Why Vote for Mitt?

I think the case for President Obama being re-elected is pretty strong on his record. The economy was in a tailspin with 800,000 jobs being lost every month. The stock market was collapsing and GDP was contracting at about 6 percent/year. The housing market had disintegrated and there was enormous uncertainty as President Obama took office. The passage of the stimulus had a major and easily verifiable effect on turning around the economy. We have now had 31 straight months of job growth, GDP is rising, the stock markets have recovered and corporate profits are back to pre-collapse levels. There has been significant bank regulatory reform to better protect us from another collapse caused by bad banking decisions. And, now the housing market is in full recovery.

On the issue of the federal budget deficit, President Obama took office with a $1.2 trillion deficit - don't believe any other number that is a fact. The tax cuts and spending from the stimulus increased this to $1.4 trillion for FY 2009. The deficit has now fallen to about $1.1 trillion, but structurally it is set for a huge decline in coming years. The basic employment growth and GDP growth, as well as swelling corporate profits should be able to shave about $100 billion off of the deficit by itself next year. With the expiration of the 2 percent FICA tax break, tens of billlions will also be cut from the deficit. If Congress would just allow the Bush tax cuts to expire on those making over $250,000, we could save another $150 billion next year. The deficit is going to come under control under President Obama during the second term.

With Obamacare, our health care infrastructure is not only more secure, but set to be much more affordable. The reality is that Republicans know it is good policy and won't actually repeal it. It is working and will continue to be the law. Winding down the war in Afghanistan will also save money that can be used to spur infrastructure spending.

Why change course now? Mitt has been spinning out of control from one policy position to another. He was against the bailout of Detroit. He was against getting out of Iraq. He wanted to put troops on the ground in Libya. All of these he now seems to support. He criticized London for their preparation for the Olympics and was hammered by British politicians and the press. He has been all over the place on women's health issues ("I'm strongly pro-choice!" "I'm strongly pro-life!"). He is sort of for Obamacare and then against it sort of and then for it and then against it (what day is it?). He wants to cut taxes and magically shrink the deficit. He tried to politicize Benghazi (I'm still not sure why). On top of all of this, I have some concerns about his history at Bain and the fact that he has refused to show his full taxes. I don't begrudge the fact that he has made a lot of money, only that there seems to be some things he wants to hide about how he made his money. I have to believe that Americans recognize that Mitt is a carpet bagger who has constantly switched his views to appeal to voters. His lack of core values is unnerving because one cannot have confidence about how he will react when facing adversity. There is some flirting with Romney, but in the end, enough Americans will come home to Obama because he has delivered and has an agenda that is working.