Dear Mitt,
Congratulations on being the presumptive Republican Nominee for President of The United States! As a former business associate of yours, I am pleased to see that those qualities that have made you a successful businessman, have spurred your success in the political arena. As I was quoted in a recent Bloomberg News article and wrote late last year in one of my blogs, I have the utmost respect for your intelligence and for the integrity you always showed in our business relationship.. However, that doesn't mean that you will automatically get my vote.
As most readers of this blog know, I am a Liberal (especially on Social Issues) and have nearly always supported Democrats. However, based on the fact that I know you, there is a chance you can get my vote...let me tell you how.
First of all, I know you have had to pander to the Far Right, Teabaggers and the such to get the nomination. That means you have had to make noise about many of the social issues that were decided on 40 or 50 years ago. But, you already have those people's vote by virtue of the fact you will have an "R" by your name on the ballot and your name is not Obama. Now, it is time to get real. Let it go....A woman's right to choose and contraception issues should not even be discussed. Those issues were settled many years ago and if one's religion doesn't agree, then those people don't have to have abortions or use contraception. But they have no right to tell others how to manage their own bodies. And while we are on the subject, religion has no place in our government. As a Jew, I am offended when some of your cohorts continue to call for this to be a "Christian" nation without regard for the fact that others have different religious beliefs. 16% of this country now identify themselves as atheists or agnostics.....if you want their vote and the vote of those that are not Christians, then make religion a non- issue.
Second of all....you are not going to get my vote by continuing to run a negative campaign. You and your Super Pacs are already saturating the airwaves with half-truths and other negative statements about the current administration. Give the rest of us some credit - we are fully aware of both the accomplishments and the shortcomings of the current administration. I am damn tired of hearing from you (and yes, the Super Pac's are "you") about what Mr. Obama hasn't done. We all know that you don't agree with some of his policies - but that doesn't make them wrong. From my view point, Mr. Obama and his administration has done a lot of things right and yes, even some things wrong. I have a hard time faulting a President that has overhauled the health insurance industry (now even I might be able to get affordable health care without exclusions); killed Osama Bin Laden and those pirates and Awlaki; mopped up Bush's Iraq misadventure; ended sexual discrimination in the military and gender discrimination in paychecks; seated 2 excellent Supreme Court Justices including the first Latino; set up a consumer protection agency; implemented reform of financial services; saved the American Automobile Industry (and got paid back EVERY penny); expanded the Individuals with Disabilities Act; ramped up stem cell research; expanded services to our veterans; took an economy that was losing 800,000 jobs a month when he took over and turned it into 200,000 jobs gained per month; expanded Pell grants and Student loans; and, oh yea, he doesn't torture people. Now on the other side of the ledger, maybe he over reached with the Health Care mandate, didn't move fast enough on reducing the deficit, failed to work with a Republican House of Representatives, invested in Solyndra and hasn't overhauled our mess of a tax system. I am sure you can come up with many more things he has or hasn't done ...in fact, just today, you said he plays too much golf and does too much jetting around the world.
But, that is not what I want to hear from you! What I want to hear is what YOU are going to do. I want to hear about your SPECIFIC plans for the improvement of our economy. If it is the same old Bush doctrine of cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations and eliminating the controls that have been put in place, then no thank you. That is exactly what got us into this mess to begin with. Mitt, when you sat on the Board of The Sports Authority, I am confident you supported the idea that reduction of expenses alone will not bring increased profitability. There has to be a component that increases revenues along with cutting of expenses. So, I don't understand why you are not for increasing tax revenues by cutting specific deductions and increasing the tax rate. These are dire times and our path to stability should not be blockaded by Grover Norquist and his asinine tax pledge. Don't you realize that the Buffet Rule is really the same as The Reagan Rule - that is, Reagan eliminated many tax breaks and leveled the rate at 28%. Yep, The Buffet rule suggest 30%...but I really believe that you and your cohorts can stomach an extra 2%. So, exactly what will YOU do to improve the economy and reduce the deficit?
You have said to your supporters that you will repeal the Affordable Health Care Act. I am confused...isn't this the same act YOU implemented in Massachusetts? But, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and listen while you explain what YOU are going to do to solve our Health Care Crisis. How are YOU going to rein in the spiraling costs and the outrages of the insurance industry? What are you going to do to help me get affordable insurance without exclusions? How are you going to assure that Medicare is there for me in 5 years, since I have paid into the system all of my life? Incidentally, I consider Medicare and Social Security my right, since I have paid into the system since I was 14 years old....what are YOU going to do to protect my investment in these systems?
You have criticized our President for his handling of Foreign Policy. So, tell me, Mitt, what are YOU going to do about the war in Afghanistan? How are you going to handle the nuclear threat of Iran? What about North Korea, Venezuela, or Cuba? And, of particular importance to me, how are YOU going to handle the Israeli-Palestinian problem? Don't just criticize what is currently being done, but please tell me what YOU are going to do. And while you are at it, please give me an outline of exactly how you are going to handle the illegal immigrant problem.
Yes, Mitt, I have a lot of questions. In my blog of last November, I said the following:
"I know Mitt Romney. I have worked with Mitt Romney. As CEO of Bain Capital he was on The Board of The Sports Authority and I had the pleasure of interacting with Mitt on a monthly basis for over 4 years. Mitt Romney is one of the most intelligent people that I have ever dealt with. He possesses the intellectual curiosity that is paramount in any good leader. I always found that Mitt conducts himself with an enormous amount of integrity. Given all of that, it is evident that Mitt, like all politicians, says those things that will assure that he gets the nomination. Some of those things are different than what he said to get elected as Governor of Massachusetts. I don't necessarily hold that against him. What is important is what I think he will actually act on - by that, I mean that Mitt might say (for example) that he is for overturning Roe v Wade because that will help him get the nomination. He might even believe what he says, but I think Mitt is smart enough to take those issues that are not part of the solving of the Country's most important problems totally off of the table once he is elected. I think Mitt can cut through the noise and concentrate on what is really important. I believe there is no substitute for intelligence and integrity."
So, Mitt, I fervently hope that you make my words ring true. I hope that over the next few months you concentrate on what is truly important and answer, for me and the rest of the Country, the questions I have posed here. Not by criticizing what has been done already, but by explaining, in detail, what YOU are going to do. So far, there has only been a lot of noise and silliness. It is now time to get serious and give us specifics about your plans. Only then will you even have the opportunity to garner my vote....and believe me, if you don't get my vote and the vote of others like me then you will have no chance of winning this election.
With Great Respect,
Roy Cohen
And The Journey Continues.........
