Six years ago, Mitt Romney stated that he believed that 47 percent of Americans were good-for-nothing freeloaders who didn’t pay taxes.
In his Sunday op-ed in The Tribune, "Where I stand on the Trump agenda,” he reveals that nothing has changed. He says: “I have noted, the first year of his administration has exceeded my expectations; he made our corporate tax code globally competitive, worked to reduce unnecessary regulations and restored multiple use on Utah public land.”
He applauds how the administration has favored corporate interests and the extremely wealthy, and has no qualms about aggravating climate change or the rape of public lands.
Romney says he will “speak out when the president says or does something which is divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions.” He further notes: “I believe that when you are known as a member of a ‘team,’ and the captain says or does something you feel is morally wrong, if you stay silent you tacitly assent to the captain’s posture.”
Sounds good. But then he says: “I express contrary views only when I believe it is a matter of substantial significance. … Hopefully, there will be few occasions where I will be compelled by conscience to criticize.”
Really? How many of Trump’s 3,200 lies (so far) has his conscience told him he should criticize? How many of Trump’s racist comments has he criticized? How many of Trump’s attacks on the free press, the FBI, the courts, has he criticized? Precious few that I’m aware of, and that makes Mitt guilty of the “tacit assent” he speaks of.
Mitt is “hopeful” that there will be “few occasions” going forward? What is making him hopeful? Does he think Trump is going to be struck by lightning? Be born again? Grow a heart? Say “just kidding”?
No, I think that just as Trump is not a leopard who will change his spots, neither is Romney. Same old manipulator who will say anything that pleases at the moment, anything that favors the interests of the moneyed classes.
Too bad for the 47 percent, otherwise known as most Americans.
Michael A. Kalm, Salt Lake City