Romney has longhistory of flip-flops

What ever happened to flip-flop?

Mitt Romney has been criticized on his reversal over Romneycare and Obamacare.

Likewise, on his reversal from “kind of in favor” of abortion to a newly converted evangelical “not in any case” politics. Has his moderate Mormon belief been radicalized to Ryan’s right-wing belief?

I recently noticed another Romneyesque flip-flop. It appears that back in 1991, when Bain & Co. was on the verge of bankruptcy, Romney demanded a $10 million gift from the government. Because Romney invoked a clause in the basic contract, which allowed Bain’s corporate executives to “collect fat bonuses before paying their debts to the banks,” Bain & Co. was able to pass off a $30 million defaulted debt to the FDIC.

The FDIC settled with the bank for $10 million less. Entirely legal. But back in those days they didn’t call it a “bailout.” (Cf., Robert Lane Greene in “The Economist.” Quoted in “The Week” magazine, Sept. 14, 2012, p.12.)

More like hard-nosed, classical capitalist, cut-throat entrepreneurship.

It seems that Romney and Ryan are more interested in showing “they care deeply about making us think they care deeply.”

Who gets the flip-flop award for 2012?

RAY HEIDT, Marsing

Obama’s blackmailapproach won’t work

I live on Social Security, get medical help from the VA, and soon will be on Medicare, and prove that not all of those Obama tries to blackmail believe the vacuous bilge that comes out of his mouth. I have lived long enough to know one always proved truth: one cannot live on credit or lies. We have an abundance of both from this administration. The elimination of the Glass-Steagall Act, based on “new” business blueprints, tried to escape this basic rule. We all know how that turned out.

Social Security is going broke, along with Medicare, Medicaid, the Post Office, and other city, county, state, and federal programs. Somewhere, someone will pay the price. The sooner we pay it, the sooner our children will be able to look ahead with optimism. If we make some difficult changes, we may get less, but we will get something. If we maintain the status quo, there will be nothing for anyone. Obama doesn’t care about that, or the next generations, only the next four years, and his socialist agenda.

I would like to see those college records that Obama has paid so much to keep secret. What could be in them?

DEAN MUEHLBERG, Meridian

Romney shows hecan’t handle tragedy

I think Romney showed a lack of character exploiting the consulate tragedy in Libya for the sake of politics. Now not only are we grieving for our heroes killed, but we’re left to bicker over some fringe group’s media attack on Islam — politically timed — that provoked the whole thing. Here’s what happened: In response to a clearly offensive amateur film defaming Islam, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo condemned efforts “to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims.” Then in a misguided attempt to exploit the Libyan tragedy, Romney falsely attributed this statement to the White House, falsely claimed it was an apology, and falsely identified it as a response to the attacks, even though it was made before the attacks.

So in tragedy, what does Romney do? Rather than help console the families and unite a nation in grief, he foments confusion to get a lucky punch in politically. He accuses the president of “sympathizing with the murderers and apologizing for American values”—based on a statement never made. Which only makes matters worse. Much worse. Look at the opportunism of this man who wants to be president— and not necessarily “our” president—just president.

CARL MADISON, Boise

Don’t waste moneyon losing campaign

With the recently released hidden video of Mitt Romney, it should be obvious that he will not be our next president. Therefore, I would like to offer a suggestion to Idahoans who were going to donate to the Romney campaign. Don’t. Why waste money on a losing horse?

Instead, do something constructive with your dough and help pull our country out of the abyss. Donate that Romney money to your favorite local nonprofit organization.

If you are a wealthy Idahoan, rather than flush $50,000 per plate down the toilet at a Romney fundraiser, support a nonprofit for the year!

ERIK LAZDINS, Boise

Electoral Collegeshouldn’t decide race

It’s important that Idaho Democrats vote for Obama this fall in spite of the Electoral College system. In the 1960s, the U.S. Supreme Court decided several reapportionment cases that ended gross rural overrepresentation and urban underrepresentation in the U.S. House and state legislatures. These cases did not concern the same phenomenon associated with the Electoral College system of voting for president.

Today, each Idaho electoral college vote cast represents 400,000 citizens. A California electoral college vote speaks for 680,000 citizens.

Put another way, California would need to be assigned 93 votes in the Electoral College (instead of the 55 they have) to make their votes match Idaho’s four votes.

If a repeat of the 2000 election should occur this fall (a majority of U.S. citizens voted for Gore, but Bush won in the Electoral College), our Idaho Obama votes will help start some serious rethinking of the way we elect our presidents.

TERRY NAGEL, Boise

Evaluate Romneyon policy stands

Boise is a devoutly religious community, and it was surprising to read the Sept. 14 letter to the editor comments of a local resident who vowed to never vote for Mitt Romney because of his Mormon faith.

She failed to disclose her own religious affiliation, but I’m confident few church leaders would support her prejudicial views. Mainstream religions are usually reluctant to openly dismiss the incredulous beliefs of other faiths because their own doctrines require blind acceptance of many things that defy logic and common sense.

Rather than reject Romney for religious reasons, the writer would have been on sounder ground by questioning why we should trust him to change the tax code when he refuses to release his own taxes.

He spends a great deal of time arguing that average Americans are worse off than they were four years ago.

Perhaps he is concerned that releasing his personal tax returns should reveal that he and his multimillionaire supporters are much better off than they were four years ago.

ALSTON JONES, Garden City

The truth hurts

So Mitt Romney told the truth about the 47 percent not paying income taxes. People don’t like to hear the truth because it can be disturbing. They’d rather listen to President Obama, even though it is not necessarily the truth.

A recent letter to the editor decried what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands for. Why is it that non-Mormons know more about our faith than we do? When we take our children to church, they are taught love, not hate, as was the case with Obama’s children.

MARJEAN MOSER, Boise

Examine the records,not the propaganda

It is not amazing that citizens are confused by the political propaganda, so let’s look at past records.

In Obama’s case, he promised a universal health care program and what we got was the poor got their Medicaid cut in half. No dental, eye or ear care for anyone over age 21, which includes the disabled and senior citizens who need it most. Medicare was reduced as well.

He promised to cut the national debt in half and what we got was an increase of almost 100 percent.

He has new plans to reduce Medicare 20 percent at the cost of $8 billion dollars to the taxpayers. That is a GAO report as Obama does not want it to be public until he is re-elected.

He promised to have the wealthy pay their share of taxes and what we got was nothing. He promised to have corporations pay their taxes and what we got was nothing. He promised new jobs and what we got was nothing.

He has allowed a multimillion-dollar space project to proceed with the Mars Mission program. Who voted for that expense? Not me.

Think about this when you vote.

LI F. WONG, Weiser