Chicago Tribune: Editorial: For the Republicans, Romney

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Editorial: For the Republicans, Romney

5:40 PM CDT, March 16, 2012

This year, as rarely before, the presidential primary campaign lands in Illinois as a work very much in progress. The Democrats? They've settled on a candidate. But Republicans in the Land of, yes, Lincoln have urgent work to do — for their debt-besotted nation and their ostentatiously divided party.

America first: The United States — its people's sense of normalcy and, more gravely, their future prosperity — is in danger. Our national debt, trudging toward $16 trillion, exceeds the size of our economy. We owe more than we produce. And we are borrowing an additional $3 million every minute. As in the insolvent state of Illinois, debt repayment to lenders such as China increasingly crowds out spending on other priorities. Today's Washington isn't oblivious. Just useless.

Before we talk politics, consider: Entitlement costs and other "payments to individuals" now consume two-thirds of our federal budget. And with only a relative few baby boomers already 65, spending on retirees will explode. This lethal pathology — neither Medicare nor Social Security can survive as is — threatens the career incomes of our children and grandchildren. They will spend their work lives as indentured servants to their elders.

Who might engineer a fix? Only one of the four Republicans still in this primary race has the personal skill set, the painfully won experience, to appreciate this peril and to guide Americans through their own financial rescue. For many of those Americans, the nation's debt debacle still seems drab, dense, something to think about tomorrow. Yet it risks shrinking and marginalizing our country's future and global influence, just as debt debacles are shrinking and marginalizing much of Europe.

While three of the Republican candidates were giving speeches and casting votes in Congress, one of these four was managing, and sometimes salvaging, large enterprises in the public and private sectors. One of these four was forced to make costly organizations live, however unpleasantly, within their means. One of these four was learning what it is to live with the often good, sometimes bad, consequences of his executive decisions.

For his demonstrated abilities and the economic pragmatism at his core, the Tribune endorses former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts as the Republicans' best, most responsible choice in Tuesday's Illinois primary. The other three contestants, for lack of Romney's credibility on this threat to the American way, can only try to talk a good game. We're far more confident that Romney is the candidate best equipped to keep the U.S. from devolving into New Europe.

We say that with one large caveat: Romney has talked too much in generalities, and with come-and-go candor, about the radical restructuring that healthier spending and debt levels will require.

Romney's tax and spending proposals would create more federal debt over the next 10 years than President Obama's proposed budget plans, according to U.S. Budget Watch, a project of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Yes, that's in part because Obama envisions higher tax revenues and Romney would reduce tax revenues.

Romney has this advantage: GOP rivals Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum would create even more debt, according to the U.S. Budget Watch analysis. (Ron Paul would come closest to balance.)

Come November, partisans in both parties will be tempted to ignore their nominee's failure to deal with this debt bomb. The nation can't do that. Voters have to demand more discipline from Obama and from the Republican candidate.

One more advantage for Romney: He is the candidate most likely to steer the Republican Party toward its traditional values: financial responsibility, economic (and thus job) growth, social tolerance, and a limited role for government in the lives of the governed. That does not necessitate alienating tea partiers and social conservatives, many of them motivated by the irresponsible expansion of our national debt; for nearly three years they have been the most energetic force in American politics. It does, though, mean hewing to a strategy perfected by Ronald Reagan: Recruit to your big tent everyone who agrees with you on something, not just those who agree with you on everything.

Presidential primaries are not for electing. They're for nominating candidates who, by talent and temperament, are qualified to lead and inspire all Americans. Romney is the least polarizing candidate in today's Republican field. He projects maturity and calm. He's fit to apply conservative ideals to the messy business of governing.

Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune

Ann Romney joins Bruce & Dan in for Don & Roma

To listen click here.

Ann Romney Talks About Life On The Campaign Trail

March 16, 2012 at 8:42 am

All of the GOP candidates are criss-crossing the state this week in anticipation of Tuesday’s Illinois primary.

Ann Romney joined John and Amy to talk about life on the campaign trail with her husband Mitt:

For the Audio go here. 

Mitt Sits Down with Don Wade and Roma to Discuss Jobs and The Economy

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford (R-IL)

“Treasurer Rutherford said, "As a businessman and a successful governor, Mitt Romney has the experience needed to create jobs and turn around our economy. Mitt is the right candidate at the right time, and he is the only Republican who can beat President Obama in 2012. I am proud to support his candidacy and am excited to help him spread his pro-jobs, pro-growth message."

“Dan Rutherford was elected Illinois State Treasurer on November 2, 2010. Before being elected state treasurer, Rutherford served 18 years in the Illinois General Assembly, including 10 years as a state representative and as a state senator from 2003 to 2010. He retired from his career in the private sector at the end of 2010 after 25 years as a successful businessman.”

WANDTV.com - Romney Campaign Names Illinois' Rutherford - May 26, 2011

“Senator Rutherford said, "Governor Romney understands that to keep America strong we need a strong military, a strong economy and strong families. To do that, we must have a strong leader who will change Washington. The people of Illinois can be proud to join me in supporting the candidate who will make his vision for an optimistic future a reality."

“Background On State Senator Dan Rutherford:

“State Senator Dan Rutherford Was First Elected To The State Senate In 2002. State Senator Rutherford previously served for10 years in the House of Representatives, where he was the Assistant Republican Leader. He has been named Legislator of the Year multiple times and has been selected as an outstanding legislator by numerous organizations.”

