Message to Romney: Own The Word 'Extreme

Since Obama can’t run on his dismal failures with jobs and the economy; his devastating $5 trillion in new debt creation; his radical energy plans that have resulted in a hidden tax of thousands of dollars on the poor and middle class in higher gas and utility bills; or his pathetic foreign policy that has diminished America in the eyes of the world and made the Middle East a far more dangerous place; he and his Democratic friends have enacted a strategy to defeat and demonize fiscal conservatives by distracting voters and instilling fear.

The heart of that strategy is name calling, specifically trying to paint Romney/Ryan as “extreme.” If the "extreme" tag doesn't work at first try, the Obama strategy is to say it again...and again...and again.

My advice for Mitt Romney and the GOP against this line of attacks: Take control of the word “extreme.” Take ownership. Make it your word. Accept it. Wear it proudly. Put it right back in Obama’s face. Point out that extreme times call for extreme measures.

If I was Romney, I'd say if instituting an economic plan to reduce Obama’s obscene unemployment rate over 8 precent for 42 straight months is extreme, if wanting to put the 30 million Americans out of work, or underemployed, back to work is extreme...then call me extreme.

If reviving an economy where U.S. manufacturing activity has plummeted to the lowest level in 3 years, and California tax revenues plummeted in July by more than half a billion dollars (in one month, for one state), and demand for petroleum products just declined to 1995 levels, is extreme, then call me extreme.

If creating an environment to stimulate and encourage new business start-ups, which under Obama have hit a 30 year low, is extreme, call me extreme.

If requiring welfare recipients to actually work, or at least be required to look for work is extreme, then call me extreme.

If creating policies to help the 46 million Americans now on food stamps in this Obama economy get jobs and stand on their own is extreme, then call me extreme.

If passing a budget, after Obama hasn’t passed one in four years, to begin to deal with $115 trillion in debt and unfunded liabilities, that without immediate action will drown our children and grandchildren, is extreme, then call me extreme.

If implementing a plan to reform Medicare, so it will actually be there for the next generation, is extreme, then call me extreme.

If opposing killing babies born alive from botched abortions and opposing partial birth abortions is extreme, then call me extreme.

If believing that those who have religious or moral objections shouldn't be forced to fund organizations that perform abortions or supply birth control pills to others, is extreme, then call me extreme.

If believing someone who breaks the law entering this country should be called an illegal alien, not an undocumented immigrant, and not be handed welfare, food stamps, housing allowances, aid to dependent children, free meals at school, a free or discounted college education, or "earned income tax credits" even though they never paid taxes in the first place, is extreme, then call me extreme.

If believing that someone who shouts "Allauh Akbar" while slaughtering brave American soldiers at Ft. Hood, Texas should be called a terrorist and not a "disgruntled worker" is extreme, then call me extreme.

If believing that the American people deserve to be told the truth, and that a president must take responsibility for his actions and policies, is extreme, then call me extreme.

The extreme side is those who divide the electorate into "us versus them," foment class warfare, and bribe voters with more entitlements that we as a nation cannot afford. The fact is disaster is upon us. We are experiencing UNIMAGINABLE economic wreckage, a crisis and collapse from coast to coast. The net worth of the average American is down a whopping 40%. And, that’s with the Fed running the printing presses day and night, so we can pay for stimulus, bailouts, keeping interest rates at zero and pumping money into the banks and stock market.

The answers to saving America, the U.S. economy, the American Dream, and our children's future are actually simple and commonsense. They have worked throughout history.

To turn this around we must dramatically cut the size, scope and power of government. Reduce spending, taxes, overregulation and promises through entitlements that we cannot keep. We need true reform to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; as well as how we compensate public employees through pensions. We can no longer afford to police the world, and we must end or reform the Fed.

Bailouts, stimulus, and picking winners and losers in the private sector is not the answer. We can encourage job creation by businesses large and small by getting government out of the way and celebrating job creators instead of demonizing and punishing them.

Extreme times call for extreme measures. If these policies are defined by Obama and his socialist cabal as extreme, then God Bless Extreme. 

A version of this column originally appeared on TownHall.com.