The fast talking salesman that is the real Romney showed up in the first presidential debate . . . and two out of three in the audience drove off the lot 2500 dollars poorer but the proud owner of a “low miles, classic 1980 Pacer that just needs a little restoration to realize its full value as a collectable icon-car.”
Right. It will cost you about the same $20,000 bucks or so to restore a “classic” Pacer as it does a Camero, but the Pacer will be worth 4 or 5 thousand and the Camero will get you $25,000. That’s the real full value of this “restored collectable” and that’s a lot less than it cost you.
That’s in effect the “deal” Romney was up there selling—and a lot of folks fell for it. And he did do a great job peddling that snake oil, didn't he?
But ask the folks Romney fast talked into a Bain buyout whether you can take the salesman at his word. They’ll tell you: don’t do it. Don’t let the used car salesman fast talk you into trusting him to do what he promises.
He promised he can cut taxes for everybody, increase defense spending, create 12 million jobs in 4 years, increase pay, eliminate the deficit, stop all attacks on Americans by anybody anywhere, and described himself as loving teachers, Big Bird and little children—until he can fire them all and do away with the last, lonely oasis of commercial free television and radio that has a commitment to tell the truth to viewers rather than delivering eyeballs to executives ready to take their last cent.
And “what, me ship your job to China and write off the costs to do that? Wow. My accountant never told me about that—maybe I need to fire him too” and get one even sharper on cutting close to the line.
And “trust me, I know all about closing loopholes.” I’m the guy to do that—but I won’t show you my tax returns.
Romney did his etch a sketch right in front of our disbelieving eyes. He went into the debate as the fire-eating right wing 1% extremist writing off 47% of the population as moochers and lay-abouts, and fast-talked people right into believing that, despite his first instinct over and over again being to solve problems by firing somebody—his promises to take care of them would be worth the hot air he spent making them.
And that’s what Obama has to do next time the salesman shows up. Describe him as the fast talking used car salesman he is.
Mr President, you gotta say “I haven’t spent my life selling stuff and firing people like you Mitt. I’ve been spending it cleaning up the mess fast talking deal makers like you and the last Republican President Mr Bush leave behind. Bush fast talked Americans into turning over a 10 trillion dollar surplus that Clinton left us that would have nearly paid off the national debt by now for a tax cut that was sold as the sure fire way to make us all rich. And here you are trying to sell that same used car again. Just how stupid do you think we are, Mitt.”
And every time Mitt plops out another tall tale, Obama needs to say “there you go again, making another snake oil pitch, but you're just another fast talking MBA like George Bush.”
And Obama needs to ask, “can you explain to me Mitt how you and your buddy “your fired” Donald Trump solve every problem by firing people—how’s that going to work when you’re president? Are you going to fire that 47% you described as moochers and layabouts? So all those retirees, children and wounded vets who don’t pay taxes are just going to have to get off their lazy butts and get a job?”
And Obama needs to say, “Hey Mitt, you’re not talking about 12 million jobs you say you’re going to create. You need about 150 million jobs if that 47% is going to have to get out there and hustle to survive. And they’re going to need a job if you have your way with Social Security cuts and turning Medicare into an insurance business bonanza scheme.”
“And since you say 47% of folks don’t pay taxes, Mitt, how’s a tax cut going to make them rich? And how do you explain on the one hand you won’t raise taxes on the middle class, but on the other you strongly imply that 47% that doesn’t pay taxes now will either pay taxes or “get fired” on your watch? How many folks on Social Security and disability are you going to start taxing? Do you really think Social Security, Medicare and Veteran’s disability are tax free loopholes that you’re going to close? And how are you going to solve homelessness by eliminating the mortgage interest deduction?”
And “Mitt, explain to me this. Business people tell me that volume purchases lower costs and a big customer, like Walmart can get suppliers to really lower costs, so how is turning Medicare and healthcare over to 50 different states supposed to lower costs? How can you as president just walk away from US citizens in desperate need and say, hey, take it up with your governor? When an insurance company is so big it can walk away from a small population state like Vermont or Wyoming and just refuse to do business there unless it's on their terms, are you just going to say, too bad? Sorry about that, nothing the federal government can or should do? Is that how you’re going to handle disasters like Katrina—go back to George Bush’s policy of leaving it up to locals to solve their own problems? You going to behave like your Republican colleagues in the House and refuse to pass a Farm Bill despite the biggest natural disaster--the worst drought since the Dust Bowl 1930s? Are you going to just sit there and let another Enron rip off everybody and cheat whole states like California, like the previous Republican president did? Is that how you're going to get government off people's backs, by just letting them get run over, left out and left behind?
“Just firing everybody in the federal government and turning it over to the states will eliminate the federal deficit—that’s what you have in mind, Mitt? What kind of fast talking used car sale are you trying to pull on the American people Mitt?”
So come on Mr. President Obama Sir. Get up off the bench and play ball like we know you can. Show some defense. Go for the lay up. Try for the 3 pointer. You’ve gotta play like you mean it. You might win the presidency, but if you don’t perform in these debates, you will cost us getting back the House and you might lose us the Senate. You’re the captain of our team, and buddy, you let us down in the first round.
You weren’t fired up and ready to go. You acted tired out and ready to quit.
You can’t expect us to donate time and money and sweat and tears to get you elected again and get the House back, and perform like that. Don’t let that fast talker get away with it. Don’t let Mitt fire you, the Democratic Party and us.
*Sorry if this offends any of you used car salespeople out there. I know there are some of you that have some scruples and character.