SunTimes.com - Mitt Romney taps state Sen. Dan Rutherford to chair Illinois campaign - May 23, 2007

Rep. Judy Biggert:

"President Obama's spend-tax-and-regulate policies have only served to drive up the debt and create more uncertainty for struggling American families and job creators. Mitt Romney's plan to get America back to work is rooted not only in sound economic principles, but also in the extensive real-world experience that he brings to the table. I am proud to support him."

Chicago Sun-Times - Oct 11, 2011

Rep. Robert Dold

“Last week Mitt Romney laid out bold, bipartisan solutions to our nation's fiscal problems,” said Congressman Dold. “We are spending 40 cents of every dollar on interest toward our debt, and without a change in direction, we might find ourselves in a hole that we can’t get out of. Mitt Romney spent his life in the private sector and knows that you can’t be a viable enterprise if you spend more than you take in. I have worked in Congress to pass legislation that would strengthen the economy by creating the economic certainty that small businesses need to grow and create new jobs. I look forward to working with Mitt Romney to pass commonsense legislation our job creators need to expand and get our economy moving again.”
MittRomney.com - Nov 14, 2011

Rep. Aaron Schock

Congressman Schock said, “Mitt Romney has a record of cutting spending and keeping taxes low that needs to be replicated in Washington. Under President Obama, our national debt has skyrocketed and our prized AAA credit rating has been lost. Mitt Romney has the conservative solutions needed to get Washington off its spending addiction and focused on creating jobs.”

MittRomney.com - Nov 8, 2011

“Governor Romney has a bold plan to reform our tax code, streamline the federal government, and put this country back on a path to prosperity."

"Perhaps more importantly, he has the record and the experience to back it up. Four years ago, Barack Obama launched his bid for the Presidency from Illinois. After a first term fraught with chronic unemployment, record deficits, and a skyrocketing federal budget, it’s time to unite behind Mitt Romney and bring Barack Obama back home in November.”

MittRomney.com - Mar 7, 2012

Sen. Mark Kirk

“President Romney will cut spending, repeal the health care law and restore private sector economic growth. He is a foreign policy hawk who will stand up to Iran. As a Massachusetts Governor, he knows how to work with Democrats and Independents. As the head of the Salt Lake City Olympics, he worked with dozens of countries in organizing an international triumph for the United States. America needs his managerial talent, team building spirit and hard-nosed sense of economic common sense.”

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk won the senate seat Barack Obama held, being Barack's replacement in the U.S. Senate.

MittRomney.com - Dec 19, 2011

Fmr. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL)

"During my years in the House, I was an advocate for balanced budgets and low taxes," said Hastert in a statement. "Mitt Romney stands up for these principles. President Obama has failed to get millions of unemployed Americans back to work. From his success in the private sector, Mitt Romney understands how to create jobs and turn around this economy. At this critical moment, our country needs his leadership in the White House."
Chicago Sun-Times - Oct 11, 2011

Too many evangelicals voted for Jimmy Carter, just because he taught a Sunday school class. This is called identity politics. It is wrong when liberals do it. It is wrong when conservatives do it. People should pay more attention to policy, competency, accomplishment, and electability than someone who wears his religion on his sleeves.

Mitt Romney Announces Additional Illinois Endorsements

Mitt Romney today announced the support of Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross. The campaign also announced the endorsements of seventeen State Representatives and one State Senator.

“My message of more jobs, smaller government, and less debt is resonating in Illinois,” said Mitt Romney. “I am proud to add these Illinois public servants to my growing team and look forward to working with them to spread my pro-growth message in the days leading up to the primary on Tuesday.”

“Washington is broken and we need a Washington outsider to fix it,” said House Minority Leader Tom Cross. “Mitt Romney spent his life in the private sector and knows that for our country to start creating jobs again, we need to get Washington out of the way. With Mitt Romney in the White House, voters in Illinois can be confident that they will have a president who will bring jobs back and shrink both the federal government and our federal debt.”

Background on Leader Cross:

Representative Cross serves Illinois’ 84th District. Cross has served since 1993 and has focused on job creation, cutting wasteful spending, and making the Illinois government more accountable to the taxpayers.

Illinois Elected Officials Endorsing Mitt Romney:

State Senator Ron Sandack
State Representative Mike Tryon
State Representative Darlene Senger
State Representative Dave Winters
State Representative David Harris
State Representative David Leitch
State Representative Renee Kosel
State Representative Sandy Cole
State Representative Tim Schmitz
State Representative Skip Saviano
State Representative Ed Sullivan
State Representative Joann Osmond
State Representative Patti Bellock
State Representative Franco Coladipietro
State Representative Dennis Reboletti
State Representative Sid Mathias
State Representative Bill Mitchell
State Representative Jill Tracy

Would the Keystone XL pipeline cross and jeopardizes sensitive environments?

1. We have to balance environmental needs with business needs
   
2. The oil came from the ground. It was in contact with moisture. If it spilled back on the ground or in the water it could be cleaned up. We are not creating something that is evil and never existed before, we are extracting it and moving it from one place to another. The dirt that it was in is no less sacred than the dirt that it crosses. We are just cleaning up the dirt that it came from! Think of extraction just as a large clean up and transportation project.
3. We already have roads, cities, houses, gas stations, factories in Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. We can't just wall of these states, and declare them national wildlife preserves.
4. We already have gas trucks driving across the same rivers that the XL pipeline would cross. They pose just as much a threat as the XL pipeline would.
5. Pipelines are safe. They are inspected, have standards, codes, inspectors, regulations, etc. They have been operating safely for many years and many miles. Pressure is monitored. Metal thickness is inspected.

Stop All The Energy

Abort all the unwanted fetuses