tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post8306809700975363215..comments2024-03-29T01:07:30.224-07:00Comments on Had Enough Therapy?: Mitt or Newt?Stuart Schneidermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12784043736879991769noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-65152141114578750742011-11-13T07:58:21.625-08:002011-11-13T07:58:21.625-08:00I would want to emphasize your point. Most people,...I would want to emphasize your point. Most people, when they hear about what Bain Capital did to American companies, are not going to get the subtly and the nuance. They are going to see Romney as someone who killed jobs. <br /><br />You can already imagine how many of the unemployed will be in Obama campaign ads saying that their lives and careers were ruined by Mitt Romney.Stuart Schneidermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12784043736879991769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-37766711381810026652011-11-13T07:51:08.646-08:002011-11-13T07:51:08.646-08:00There is an article in today's NYT about peopl...There is an article in today's NYT about people who lost their jobs as a function of staff reductions in companies acquired & restructured by Romney's private equity firm. If Romney becomes the nominee, we can expect MUCH more of this sort of thing.<br /><br />Of course it IS sometimes necessary to make staff reductions, sometimes large ones, in order to save and grow a business. But it's difficult for many people to really understand this. Furthermore, a legitimate critique can be made that some executives are way too quick to fire people rather than do the hard work of process improvement and real leadership. Blogger <a href="http://www.evolvingexcellence.com/blog/2011/06/looting-factories-for-fun-and-profit.html" rel="nofollow">Bill Waddell</a>, an experienced manufacturer and now a manufacturing consultant, makes this argument about Bain Capital's performance following its acquisition of American Pad & Paper, and also about the acquisition of Simmons Mattress by another PE company, one staffed substantially with Bain alumni.David Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464681514800720063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-53973500993730444332011-11-13T06:50:23.101-08:002011-11-13T06:50:23.101-08:00Newt comes across as pragmatic, and experienced.
...Newt comes across as pragmatic, and experienced. <br /><br />As an Independent, I don't support Romney. He is, as noted, too smoothly and nicely packaged. So was Obama. I would have hoped people would have learned from that experience. As the saying goes, 'Beauty is skin deep'. If Romney is looked at closer, troubling questions arise, not as glaringly as Obama (that were blithely ignored), but arise nevertheless.<br /><br /> He is being given a pass by the media, establishment Republicans are endorsing him (for reasons other than the actual good of America I'm guessing--probably for the status quo), giving the impression he's the shoo in. That's a lot of powerful support. I would hope those suffering from the lemming syndrome would have a little more clarity after Obama as well, and not just take it as a given that Romney will be the nominee just because he's being presented as such. These are typical spin tactics.<br /><br />Personally, I still support Perry, but I could support Gingrich easily. Romney leaves distaste....probably the hair products ;).Katielee4211https://www.blogger.com/profile/14994959732687391703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-19516573029415076682011-11-13T06:00:01.616-08:002011-11-13T06:00:01.616-08:00I agree with you that another perfectly establishm...I agree with you that another perfectly establishment candidate, one who no one really likes or trust, is not likely to do very well or to have very long coattails, or to make the case for more conservative principles.<br /><br />I don't think that intellectuals will vote for Newt, but I think that they will have to shut down their constant drone about Republicans being dumb. <br /><br />And that might make it all worth while.<br /><br />I also think that Newt will shred Obama's pretense at intelligence in a debate... which might be worth everything.Stuart Schneidermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12784043736879991769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-64114771015150231302011-11-13T05:46:48.291-08:002011-11-13T05:46:48.291-08:00I think Obama is so awful that I am mainly concern...I think Obama is so awful that I am mainly concerned about who can WIN in the general election. And given the extremely anti-elite turn of opinion across both ends of the political spectrum, it seems wise to nominate someone who is at least a little bit detached from the mainstream political establishment. And Newt seems to fit this specification a little better than does Romney...they are both longtime political players, of course, but Newt's quirkiness may distinguish him a bit.<br /><br />Also, among those who consider themselves intellectuals I would guess that Newt comes across as more of a thinker. Not sure this matters--is there a significant population of intellectuals who are not irrevocably committed to one side or another?--but maybe.David Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464681514800720063noreply@blogger.com