Several times here I've asked my conservative readers to explain how they justify supporting their Rominee when he's such a constant and shameless liar. Other than the occasional weak attempt at equilibration between Mitt and Barack, they haven't had much to say. Maybe it's because, until recently, the lies have been about the president; and the goal of getting rid of the Muslim Nazi America-hating Socialist anti-capitalist gay al Queda plant justifies any means. Prevarication in the defense of liberty is no vice, right?
But now the guy is lying about himself, in matters that have potential legal consequences, not to mention that they put the lie to his latest lie about Obama, too. As supporters fall over themselves to rationalize it, I wonder -- in my imaginary world of thoughtful people who like truth and facts and science and education and the occasional road or bridge -- if we might be anywhere nearer the point where even the apologists will begin to have first thoughts.
The only thing that Romney says that's not a flat-out whole-cloth lie is based on a lie: that you can balance the budget by cutting taxes, increasing spending on the military, and still have something left of government for the less-than-him-moneyed (well, it is a lie, but some might claim it's an opinion, since it's never actually happened). Stuck with such a despicable human for a candidate, and lacking much in the way of real criticism of President Obama, whose policies have been anti-capitalist or terrorist-loving the way Bush's wars were well-planned, Rs and their screamers are wallowing in conspiracy theories, birtherism, and monsters-under-the-bed calling for mommy.
In that way, I suppose it makes sense: if the typical teabagger's view of Obama is based on lies and they like it that way, there's a nice symmetry in having a candidate who does nothing but lie himself. Even when the lies start to unravel the threads that hold his imaginary persona together.
But all the lies suggest that those who'd vote for The Rominee can have no real idea of who or what he is, what he'd do, to whom he'd listen (okay, we know that: John Bolton and the Koch brothers). This is a guy who refuses to say what he'd do beyond ending Obamacare and Planned Parenthood (returning to the pre ACA healthcare system will kill more Americans than Planned Parenthood in the RWS™ most fevered imagination), who lies about his opponent and himself, who refuses to release tax returns and blames it on John Kerry's wife: can you really justify voting for someone like that just because the current president tried to fix our healthcare system and stepped in to save the auto industry and has killed a few dozen terrorists? Assuming you're not a contributer of millions, can you really believe Mitt Romney will support policies that will help you? Observing his lies, do you think you even know what he stands for?
If you justify overlooking such mendacity by buying into the RWS™ characterizations of Obama, doesn't it say more about you than it does about our president?
Romney was not my choice. (You'd flip if you knew who was :) But ..yes ...even if he doesn't do all I hope ...he is still better choice than our current president.
ReplyDeleteI just cannot abide by a lot of what I hear the president say or see him do. He is a good husband and a good father ...both candidates are. But, I did not vote for Obama and now I think much less of him then before he went in - politically speaking.
I'm glad Guantanamo is still operating. I know he has been more militaristic than many on the left like. But, also believe he is perceived to be weak around the world. DID not at all trust his telling Putin to wait until after the election.
There is so much DR S.
Anyway - I was listening to Larry King in an interview today and pretty much agree with his stating that with both candidates ..he doesn't think it is so much going to be a vote for the candidate as it is a vote against the other one - on both sides.