Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 05:03 pm
We can make lots of jokes about horses and bayonets, but there is something else about last night’s debate that showed a sharp contrast between the President, the former Governor and the former governor’s various alter-egos.
For all the alter egos we have seen, none of them have the ability to understand people or their needs. Rather he sees people as a means to an end. Once they have served their purpose, they don’t exist. Whether the people in question are the formerly unborn, the formerly employed or are former troops.
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While there were moments that Romney mentioned sending troops to this place and that not once did he acknowledge, let alone express concern, for veterans.
As noted by Rob Diamond, who is Obama for America’s National Veterans and Military Families Vote Director,
After years on the campaign trail, Mitt Romney has proven one thing: he doesn’t get it when it comes to America’s veterans. Rather than honor the sacred trust we have with our veterans, wounded warriors and military families, Mitt Romney failed to mention our veterans even once during a 90-minute debate focused on foreign policy, wars abroad and America’s future in the world. While Mitt Romney wrote off half of our country as people who see themselves as “victims,” which includes veterans receiving the benefits they’ve earned, President Obama understands that war has consequences and that we have an obligation to our service members not just when they are serving, but when they return home as well.
Romney does mention the “troops”, as if they were inanimate objects rather than human beings. For all the time he had to speak during last night’s debate, not once did the former Governor mention veterans.
Feel free to check the transcript.
Romney does talk about “the troops” as if they were pieces on his global chessboard. At no time, does he consider that maybe they deserve a President who cares about their concerns when they come home as veterans.
Romney did talk about how he wouldn’t cut spending to the military, but that wasn’t a reference to our veterans, though it’s often confused as such. The Department of Veterans Affairs is part of the executive branch, with its head appointed by the President. Veterans Affairs funding is not a part of the Defense Department budget.
Sometimes the things people don’t say speak louder than the words they utter. It isn’t like the former Governor didn’t have an opportunity to express concern about veterans issues. From the onset, he was Palin without lipstick – answering the questions that could only be heard in his head. He had all the time he needed and then some. If Romney had concern about the Veterans, he certainly had many opportunities to explain his policies to address their needs.
His silence reflects the one characteristic that we see in all of Willard’s alter egos. He doesn’t get people. Once people serve his purpose, they cease to exist.
Once you have served Romney’s purpose, you become a “victim”. After risking your life to serve our Country, you bad veterans think you are entitled to food or a mention during a presidential debate. In Romney world, veterans are part of that 47% he doesn’t think are worth caring about, let alone giving some words to during a presidential debate.
It isn’t as if this is the first time Romney failed to acknowledge the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our wars. He also didn’t find time to thank the troops during his acceptance speech at the Republican Convention.
Mitt Romney is someone who takes pride in “harvesting” companies, costing people their jobs and their communities. He doesn’t get that people’s labor made it possible to have something to “harvest” He doesn’t get that “letting” women out of their corporate binders so that they can cook dinner, isn’t equal pay for equal work. He doesn’t get anything beyond that shallow Romney bubble that he and Ann built. His lack of concern and understanding of people even on the most basic level, means Romney may want the title of President, but he doesn’t want the work that comes with the title.
The fact that he doesn’t see the value in people who build peace and security around the world means Romney may want the title of Commander in Chief, but he lacks an understand of the work that comes with the title.
Image from CBS
Former contributor.
