Romney Disappoints…Again

Grow a pair Mitt!  I swear the minute I start thinking…”well, I might be leaning toward Romney”…you remind me that I’m essentially leaning toward plain flavorless yogurt. (The flavor thing might have gotten stuck in my head with the WSJ editorial headline being: Mitt Romney’s 59 Economic Flavors.)

Paul Ryan to his credit, and maybe to his political detriment, told Americans the truth about Medicare.  You can’t have a program to which you contribute (on average) $150,000 and pull out (on average) $400,000.  So he suggested we change Medicare from a defined benefit program to a defined contribution program (i.e. you’ll get a $9K stipend – spend it as you wish.)

Mitt Romney praises Ryan’s plan but says his plan will differ. No details at this time.  In fact, he actively avoids specifics on entitlements. Instead he says he’ll cap government spending at 20% of GDP.  The only specific he offers there is cutting 5% from non-defense discretionary spending. Yeah…that’ll do it.

Jon Huntsman to his credit, and because he has nothing to lose, said that if you want economic growth…simplify the tax code.  Not only that, he suggested how to simplify the code.  Drop down to three rates, the highest being 23%, and to pay for it he would scrap almost every deduction in the tax code. Including the really popular ones like the child tax credit and the mortgage interest rate deduction.

Mitt Romney says he wants tax reform “in the long run.” But not right now.  And no specifics.

As the WSJ said, Romney did say he’d repeal Obamacare and Dodd-Frank and reform the Energy Department…but he shrinks from the biggest issues.  Those issues are tax and entitlement reform.  And on top of all this…he intends to start a trade war with China.

The WSJ sums it up: “The biggest rap on Mr. Romney as a potential President is that it’s hard to discern any core beliefs beyond faith in his own managerial expertise.” Forgive me Mitt, I don’t have the same faith. I’m going to need some specifics…some bold specifics…because right now all I can remember are your bold mistakes.