Romney, yuck.

I am not one often moved to comment directly on politics. It is a messy world out there, and someone has to lead it, and I don't want to... so good luck to whoever does. However, you know I am not a fan of the current President, and now you are going to hear that I am not a fan of Mitt Romney and his effort to become our next President.

I heard Romney on the radio the other day, and found the same quote from his stump speech today: "we’re going to see jobs continue to leave this country unless we have a President who understands how the economy works and is willing to fight for every single job." (From Time-CNN web page).

This quote highlights all that is horrible about Mitt Romney. He is absolutely an opportunist and nothing else, and this quote is another flip-flop, just like his flip-flopping on all the other issues since his (miserable, mostly-absent) performance as Governer of Massachusetts.

Mitt Romney has been a successful entrepreneur, businessman and private equity manager. He understands the notion of comparative advantage in any economy, and the value created in new ventures and in reorganizing old ventures.

Let me parse out the statement: "unless we have a President who understands how the economy works." In this he asserts that he does understand, and because of his background I actually believe him. He must, therefore, understand that having people do unprofitable work, producing inferior goods with high fixed costs, when there are other better things they could do, is bad for the economy. Therefore, the last thing a person "who understands the economy" should do is "fight for every single job".

When his own money was on the line he was the guy out front restructuring companies (yes, laying people off) in ways that strengthened the firm, making the rest of the jobs more secure and ensuring the ongoing presence of an employer in the community. Let him fight for an economy that welcomes and encourages every NEW job, NEW opportunity, NEW industry... but fighting for the old ones is like King Canute ordering the tide to turn back.

Now he is running for President he is Mr Populist, and he is insulting us all every time he uses that phrase. Yuck.

I would like to tell Mr Romney to go home, but I doubt he will feel much at home here in Massachusetts now. Let the old-time populist parts of Michigan have him (I bet he is not welcome in Utah, either ... I am sure they can smell the hypocrisy a mile away).