After 6 billion dollars and what seems like an eternity of evasion and unfulfillable promises America must decide today whether to re-elect President Obama or to replace him with Mitt Romney. What a god awful choice. It is just like Manchester United versus Chelski, you want both teams to lose. But after another evening with deluded lefties I think I have now decided who I want to lose less.
Rating the two men on a number of issues is a pretty thankless task but here goes on what matters to me.
1. The deficit. Neither has put forward plans which will deal with this issue. Obama is more profligate but Romney looks more competent at balancing the tax return for his dressage horse than at balancing America’s books. Both candidates would leave the US teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. On balance: a narrow win for Mitt.
2. The role of Government. Romney understands that business creates jobs. Obama reckons ( despite all the evidence to the contrary from his first term) that Government can create jobs. For the avoidance of doubt, cosy office jobs funded by the State inside the Beltway for liberal arts graduates are not real jobs. A clear win for Mitt.
3. Civil liberties, free speech and other social issues. I cannot say that Obama has impressed wildly on this matter. Hopey change has delivered little change in his first term. American still runs Guantanamo Bay, the patriot Act is still there, etc. But Obama’s heart is probably in the right place. Mitt is a social conservative and in hock to outright conservatives in his party. A clear win for Obama.
4. Foreign policy. Total disaster area all round. Both men seem committed to spending money America does not have, intervening where she is not wanted with predictably dire long term consequences. Massive Minus points for both candidates.
5. Israel. It matters to me. Obama has not stood up to the Islamofascists of Iran. I am not sure Mitt would either but he appears to have more of a commitment to the rights of Israel than the President does. A narrow win for Mitt.
6. Global warming. Obama believes in the pseudo science and will piss billions away on it. Romney appears to change his mind on a weekly basis. As such I suspect he’s carry on with the status quo. Nil points for either candidate.
7. Integrity and honesty. Romney’s tax returns will always haunt him. His policy flip flops ( see above) are pretty unimpressive. Having said that some of the places Obama’s Government has spent taxpayer’s cash, some of his campaign contributions and some of his past associations do not inspire much confidence either. On this one Obama is no Jimmy Carter ( although he is many other respects) and Romney is no George Bush (junior or senior). Nil points for both men.
8. Reforming the Fed and ending QE Ad infinitum. With Obama there is no chance of that. With Romney it depends on which day of the week it is and which speech you read. Ultimately he is no radical reformer. America is an addict hooked on QE. He will not risk cold turkey in his first term. I do not believe he will reform at all. No points for either man.
9. West Ham United. Obama claims to support West Ham. Romney has not disclosed his UK soccer allegiance but I bet it would be a big four team. He is just that sort of guy. A mammoth win for Obama.
10.Do I believe a word either says? No. Nil points for both men.
And so scoring that all up I have both men level at about minus 79 points out of ten. I really want both to lose and cannot see it making a blind bit of difference who wins. I cannot be bothered to stay up for the result but still expect Obama to win.
But, if really pressed, who do I want to win? In the absence of any other metric I go to the acid test. Which candidate is supported by Polly Toynbee, The Guardian editorial team, the biased BBC, Bono, all those ghastly Hollywood celebrities and deluded lefties across Europe? It is Obama. On the basis that the deluded collective are wrong on every issue, I know with 100% certainty who I am hoping will win.
Go Mitt. My prayers are with you.