A Romney Victory would be a Poisoned Chalice (Der Standard, Austria)

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A Romney Victory would be a Poisoned Chalice (Der Standard, Austria)

"Neither under Ronald Reagan nor George W. Bush were the Republicans as right-wing as they are today. They are farther out of the American mainstream than they've ever been. ... Romney would be even less able than Obama to find a way out of the budget stalemate, which threatens to push the U.S. economy into a new recession next year."

By Eric Frey

Translated By Nathalie Klepper

August 30, 2012

Austria - Der Standard - Original Article (German)

Actor and former mayor of Carmel California, Clint Eastwood, engages in a dialaogue with an imaginary President Obama, at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Aug 30.

C-SPAN VIDEO: Mystery guest Clint Eastwood engages in a dialgue with an imaginary President Obama, Aug. 30, 00:11:38

With his far-right party, Romney may win the election, but won’t be able to govern.

The uprising of Ron Paul supporters disturbed the glossy coronation of Mitt Romney as official candidate of the Republican Party even less than tropical storm Isaac, which hit New Orleans on Wednesday. The eternal competitor stirred trouble in previous events. Thanks to his success in the primaries, Paul’s radical libertarian politics have gained influence, but as a person, he remains an extra.

Despite this, Romney is in a bind ahead of his highly-awaited speech. While he has control over the party convention, he does not control his party. Ultra-right wing forces connected with the Tea Party have recently expanded their influence and have substantially limited the top candidate’s freedom of action.

Ideological Burdens

This is reflected in the new party platform, which was approved in Tampa. It urges massive tax cuts, the radical reform of Medicare - the popular health insurance program for senior citizens, a tough anti-immigration policy and a total ban on abortions. Neither under Ronald Reagan nor George W. Bush were the Republicans as right-wing as they are today. They are farther out of the American mainstream than they've ever been. They are the mirror image of the Democratic Party of the early 1970s, which to the outside world was marked by the anti-Vietnam War and hippie movements.

For Romney, this entails a number of problems. The shift to the right simply doesn't match his brand of pragmatism: As an entrepreneur and as a governor, he always tried to find solutions rather than impose his vision. Now, two ideological millstones hang around his neck: the remorseless party platform and his intellectually-radical running mate, Paul Ryan, who is already setting the tone for the campaign.

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Up to now, all U.S. presidential elections were fought and won in the political center. If Romney manages the feat of winning the election, he would will owe it to Barack Obama’s weakness and persistently high levels of unemployment. Romney would then be confronted with the question of how to govern this nation of 300 million in such circumstances.

Budget Stalemate

For an economic recovery to take hold, the state is in desperate need of more tax revenue. But since George Bush Sr., it is considered a suicidal undertaking to break anti-tax-promises like "read my lips: no new taxes." Romney would be even less able than Obama to find a way out of the budget stalemate, which threatens to push the U.S. economy into a new recession next year.

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And even with a victory, the Republicans have sowed the seeds for future electoral defeat and a "new Democratic majority." This audacious thesis, uttered by Ruy Teixeira and John Judis in 2002, appears increasingly true. With their embittered anti-immigration policies, the Republicans affront Latinos, the fastest-growing demographic, and with their intolerance of abortion and same-sex marriage, they affront women and urban voters.

A brilliant speech, a strong performance in the televised debates and a flawless campaign could make Romney the next president. But that would not dispel the radical specter hovering over his party. As a campaigner and potential head of state, this is a curse.

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