Conservatives Opposed To Mitt Romney In The General Election

You'll want to read this entire piece by Bill Jacobson.

If you asked me even a couple of weeks ago whether the Republican Party could heal from the wounds of this election cycle in time to unite against Obama, I would have said ”Yes.” I’m not so sure anymore.

That the Romney campaign embraces such people is one of the reasons a large segment of the Republican electorate is moving to a position they never thought possible:

I've already begun talking to some friends about forming an activist group, Conservatives Opposed to Mitt Romney in the General Election. It would not support Obama, but nor would it support Romney, only letting its opposition be known, while otherwise ignoring the presidential race and focusing on House and Senate contests in some key seats, especially for conservatives.

Again, read the whole thing. The GOP will not reform itself so long as it can ridicule and abuse genuine conservatives and count on their votes. If anything, Romney would more likely tarnish the GOP brand if elected and he has demonstrated such low character in his years of desperately seeking the White House, many of us are reaching the conclusion that he's not fit for the job.

There is a solid longer-term case to be made for a GOP House and Senate with Obama in the White House and a GOP that finally wakes up to the fact that it can not so consistently ignore and even malign conservatives.

Comments

[Max Jacobs]

I'm definitely game for being affiliated with an anti-Mitt Romney group for the general. What they are doing to Newt and to conservatives as a whole makes me sick to my stomach.

[OCBill]

I live in California, so I won't have to hold my nose and vote for Romney if he gets the nomination, not that I would at this point even if my vote counted.

[EBL]

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/01/herman-cain-endorses-newt-gingrichand.html

[astonerii]

I will join as long as I can still vote Obama against Romney. let me know.

[Dan Riehl]

A person's vote is their own business, AS. There certainly wouldn't be any loyalty oaths, or commitments to only vote this way, or that.

[EBL]

astonerii, If Romney is the nominee, I am still voting for him over Obama (I won't like it but I will do it). I am also voting every conservative candidate I can. But if your state is not on the line and you think a third party vote on the general election line sends a message, by all means send your message. Just do not do that in a red state. Save that for blue states that have no chance of going red.

[HTW]

I am in favor of a Contract-With-America-like "Contract with the Conservative Base" if Romney gets elected. He needs to understand that we, and not Rove and Drudge and the Wall Street buddies, are what gets him elected. The day he is nominated (but not until then) he will be entitled to have a clean slate with us. But we have to make him accountable.

[KLSmith]

I live in Virginia which is supposed to be one of only about 8 or 9 states that are going to matter in the presidential race. I'm really not very happy at all with what's going on. It's hard to believe that the progenitor of Obamacare will probably be our nominee.
I really understand the angst and dissatisfaction but, Obama scares me a hell of a lot more than Romney (at this point, anyway).
My 3 main arguments for why I'm not on board:
1. the advanced age of the Supreme Court justices and the DECADES Obama's appointees will serve.
2. Obama will not respect the House & Senate. He will do whatever he wants through executive action or God knows what. He's doing some of that now. What's going to stop him in his 2nd term - those lily livered go-along to get-along Republicans?
3. I will not do anything to reward a Marxist intent on destroying my country and my children's future with a 2nd term. No matter what kind of RINO Supreme is running against him.
Eff the Republican Party. Eff Obama more.
I'm interested in whatever it takes to send a message to the Stupid Party. After Obama is back in Chicago.

[Marooned in Marin]

I'd be interested in joining such a group as you propose, Dan. I understand how some might be willing to vote for Slick Willard as a "lesser of two evils." Judging by his actions, and how his surrogates say he will not repeal the biggest job killer of all time (ObamaneyCare), it's apparent to me he and Obama will be one in the same. The only difference will be is Romney is a Republican. I'll bet anyone Romney will appoint nothing but liberal judges. And don't get me started about the disenfranchisement of my vote and others in VA. I've even been toying with the idea of voting for the detestable Ron Paul just to screw Romney and the GOP establishment that wants to force him down our throats.

[Doug Ross]

Dan, we're all going to have to hold our noses and vote for Romney in the general.

Your plan for the House and Senate is precisely correct.

But giving Obama free rein with his administrative state: the DOJ, the EPA, etc. is a recipe for economic disaster.

Furthermore, as was pointed out above, SCOTUS is critical to maintaining a semblance of order in this country.

Voting for Obama, which is what sitting out the general represents, is untenable if we are to save this Republic.

[StrangernFiction]

"The GOP will not reform itself so long as it can ridicule and abuse genuine conservatives and count on their votes."

