Believe Romney or Your Own Eyes

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright August 27, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

          One day before Tropical Storm Isaac blows by Tampa, Reince Priebus and the Republican National Committee demand every conference speaker stick to a strict script:  President Barack Obama bungled the U.S. economy.  Since former Massachusetts’ Gov. Mitt Romney announced his run for president June 2, 2011, he’s been bashing Barack’s handling of the economy.  Mitt’s been telling voters the country’s worst off than it was nearly four years ago when Barack took over from former President George W. Bush.  When Obama took office Jan. 20, 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial average stood at around 8,000 with the nation losing over 200,000 jobs a month.  Mitt and the RNC has blamed Barack for the economy’s failure since taking office, ignoring every favorable Labor Depart. And Commerce Dept. statistic published.  Since the economy bottomed out in March 2010, the U.S. economy has added over 4 million jobs.

            Mitt’s message of Obama’s failed U.S. economy will be the prevailing theme at this week’s RNC Convention.  Raining on Romney’s parade are Labor Department statistics proving that the nation’s bleak unemployment picture has improved as of late.  “Throughout our state, we see signs our economy is moving in the right direction,” said Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott, directly challenging Mitt and the RNC’s message to convention delegates.  Scott won’t make it to the podium if he dares to cite real data showing an improved economy.  With Florida a toss-up before Nov. 6, Romney must convince voters in other battleground states like Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado to ignore the government’s published economic data.  Romney totally ignores Detroit’s spectacular turnaround since getting bailed out by Barack Feb. 17, 2009.

            No one citing real statistics can speak at the RNC convention.  Former presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has been kept off the dais because he refuses to outright endorse Mitt.  “It wouldn’t be my speech,” Paul told the New York Times.  “That would undo everything I’ve done in the last 30 years.  I don’t fully endorse him for president,” showing cracks that the RNC must paper over.   Paul admitted the Romney campaign would only let him speak if he was thoroughly vetted by the campaign.  There’s only one message that the RNC permits:  Mitt is good and Barack is bad.  Forget about Romney’s promise to create 12 million private sector jobs during his first four years.  He won’t say how he plans to do it other than returning to Supply Side Economics.  Romney and Ryan seek more across-the-board tax cuts, despite current government shortfalls.

            Truth about the economy is the biggest thorn in Romney’s side.  He must ignore all Labor and Commerce Dept. stats that show the economy adding more private sector jobs.  Romney insists Obama’s policies have been the stumbling block to growth.  “He doesn’t understand how the policies he put in place made it harder for this economy to recover,” Mitt told voters in June.  Romney and his running mate House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) opposed bailing out Detroit.  Obama rescued General Motors and Chrysler, both now adding new jobs and selling cars.  For the formerly unemployed autoworkers now back to work in Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois, Romney must convince them that Obama did the wrong thing.  No one speaking at the RNC convention can tell the truth.  They must stick to the Party line that Barack has messed up the economy.

            When Ford Motor Co. announced Oct. 4, 2011 that it was adding 12,000 domestic jobs it signaled Detroit was roaring back after nearing the brink in 2008.  It was Obama who gave a portion of his Feb. 17, 2009 $700 billion bailout money to rescue General Motors and Chrysler.  Ford’s 67-year-old insightful CEO Alan Mulally completely reinvented Ford’s domestic lineup, using European models to revamp the current inventory.  GM did the same bringing in some of its popular German Opel models, now inspiring its Chevrolet and Buick divisions. Chrysler found a real partner in Italy’s Fiat Motors, now selling some of the most popular Euro-styled fuel-efficient cars in America.  All of this activity has added thousands of manufacturing jobs in the Upper Midwest, something voters can’t deny.  When Romney bashes Obama on jobs, Midwesterners know they’re working again.

            Mitt talks a good game about how Barack has wrecked the U.S. economy.  He’s amnesic to what happened in the last Republican administration that subscribed to Supply Side Economics.  Bush cut taxes but the economy didn’t boom as expected.  Budget deficits went through the roof and the nation’s banks ran out of cash.  Now Mitt promises 12 million new private sector jobs over the next four years.  He gives no details how plans to pull it off.  Mitt and his VP pick refuse to raise taxes.  To continue reducing the current $1.2 trillion budget deficit, they can only slash government entitlement programs and the federal workforce.  “And so today, I hope things are getting better.  I think they are, the economy.  I sure hope so.  But it’s no thanks to him [Obama].  It’s in spite of him,” Romney told Iowa voters.  For Iowans working in the auto industry and car business, they know Mitt’s blowing smoke.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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