The Truth About Mitt Romney

Politics is a dirty game.  Both sides use quotes taken out of context, manipulate numbers to favor their own policies, and play to whatever audience they are currently addressing.    It’s hard to make sense of it all.  Let me see if I can be of some help.  Having raised two teenagers – the real masters of spin — I have found that the axiom, actions speak louder than words, is a good guide when searching for the truth.  A look at some of Mr. Romney’s actions should reveal The Truth About Mitt.

In August, when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney picked his running mate, he showed his hand.  Potential VP Marco Rubio, a man of Cuban descent and therefore thought to be able to garner a share of the coveted Hispanic vote, was the politically expedient choice, and Tim Pawlenty was seen as the safe choice.  Instead, to the surprise of many and shock of a few, Mr. Romney tapped Paul Ryan, a representative from Wisconsin who has authored several budgets that seriously address Medicare – a sacred entitlement that politicians are loathe to challenge.

Opponents of the Ryan plan argue that it will end Medicare as we know it.  Clearly, Mr. Romney is more worried about the end of America as we know it.  Romney/Ryan are concerned that America is quickly reaching Greece’s debt-to-GDP ratio.  (To see the numbers for yourself google “America’s debt to GDP ratio.”) The numbers may or may not make sense to you, but what should be perfectly clear as well as very scary, are the images you see on your television screen of the riots in Athens because the Greek government has promised more than it can deliver. American politicians having been making promises that they can’t keep for too long.  Romney’s pick of Ryan sent a signal to voters that there is no way around our budget woes without taking on Medicare.  Truth number one: Romney is prepared to lead on hard problems that won’t be popular with voters, but may be necessary to save America from going broke.

Truth number two:  Mitt Romney works well with others.  Mr. Romney as the Republican governor of very liberal Massachusetts passed his signature health-care legislation with a legislator that was over 80% Democrats.  By comparison, President Obama pushed his health-care bill through Congress without a single Republican vote, thus creating an even greater tension between the two parties and major gridlock.

Truth number three:  Mr. Romney is always prepared.  If you are one of the 67 million people who watched the presidential debate you are aware of this.  There are numerous accounts from Romney’s Harvard classmates extolling his extraordinary focus and work ethic.   Can you imagine if instead of a debate to be re-elected President (no small thing!), Mr. Obama had shown up at a meeting with an important head of state so unprepared?

Further revealing the truth of Mr. Romney’s character are two anecdotal stories that have not been widely distributed by the media, but have been solidly verified.

The first is from Romney’s time at Bain.  Mr. Romney got word that a colleague’s daughter had gone missing.  Upon hearing such horrible news you would expect the President of a large financial corporation like Bain to step out of his meeting to call the distressed colleague and offer supportive words while directing his assistant to send flowers or a basket of fruit to the home.  Not Mitt!  Romney went into full crisis mode shutting down the office for business as usual and putting people to work posting flyers, making phone calls and sectioning the city into a grid for searching.  There are two truths here:  Mitt Romney is not a man who shrinks from a crisis and his compassion extends beyond words to actions.  Not to mention, this story shatters the myth put forth by his opponents that Romney is a man out of touch with humanity and solely focused on profits.

The second story took place over the summer when Mr. Romney was recording a campaign advertisement in a staffer’s back yard.  He was asked to wait in the garage, out of the sun, while they prepared the shot.  While waiting, Mr. Romney not only organized the garage he also swept it out.  Most people won’t clean out their own garages much less someone else’s.

Mitt Romney’s opposition is pressing the notion that he’s not like you and me.  Truth number six:  HE’s NOT!  He’s nothing like you and me.  He doesn’t drink, smoke or swear; he has been married to the same woman for forty-plus years with no hint of scandal (he glows in her presence!); he’s never tried drugs, but as a pastor of his church he helped counsel people with drug problems; he got a double degree in graduate school (a law degree and a business degree simultaneously) while making top grades; he sees a mess and he fixes it even when it’s in someone else’s; and, maybe the most surprising of all, he’d rather work for his money than have it handed to him — he gave away his inheritance.

The truth is maybe we shouldn’t elect Mitt Romney president — maybe we should just clone him.