Referring to the recent video of Romney's infamous Florida fundraising fiasco in her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Let Them Eat Crab Cake" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/opinion/dowd-let-them-eat-crab-cake.html?_r=0), Maureen Dowd, oblivious to recent accusations of anti-Semitism against her (see: http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/09/maureen-dowd-meets-antisemitism-charge-135700.html), begins by snickering:
"Oh, for the days when we thought Mitt Romney didn’t stand for anything.
As a secret video from a Boca Raton fund-raiser with high rollers in May shows, Romney in private stands for so many bizarre things that it’s hard to tell what’s crazier — his domestic policy or his foreign policy.
Less than 50 days before the election, we learn that Romney may have given up on half of America and on Mideast peace."
Her conclusion:
"One thing we have to give Mitt, though: He is, as advertised, a brilliant manager. He’s managed to ensure that President Obama has a much better chance of re-election."
Well, Dowd is both right and wrong.
Dowd is correct to the extent that this presidential election is over. Barring the announcement of a 20% unemployment rate at the beginning of November, Obama will be re-elected.
But to say that Romney doesn't stand for anything? He stands for himself (as does Obama). Ideas how to remedy the economy? As aptly observed yesterday by David Brooks (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2012/09/david-brooks-thurston-howell-romney-or.html), Romney is clueless concerning those who pay and reap the benefits of federal income taxes in the US. His comments in this regard will not be forgiven or forgotten, nothwithstanding the dire state of the US economy, for which he has offered few substantive remedies.
But having acknowledged Romney's lack of substance, let's also admit that there are those, including members of my family, who will press the "Democratic" lever in November even if the walls around them come tumbling down. "You didn't build that"? Who cares, as long as he's not a . . . Republican.
With regard to writing off the chances of the Palestinians negotiating peace anytime soon, Romney is correct. As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated in May 2009 to Jackson Diehl of The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052803614.html):
"'I will wait for Hamas to accept international commitments. I will wait for Israel to freeze settlements,' he said. 'Until then, in the West Bank we have a good reality . . . the people are living a normal life.'"
Meanwhile, Abbas, intent on living to a ripe old age without fear of assassination for negotiating a peace treaty with the Jews, continues to wait.
Bottom line: Obama will be the winner in November. The loser? The American electorate, which will be faced with four more years of narcissism, indecision, incompetence and economic decline.
You get what you deserve? Actually, America deserves much more from both its political parties.
[Tomorrow, I plan to provide some first hand "stuff" concerning Maureen Dowd, Andrew Rosenthal, The New York Times and anti-Semitism. Stay tuned . . .]
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