Mitt Romney's candidacy

I am reading Mitt Romney's book No Apologies. The title seems to be a reference to the fact that Obama spent a lot of time in his first two years apologizing for America, and Mitt feels no such compulsion. I don't think the title has anything to do with criticisms of Romneycare, his Massachussets Healthcare plan that has not won him friends among conservatives.

I like Romney's emphasis on the importance of keeping America the strongest country on earth, both economically and militarily. I think he means it, and would lead us to that goal if elected president. If Romney were to win the Republican nomination, which is by no means going to be easy, I think he would trounce Obama in the general election. Why? because there are lots of disillusioned Democrats and independents who voted for Obama in 2008. Romney has a record of working well with Democrats and independents in Massachussets. He comes across as disciplined and sincere, a man who truly loves America. One of the themes of the 2012 election will be can the candidate put country first, and not always try to appeal to the loudest people in his base of support.

Romney overwhelmingly won Colorado in the 2008 Republican primary. Colorado is 1/3 Republican, 1/3 Democrat, and 1/3 independent, which is why it is considered an important swing state, and will be a place where both parties dump a ton of money, hoping to influence voters.

I have seen and read media pundits who claim Romney will have trouble winning early voting states such as Iowa and South Carolina, because of the large numbers of evangelical Christians who vote in the primaries. If that is true, it may be because those states have very small Mormon populations. Here in Colorado we have significant Mormon populations. We know them to be family-oriented, community-oriented patriots who are solid citizens. They love Jesus, just like evangelicals say they do. Moreover, they prove it by the way they live. Isn't that what Jesus asks?

If evangelicals are the strongest supporters of Israel, why can't they also be the strongest supporters of a group of people who love and follow Jesus? In 2008 the country showed that it can rise above petty prejudices based on race. In 2012 maybe it can show that we can do the same on matters of religious faith. The candidates are running for the office of president of the United States, not president of the Christian faith.

Whomever that man or woman might be, let's vote for the person who can lead us to become once again the country that leads the world economically, and has the strength to keep its citizens safe, all the while upholding the country's unique traditions of individual liberty.