Romney’s Entire Career Has Been About Punishing Republicans For Voting For Him – By Erielle Davidson (The Federalist) / Feb 5 2020
He attempts to portray himself as a moral bulwark, but as his shifts indicate, many of his political leanings seem to be more a product of self-interest than of genuine moral clarity.
In a recent interview with McKay Coppins of The Atlantic, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said he would vote to convict President Donald Trump on the impeachment article alleging abuse of power, but not on the article alleging obstruction of Congress.
“This has been the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my life,” Romney told Coppins yesterday afternoon. Romney is the only Republican who voted to convict on any of the articles of impeachment.
Romney’s decision was terrifically predictable, and given his vote did not swing the results in either direction, the gravitas that he already assigned to his decision — in the form of two interview “exclusives” — seems a bit theatrical and self-indulgent. There’s an unshakeable self-satisfaction that Romney exudes when he goes on heavy-headed tours, demarcating to the adoring left how he is decidedly different from all the other GOP members.
Yes, he’s different from many others within the GOP in the sense that he has no firm principles upon which to base his political decisions besides self-interest and self-importance. He is vaguely in favor of free markets insofar as he appreciates a pro-business environment, having been a businessman once. But that seems to be the extent of his political personality.
Romney’s efforts to appear above the “lesser” GOP fray in many cases has translated into a repudiation of conservatism. To be clear, Romney may vote however he pleases, but he, along with our media betters, will likely portray his alleged defection as a more principled approach to conservatism. That takeaway is incorrect. Romney has been voting against his own party’s voters for his entire political career, and on core moral issues, not just pragmatic choices such as the level of tax rates or regulation.
Continue to article: https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/05/romneys-entire-career-has-been-about-punishing-republicans-for-voting-for-him/