This bears repeating.

[A Stephens]

Used to enjoy reading Rubin at Commentary magazine. What the hell happened?

It's ironic to me that Romney's chief claim to qualification is "executive" experience, yet what I'm seeing is a candidate being shepherded through the process. Yes, he ultimately does make the call but the ideas, the vision, the leadership, seem to be coming from those behind him. "Leading from behind", seems I've seen this playbook before. Pathetic.

[Ragspierre]

A, me, too.

This is one of those times where you separate the sheep from the goats, sad to say.

I have loved reading Ann Coulter for many years. I can't say a lot for her judgment now, however.

You have people like Hucksterbee...who I saw through back in the last election cycle...just flat-footed lying in the face of his own video. How does someone like that retain ANY credibility with people after this?

Romney simply is not someone I can support. Not to say I may not vote for him, but I will not contribute to, work for, or speak up on behalf of his election.

This is a sorry state of affairs.

[astonerii]

I dunno, they tell me I am in a swing state. I will take Romney down if I can with my vote and my relatives who frequently listen to me on politics.

[CaliKate]

Since I live in California (aka "Obama Land") my vote won't matter either so I won't be voting for Romney or Obama.

[Tennwriter]

Sigh. Sign me up.

I, on the other hand, have been wondering off and on for some time if the R party could heal its wounds. The Establishment is Soooooo Desperate to hang on to power, and not to share even a teeny bit.

Its like the Catholic Church in the time of indulgences. I'm not a Catholic, but I imagine if you asked any thoughtful Catholic and they would agree that indulgences were shameful and BS. Various people tried mightily to get the RCC to reform....it didn't. Enter the Protestant Reformation...

[James]

We can focus on sending the GOP a message AFTER we defeat Obama. I wanted Bachmann or Perry, but we need to just get over it. Mitt is the nominee.

Whatever Mitt's faults are he is FAR FAR FAR preferable to Barry Obama. Anything other than a vote for Mitt is a vote to reelect Obama. I sucked it up and voted for McCain (who was my LAST choice to get the nomination) so I can suck it up and vote for Mitt.

[Kaye]

I'm in.

[A Stephens]

James,
Romney will lose to Obama by a wider margin than McCain did. While they're both willing to fight back against conservatives, neither of them are willing to engage in a knife fight with establishment media, and the Obama attack machine.

McCain has multiple times the intestinal fortitude that Romney has ever shown. Romney will fold into full fetal surrender within weeks of the nomination, and the road for Obama will be framed by him and his establishment media foot-soldiers as a building of a consensus for his 2nd term. Amazing to me that some don't/won't learn from history.

[Bosman]

Some of you people are pathetic.

You're upset because the Tea Party's progressive candidate Newt Gingrich's hopes for the nomination is sinking quicker than the Titanic. GROW UP.

Romney is capable of bringing in the moderates and independents needed to beat Obama. Conservatives delusional if they think they can win this with Republicans only. There just isn't enough of us.

I look at it this way, I agree with Romney 75% of the time. With Obama, 0% of the time. I don't need the whole pie, just a BIG SLICE to satisfy me.

[LB]

Dan, I am already there! I will NOT "hold my nose" and vote for someone CHOSEN FOR ME as I did in 2008 (mainly because of Sarah)! I live in TN and we have SUPER TUESDAY but by that time, the loons in Iowa and the hippies in New Hamshire have taken my choice AWAY. GOD BLESS SOUTH CAROLINA at least. As for Florida, SERIOUSLY? Half Conservative and half liberal retired yankees with nothing to do so I am stuck some Super T.
I am SICK and TIRED of having the "next guy in line" and being told I am not the intellectual equal to these establishment Republicans (John Boehner, anyone?). I will vote for the CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN down ticket as far as I can go but I will NOT turn the lever for ROMNEYCARE. Period.

[Terry in GA]

We all need to show up at the convention and refuse to nominate another divider, and demand someone other than Romney. If there is one clear message from start to finish, both last election and this so far, it is that Romney is not a candidate to bring conservatives together. The clearest message has been "Not Romney!" If they don't listen, we will be stuck with ZERO.

[Marooned in Marin]

Bosman: You don't win an election by telling your base to piss off, and that's what Romney and the establishment is saying to conservatives and the Tea Party. Don't forget, the Tea Party isn't just made up of conservatives. Independents make up a good chunk of Tea party support.

[Ragspierre]

The clearest message has been "Not Romney!"

That is a FLUCKING FACT...!!!

