"How Romney Embodies The Ideal Republican Candidate" is part two of the series, "Political Perspectives."

People snicker and people laugh. People think you're a fool. You are voting for Mitt Romney—so what? You’ve made the right choice; and after a tumultuous GOP primary race, the party has made its choice to nominate him.

Since his run in 2008 and in this last primary election, Romney has been constantly criticized for not being “conservative enough” or for being a “flip flopper” on certain issues. The important thing for those on both the left and the right to consider is that Romney shows one major, unwavering value: pragmatism.

Mitt Romney’s ability to consider the facts of every policy decision, rather than robotically walking a party line, shows that his values lie in being a statesman. He is looking out for the greater good of his country. If you have a president willing to be flexible in his policy choices, you can easily make the argument that he is ideal for both Democrats and Republicans. Republicans have an electable candidate, and Democrats have an opponent willing to walk across the aisle and work with them.

This is in direct contrast to President Obama’s hardline approach, which has included: passing his healthcare bill through the controversial and illegal Reconciliation Process, thereby alienating the Republican Congress to the point of deadlock for the rest of his term; committing to increase both regulations and taxes without a moratorium on failed regulations, tax policies and loopholes; and vilifying conventional energy industries while somehow hoping to make progress with the energy sector.

Furthermore, the President has escalated commitment to policies such as Dodd-Frank, when reliable news sources, such as the Wall Street Journal, have reported such policies significantly increase legal costs for financial firms to just begin to comply with the policies. That then then translates into small banks’ inability to compete and pay those costs and other repercussions, like the five dollar debit card usage fee that Bank of America contemplated earlier this year. These are not the results you get with an efficient, effective leader focused on delivering results.

That’s where Mitt Romney comes in. Mitt Romney is ideal because of his executive experience as Governor of Massachusetts, and also because of his financial experience in Bain Capital. In contrast to President Obama, whose rhetoric and policy do not reflect a true understanding of financial mechanisms, Mitt Romney full embraces responsible, common sense free enterprise.

Voters must understand that Romney's Wall Street experience helps him understand which economic levers to shift and which to leave alone, leaving no chance of returning to the “failed Bush-era deregulation policies.” And college students can rest assured he will help improve their ability to get that ideal job after graduation. For once, Republicans have a candidate from the financial industry who can defend the controversial “supply-side” economics on the basis of actual hands-on experience, not based on the biases of a businessman from a single industry.

The financial services industry serves all kinds of businesses including food, retail, construction, manufacturing and yes—even energy and healthcare. Republicans need to bank on Romney’s experience in this area and push it to the forefront. There is no doubt Romney will retain his business sense and connections while in office. What’s to say he will not call one of his connections in construction and manufacturing in order to lay out a plan that will actually improve our D-rated infrastructure, something both the 2012 Republican and Democratic Platforms call for?

And what of healthcare and the infamous issue of student loans? Some Republicans would be too eager to jump ship and “admit” that Romney loses on these points. That’s where they're wrong. Romney implemented his own healthcare system in Massachusetts and recognizes that some provisions of Obamacare are good, like transparent healthcare exchanges across state lines to promote a freer market for people to buy from and HIEs instead of the current individual mandate. How does he understand this? Insurance is naturally a Wall Street domain, and so are student loans.

While the argument can be made that Romney may feel pressure from Wall Street contributors, it is not in the best interest of Romney or the Republican Party, politically or practically, to hurt “the average American.” In terms of student loans, Romney knows that federal grants artificially allow universities to avoid providing more financial aid and lowering tuition. He also knows how overcompensated top state university officials are. Romney will be able to look at the root causes of college expenses, and work with the loan industry to lower interest rates.

Romney has not been overly specific with his plan, because the challenges he might face as President are unknown, and therefore do not render themselves to specificity. What he can do is present a philosophy and a strategy to save this country, and that is what he has done. The key is that Romney is indeed the ideal conservative: a successful entrepreneur with sound business sense who leads his life with dignity. Therefore, more importantly, he is the ideal American leader.

The question really is, will we notice in time?

 

Editor's Note: Read an article explaining how Obama embodies the ideal Democratic candidate here.

Read part one of the series "Political Perspectives" here and here.