Romney's Indifference

"The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference." ~ Elie Weisel

Mitt Romney said what he meant and meant what he said. That 47% of Americans were looking for a handout: That includes veterans disabled by wars, retirees, your neighbor (or you) who lost his or her job when the plant closed down. I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the 47% would gladly pay income taxes if they could work, walk, hold their children, or just plain get a break. 

 Look at the Republicans who came out in support of Romney's statement. People like John Sununu who is holding a big business deal hostage because he doesn't want Obama to get credit for the jobs. Sununu has lost any semblance of civility or judgement that he may have once had. Small wonder that he was practically ridden out of Washington on a rail back when he was Chief of staff to Papa Bush. If he had stayed any longer back then the Republicans themselves would have been preparing the tar and feathers. Other far right members of the Senate and the Congress also doubled down on Romney's remarks. 

Now look at the Republicans who came out and made statements critical of Romney's remarks and one thing will be crystal clear. They are the Republicans who we all know think for themselves and have the integrity to speak out. They know that the day will come when the knuckle draggers who are controlling the party right now will be discredited and forced to move aside to allow a new Republican party to emerge from the wreckage of today's party. It will be a party where the voices of moderation and civility once again hold sway. They will reach out to grow their base beyond wealthy white guys and they will provide a strong alternative to the Democratic party. I believe this because the alternative is that the party will be so marginalized that some other party will need to emerge to keep the Democrats honest. 

 Mitt Romney is not a bad man. He is a man who reflects the way in which he was raised. Where he was sheltered from all of the adversities of life that enable the rest of us empathize with those who face similar adversities. 

 I do not believe that Mitt Romney hates the people of whom he spoke, I believe that he just does not see them. He has led such a sheltered existence that they have never occupied his thoughts. 

The great writer and humanitarian Elie Weisel was probably not the first to say it, but he once said that "the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference." To hate someone, is to have considered their existence, and in doing so to at least have attempted to gain some understanding of their lives. Mitt Romney is indifferent. It is why so many believe that he is without a core and why he so effortlessly changes his positions on so many of the great issues of our time. His election as President would be a disaster not only for the country but for the Republican Party itself.