Mitt Romney gets out of Dodge

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney is the quintessential exemplar of what it used to imply to be a Republican.

The son of George Romney, a Republican businessman who grew to become Michigan governor and ran for president, Mitt Romney is a businessman who grew to become governor of Massachusetts and was the GOP’s nominee for president in 2012. His political views have at all times aligned effectively together with his occasion’s long-standing coverage targets — a balanced federal finances, decrease taxes, help for capitalist enterprises, a robust navy and a strong overseas coverage within the service of democratic beliefs.

However, 4 years after Romney’s unsuccessful presidential run, somebody got here alongside and altered the definition of Republican. Former President Donald Trump mesmerized the GOP base with a nasty, nihilistic populism constructed on seething social resentments, suspicion of governmental establishments, and an “America First” overseas coverage that disparaged democratic allies whereas coddling autocrats overseas and inspiring right-wing autocracy at house.

Perversely, Trump’s rebranding has made RINO — “Republican in title solely” — the epithet most frequently forged at elected officers like Romney who’ve stood quick with the occasion’s previous ideas. To be a real Republican as of late, there is only one factor that’s important: unwavering loyalty to Trump, whether or not actual or feigned.

Romney, a religious Mormon, believes in a better calling. His political morality wouldn’t permit him to remain silent about Trump’s idiocy, immorality and corruption. Twice, he was a really lonely Republican vote to convict Trump in his Senate impeachment trials. Because of this independence and rectitude, Romney has develop into a pariah amongst his GOP Senate colleagues and a goal of seething anger and threats of violence from his constituents.

It’s no shock that Romney has announced he will not run for reelection. Why would he wish to proceed working alongside individuals who despise him, folks he holds in contempt?

Romney is doing the nation a last service by not leaving quietly. In a brand new biography, “Romney: A Reckoning” by McKay Coppins, the senator exposes his colleagues within the Senate GOP caucus as ethical cowards both too petrified of dropping reelection to say out loud what a low opinion they’ve of Trump or too desirous to loudly defend Trump so as to increase their personal political ambitions. His insider account reveals the cravenness that has desiccated the occasion of Lincoln and left it within the clutches of careerists, conspiracists and con males.

Romney’s retirement from the political fray seems like a tipping level, the ultimate gasp of the outdated Republican Celebration. Removed from being a RINO, Mitt Romney seems to be just like the final actual Republican. 

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