Something on the order of 70%...despite ALL Romney has done over YEARS of campaigning.

If you can't read THOSE TEA (Taxed Enough Already) leaves...you've LOST TOUCH with the base of what was ONCE the Reagan party.

[EBL]

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/01/all-mitt-romney-wants-is-simple.html Romney supporters are redistricting Allen West out of a seat. All Mitt Romney wants is a simple offering from Allen West. An appropriate answer should be given.

[A Stephens]

Bosman,
so how did that strategy work out for us in 08? Insanity is,..what again exactly?

Survey after survey report that 40%+ of Americans self identify as conservative, latest example from Gallup no less. Yet establishment Republicans, in effort to gain a majority with the 30% of independents/moderates, throw that 40% under the bus because they know we historically show up anyway.

The end result of that strategy is that by the time the Democrat smear machine and their progressive media benefactors predictably paint Republicans, as "racist - anti women - religious zealots - mean spirited - old people hating - poor people hating - wealthy people loving - big oil loving - enviro hating" bigots, then those squishy, mush-middle, afraid to offend anyone, independents will vote against us because they don't want, by extension of their vote, to think that someone somewhere might ever conceive of them in the disparaging terms they're seeing used to describe Republicans and conservatives.

[Kyle Smith]

The best thing to do right now is start a group called "Conservatives Opposed To Mitt Romney In The GOP PRIMARY". They said it was all but over after New Hampshire. They'll say the same thing about Florida, but it won't be true.

[CaliKate]

Republicans got thrown under the bus in California with Schwarzenegger and then Whitman. That's why I'm a registered Independent. I'm sure I'm not the only conservative who has decided that the California Republicans and now the national Republicans are hopeless.

[formwiz]

Brilliant.

7 million "Conservatives" again stay home to sulk and hand over the country to Barry Ozero. The other guys in the Republican race gave it their shot. Most of the ones who want to sign up couldn't wait to shoot them down for lack of ideological purity and, 2 months ago, Newt was at the top (or bottom) of the list.

Yeah, I'd love somebody besides Milton. If you can find him (or her), trot him out. Unless you like the idea of more Eric Holder.

With friends like this, we don't need enemies.

[CaliKate]

Even if every conservative voted for Romney over Obama, I doubt he'll win because the choice between Obama and Romney will be painted as this:

Mean, heartless, super-rich, vulture Romney versus the victimized for-the-people nice-guy Obama. Guess which one Independents and Democrats will sympathize with more.

And if Romney should decide that a scorch-the-earth tactic won't work because of the above scenario, he'll be all soft and fuzzy against Obama who again will likely come out ahead in that race. As one reader here pointed out in a different post, Obama's trump cards are Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, rich Democrats who think it's only justice that rich people should be taxed more.

See: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/01/25/411283/bill-gates-taxes-justice/
("Billionaire Bill Gates Calls For Increasing Taxes On The Rich: ‘That’s Just Justice’")

and

1/29/12: "On Meet the Press, Obama campaign senior strategist David Axelrod discussed Romney’s tax returns and the fact that he paid a 13.9% effective tax rate. Asked if Romney broke any rules, Axelrod pushed back. “I’m not saying he didn’t play by the rules. The rules allow you to have Swiss bank accounts. The rules allow you to put your money in the Cayman Islands and to set up businesses in Bermuda and so on. The rules allow all of that. The question is are the rules right? He would continue those rules. They are not right. It’s not right that someone like Governor Romney can make $20, $22 million and pay an effective tax rate lower than the average middle class person in this country.”" http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/4835

So the choice will be Cayman-Island, Swiss-bank-account vulture-rich-guy Romney vs. down-in-the-trenches Obama and his team of billionaires for tax justice. Guess which one Independents and Democrats will sympathize with more.

[CaliKate]

Clarification to my first sentence:

Even if every conservative voted for Romney over Obama, I doubt Romney will win because the choice between Obama and Romney will be painted as this:

[Greg]

Let's go back to 2010. When Angle and O'Donnell won their respective Republican nominations, what did the establishment Republicans (like Karl Rove) do? They purposefully trashed these nominees. Again, AFTER they had won the nomination, not during a primary. The establishment Republicans teamed up with the left to destroy these candidates, because these Republicans were not happy that the conservative base turned aside their chosen candidates. When Angle and O'Donnell lost, the establishment blamed the conservative base for the losses, when the blame clearly was on the shoulders with establishment Republicans who not only walked away but kicked us on their way out.

