a hanus crime, vote Huckabee cause he'll hook you up (it helps if you're the same religion as him)!"
From illegal aliens for Huckabee: "Huckabee as president is my dream. If he gets elected in I'm gonna tell all my friends to sneak over the border. I mean, Chuck Norris can only guard one part of it at a time! Plus, the best part of it is that when they get here, good old Huck will hook them up with jobs and funding for school, even if it means that taxpayers have to pay more and that American citizens lose out. What a guy! I can't think of a better deal than Huck's."
Obviously, from these new findings, I grossly misjudged Huck!
Mitt may not currently show up at the top of the national polls for the republican nomination, but for those who know his strategy, this is not a major concern. Since Mitt doesn't have the celebrity flare of a Giuliani (911 mayor) or a McCain (ran against Bush in the past), he needs to use a unique strategy that will not only get him free publicity and spark public interest, but will give him the momentum needed to compete against the big names. It is obvious that Romney is a great strategist and has put himself in a good position to do just this. He sits in the proverbial Australia on the Risk board, waiting with his massive armies to sweep the world. He has a solid base and with a good performance in the first three states (Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina) he could build enough momentum to win the nomination.
Patrick Ruffini, a notable political strategist, goes into more detail in one of his most recent articles entitled "Romney's Race to Lose", about why Mitt could very well win the nomination. Very interesting, so take a look:
Mitt Romney is probably the brightest and most talented candidate in the GOP field. (Charlie Cook in The Washington Post)
Kennedy said Romney showed leadership in the state's passage of a plan for comprehensive medical coverage and called him "a tough contender" for president. "I think he's underestimated by a number of Republicans" (Ted Kennedy, U.S. Senator: Mass-D)
"Mitt Romney has more management ability than any potential candidate on either side. He is one of the best managers in the country." (Orrin Hatch, U. S. Senator: Utah-R)
"As more Americans meet Mitt Romney, I think they'll see beyond the handsome exterior and see not just a good salesman, but a thoughtful (and, yes, conservative) leader." (Kathryn Lopez)
"As a politician, Mitt Romney is considered by friend and foe to be the total package." (The Weekly Standard)
Mitt Romney is a brave man. While the GOP glitterocracy attended the first gay wedding of one of their own, Gov. Romney was in Washington, D.C., making the single most eloquent and articulate defense of our traditional understanding of marriage I have heard from an American politician. (Maggie Gallager -- President of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy)
"I could in very good conscience support Romney as a fellow social conservative on most of the issues we care about." (Charles Colson--Prominent Evangelical Leader)
Romney has done his best to defend the culture of life on what is probably the most inhospitable terrain in the country." (National Review)
"Romney is a true conservative, both fiscally and socially, and has the charisma and personality that reminds you of a younger Ronald Reagan. In fact, he might just be the perfect candidate." (Hugh Hewitt--Conservative Radio Talk Show Host
"We couldn't be happier with him. Without Romney, we would have been slapped with a lot of new taxes." (Barbara Anderson, Citizens for Limited Taxation - Massachusetts)
"Mitt Romney may just be the most appealing candidate Republicans can field in 2008, the one most likely to win the White House by shoring up social conservatives and rallying business interests without frightening swing voters." (The Washington Monthly)
Mitt Romney is the best Republican Governor that we've ever had (David Eischenbaum, M.D. Democrat & personal friend living in Mass)
"Mitt Romney is the consummate leader with a rare combination of talent, sincerity, integrity, and charisma. In a world where 'spin' is too often king, he is the real deal. What he did with Salt Lake City's Olympic Games is the stuff of which legends are made." (Sheri Dew, President & CEO -- Deseret Book Company)
On marriage and cloning, he has provided aggressive leadership as a positive, pro-family governor (Kris Mineau, Massachusetts Family Institute)
QUOTES: ROMNEY SPEAKS
"By the way, had I known I was ever going to get into politics, I think someone would have told me. Don't stay in Massachusetts, the most Democratic state in America, go back home to Michigan where your dad's name is golden."
"America is on the right track, we are way ahead, but we have to move again. We have got to get going and recognize that you can't be the superpower of the planet forever unless you take challenges seriously and improve your game."
"As a governor, I consider my highest promise the promise I made to uphold the constitution of my state and of the country. And regardless of one's faith, that's the biggest responsibility."
America cannot continue to lead the family of nations around the world if we suffer the collapse of the family here at home.
People from both political parties have long recognized that welfare without work creates negative incentives that lead to permanent poverty. It robs people of self-esteem.
And a special thank you to the citizens of Massachusetts: You are paying all the taxes, creating all the jobs, raising all the children. This government is yours. Thank you for letting me serve you. I love this job.
I feel very deeply about the need to respect and tolerate people of different social-or sexual orientation. But at the same time, I believe marriage should be preserved as an institution for one man and one woman.
Our economy is on the move and we are creating thousands of new jobs, but we need to keep our foot on the gas pedal.
We reserve our deepest respect and admiration for those who volunteer for service and give their lives to help keep our nation secure.
"America cannot continue to lead the family of nations around the world if we suffer the collapse of the family here at home."
