A Stitch in Haste

Mitt Romney, January 14, 2008:

Michigan is enduring a one-state recession, and the problem has only been exacerbated by poor choices made by some of the leaders in Lansing to raise taxes and take that course instead of cutting spending.
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A lot of Washington politicians are aware of the pain, but they haven’t done anything about it. And of course, I hear people from time to time say, “Well, that’s Michigan’s problem.” Or, they say something like, “Well, it’s the car companies. They just brought it on themselves.”

“But that’s where they’re wrong. What Michigan is feeling will be felt by the entire nation unless we win the economic battle here. Michigan is a bit like the canary in the mine shaft. What’s hurting Michigan, if it’s left unchecked, will ultimately imperil the entire nation.
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If I’m President of this country, I will roll up my sleeves in the first 100 days I’m in office, and I will personally bring together industry, labor, Congressional and state leaders and together we will develop a plan to rebuild America’s automotive leadership. It will be a plan that works for Michigan and that works for the American taxpayer.

Mitt Romney, November 19, 2008:

If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.
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It is not wrong to ask for government help, but the automakers should come up with a win-win proposition. I believe the federal government should invest substantially more in basic research — on new energy sources, fuel-economy technology, materials science and the like — that will ultimately benefit the automotive industry, along with many others.
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But don’t ask Washington to give shareholders and bondholders a free pass — they bet on management and they lost.

Technically it is true that Romney has not “flip-flopped.” His proposals have admittedly not changed: No direct bailout for the Big Three (which, recall, are not “the U.S. auto industry”), but lots of “industrial policy” central planning and boondoggles dressed up in never-ending, and never-fulfilled, promises of economic “revitalization,” environmental friendliness and energy independence.

But note, and note well, the changing tenor from Romney’s first speech to his second. When standing before a Detroit audience (pleading for their votes), his proposals are part of a broad, wide and deep (and government-controlled) rescue package — for them.

But when his audience changes into all of America except Detroit, those very same policy proposals are repackaged as “Romney to City: Drop Dead.”

This is of course nothing new where Romney is concerned. His entire primary campaign was little more than him running against his own past: abortion, gay rights, socialized medicine, etc. It takes an amazing deftness and alacrity — which Romney possesses in great abundance — to be able to repackage your message so disingenuously to suit whatever audience you happen to be addressing.

The question becomes, however: Is this talent, which is so vital to moral defective politicians, particularly desirable from the perspective of citizens trying to choose effective and ethical leaders?

I think not.

More thoughts at Below the Beltway.

Previous Auto Bailout Post:
–On the Calls for an Auto Industry Bailout

Previous Mitt Romney Posts:
–From the Archives: Mitt Romney is No Jack Kennedy
–Romney Goes From “Kennedy’s Speech” to “Patton’s Speech”
–Romney’s Woes Jump from “Null Set” to “TV Set”
–Romney: No Muslims in (Quota-Based) Cabinet?