Now fast forward to today. The establishment Republicans are trying to trash Newt Gingrich's relationship with Ronald Reagan, a man not alive to defend the truth. And we're supposed to sit back and watch these despicable tactics again.

If and when Romney becomes the nominee, there is a good chance he will lose to Barack Obama. He fits right into Obama's narrative about millionaires and billionaires. And just like last time, the conservative base will be blamed for the loss. I for one, have had it, and will not actively support a group that has contempt for the tea party conservatives.

Dan, there already is a separate group you're describing. It's called the tea party. And we're sick and tired of watching the status quo Republicans help this country go into bankruptcy. As Glenn Reynolds says, something that can't go on forever, won't.

[Ragspierre]

"Unless you like the idea of more Eric Holder."

I despise the idea of more Holder.

But I am NOT at all pleased with the idea of a Pam Bondi.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/01/were-screwed-florida-ag-pam-bondi-claims-mitt-wants-romneycare-in-every-state-video/

[left coast rebel]

I'll join the Conservatives Against Mitt Romney in the General group, Dan. Just let us all know if/when/where to sign up.

[formwiz]

Can't find where it was, but the Bondi thing is a lot more sound than substance.

[Jacksonian Libertarian]

I agree that electing Romney is likely to discredit the Right for a generation, because he would not fight for or rigorously implement any of the fiscally conservative policies that this nation needs to thrive. It would better to retain Obama to act as the Right's foil for another 4 years, while he continues to discredit the Left.
"Actions speak louder than Words"
Romney's political achievements are identical to Obama's. I don't understand what argument Romney can make for voting for him over Obama, when their records are the same. Because he is White?

[formwiz]

Here .

YMMV

[formwiz]

Sorry, I though they did html here

http://www.therightscoop.com/did-pam-bondi-really-defend-romneycare/

[Ragspierre]

Um...form...

That does not even make sense, much less assuage my concerns.

She said what she said. She can, as a lawyer, attack ObamaCare AND totally support RomneyCare...

WHICH ROMNEY CERTAINLY DOES...!!!!

[SJ Reidhead]

I'm in.

This is no longer about Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney but a group of men and women who have decided they know more than I do. It is about their failure to realize that we are as important as they are, and our ideas and opinions are as worthy as theirs. I'm heart sick.

No one tells me how to vote.

SJR
The Pink Flamingo

[gary gulrud]

I'm in, and have been for some time.

Rather suprised Reidhead and I are on the same page, but it is Amerikkka.

[GoldenEagles]

Romney will never get elected. He is too one dimensional. Put Obama up next to him, with his wide easy smile, and capacity to talk circles around Romney, with Romney fitting like a glove into Obama's class warfare agenda, and the conservative base staying home, like most of us did when McCain was nominated, Obama will win.

But don't despair! Newt is going to come up with a really big idea to rally the Republican Party and the nation. He is just holding it back so that the people can get a good look at who Romney is.

[BR]

Speaking as a Michigan Republican party precinct delegate, I want to be one of the first to sign up for this.

[ljm]

The fastest way to derail the conservative movement? Single them and their anti-Romney groups like the one described above as responsible for reelecting Obama.

[Park Slope Pubby]

I may be the only libertarian here, but I end up in a similar place. For years, I have voted for Republicans, straight party line, on the ground that they are better than the Dems. I have contributed money, too. Gave $2300 to McCain to defeat the detestable Obama.

Well, I'm now glad Obama won. Becuase if McCain had won, he would have pursued exactly the same policies, and the House and Senate would have gone along. That's what happened w/ Bush. At least this way, w/ a Democratic president, you have some Congressional opposition.

[formwiz]

McCain would have bowed and scraped before every Moslem cutthroat?

Would have sold out our guys in Iraq and A-stan?

We'd have JuniorCare, Government Motors, Stimulus?

The above comment is why I'm fast coming to the conclusion most Libertarians are aren't any better than Lefties.

[jason]

There are four supreme court justice about to retire.

Kennedy, Scalia, Ginsberg and Breyer.

That will give Obama six justices and an Obama court for the next 30 years. House and Senate races won't matter with an Obama court for the next 30 years. Just look at the decisions of the four liberals over the last few years and think what they will do with a majority.

Janet Napalitano will be selected for the court. This will be the most activist court ever. Forget about fixing campaign finance reform. Forget about fixing affirmative action.

Get ready for the liberal 6 to harm the second amendment when the last decision was only 5-4.

With an Obama supreme court senate and house races will mean NOTHING.