Sorry Mitt, I’m Just Not That Into You

I read in the newspaper this morning that Mitt is regrouping in his efforts to claim the Republican nomination for president. He met with a representative group of conservative Republicans including wealthy donors, Ministers, evangelicals, Tea Partiers and columnists where I presume the subject of discussion was, implicitly, how he can reshape himself to appeal to the widest swath of Republicans and independents. I have the simple answer for him in that quest; you can’t do it Mitt. People are not that stupid. It is one thing to base a candidacy on a defined set of principles and stick by them. In this regard, Both Santorum and Paul deserve a great deal of respect even if one doesn’t share their belief systems. Through thick and thin, these two men have been ‘relatively’ constant in their statements and actions in support of their beliefs. On the other hand, it is something else entirely to read polls and try to shape oneself into a man for all seasons, even if to do so flies in the face of what one has done in the past. Who is Mitt the man? Is he really pro-life as he now claims (to pander to the pro-life crowd) or is his core belief what he says he was a short time ago? Does he believe in universal health care like he says he doesn’t (to pander to the anti-government, keep your hands off my social security crowd)? Or does he believe in healthcare for all because he did when the polls guiding his conduct in Massachusetts suggested that it would be good for him? In the context of these questions, bits of statements made by Mitt pop into my mind (e.g. “I am unemployed,” I was worried about being fired,” “My father marched alongside Martin Luther King,” "I like to fire people," "Corporations are people.") and a hundred other slips of the tongue which tell us that he is a person who will say or do anything he thinks will make him look like a better candidate. And to repeat what I wrote above, even if to do so flies in the face of what he has said or done in the past. The old game show question “Will the real Mitt stand up?” is on the table. As a strong neutral independent, I can’t vote for Romney in reliance on the hope that what he is currently saying is not really who he will be as president. But the truth is far sadder. Mitt will be whoever the prevailing thinking at the time says he should be. I’m just not into that and, sorry Mitt, I’m just not that into you.