The big impression

By Tom Quiner

MITT ROMNEY knows how to create prosperity

Mitt Romney can fix our broken economy.

That’s the big impression I’m left with from the Republican National Convention.

We know Obama can’t. He’s had a chance. He’s failed.

I know, I know. It’s really all Bush’s fault. And those darn Republicans are liars. And you know what, things are really starting to get better, just give us four more years to finish the job. And Republicans only care about the rich. And Romney killed a woman. And he’s hiding something since he won’t release his tax returns.

A lot of folks are sick of Mr. Obama’s pathetic excuses. They see them for what they are: blame-shifting to compensate for his inability to turn around the country; and as a smokescreen to mask that America grows weaker every day under his presidency.

The big impression is that Mitt Romney is an amazingly accomplished guy. He’s created wealth, lots of it for lots of people. He’s fixed broken businesses and made them profitable again, while saving jobs … and creating more jobs.

He knows business. That is a huge attribute.

He even fixed a very broken Olympics. Regardless of party affiliation, Mitt Romney has an impressive resume’.

He knows success, and that is a good thing, not a bad thing as suggested by the envious on the Left. A lot of Americans are uncomfortable with Mr. Obama’s war on success. Americans are ready to go back to work again and get their lives restarted, and they know that will only happen if they put someone in the White House who knows how to press the buttons that create jobs.

Obama’s idea of bigger government, more entitlements, more regulations, and a sneering regard for the productive has created perpetual stagnation, which hapless liberals are calling the “new normal.”

They said the same thing when Jimmy Carter was in office.

Ronald Reagan proved them wrong. So will Mitt Romney.

I came away with something else from this week’s RNC: I respect Mr. Romney’s values. By all accounts, he is an outstanding husband and father. (For the record, I believe the same of Barack Obama and very much respect him for that.)

But there’s more. Mitt Romney is a giver, and he doesn’t like to broadcast his acts of charity and compassion to make him look good. In other words, he seems to keep his ego checked, unlike his preening opponent.

I am not comfortable with the Mormon religion. I am very comfortable with Mormon values. Frankly, I wish more Americans had their values. I’ve known many Mormons and have had some as clients over the years. I have been universally impressed with their decency, integrity, and family values.

I can’t the same of the followers of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

The big impression: Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will make a great team in creating prosperity for America. I am proud of this ticket. Even more, I am optimistic for America if they win the election.

5 Comments

  1. Shawn Pavlik on August 31, 2012 at 10:53 am

    Tom-
    I fear the left has forgotten JFK’s admonition to “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” I think Obama has changed this to “Ask what your country can do for you.”

    I don’t know how anyone can logically look at the last 3 and a half years of this presidency and think “I think I’ll vote for Obama.” This has been the worst recovery since the great depression. You think Obama had it bad coming into office? Things were MUCH worse when Reagan came into office, and he turned things around in 3 years. How? By using supply side economics, i.e. tax incentives for job creators and reducing regulations on small businesses. Our tax and regulation climate is so bad that people don’t want to build a new business in the US anymore.

    This is the most important election of my lifetime, except MAYBE 1980, as that defined the Republican party for the next 20 years. I think Romney can redefine our party to the positive once again.

    -Shawn in Ankeny



    • quinersdiner on August 31, 2012 at 11:00 am

      Agreed on all points.



    • Bob Vance on August 31, 2012 at 12:15 pm

      The problem is that there is so much smack being thrown back and forth that I think a lot of voters don’t know who to believe. For many its a question of picking the least of two evils and at least “we know this evil” – i.e. it could get worse. And whether you like it or not, the religious right scares alot of people not just on the left but in the middle.

      These are the things we as Republicans need to overcome before November.



      • quinersdiner on August 31, 2012 at 1:06 pm

        You may be right, Bob. I think Romney helped to overcome some of those concerns with swing voters after last night. He has a track record of creating prosperity. People are hungry for that. They know they’re not going to get it on our present trajectory.



  2. Karen Quiner on September 1, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    I don’t know why you bring up the religious right when talking about Mitt Romney. That has nothing to do with him.

    And it seems crazy to imply we should keep Obama because “at least we know this evil” and it could get worse.”

    Are you saying you would keep in an effective president because we don’t know what the next guy “might” do? With that thinking, we might as well throw in the towel, give up and hand our country over to the Chinese right now. That doesn’t seem like responsible citizenship.

    And are you also saying that the social issues that Obama supports are more important to you than the fact that we are going broke? People paint Paul Ryan as a guy who hates the poor. Paul Ryan is smart enough to know that our social programs are not sustainable if we stay on the current path, and if we don’t save our economy, we won’t be able to save the programs that support the needy.