In the frenzy of politicking and primary voting a little noticed gesture occurred that may well become Mitt Romney’s defining moment. I won’t waste time on the background (follow the link and read for yourself http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/romney-gives-unemployed-woman-cash-on-ropeline/) except to say that a financially troubled woman approached Romney on a rope line to briefly plead her case and ask for help. He paused long enough to open his wallet and hand her some cash. Subsequently the SC Treasurer Loftis arranged to have her lights turned back on.
Some may see this as a true kindness and how beneficent and compassionate Romney can be, some may chose to ignore it, but I must seize upon it to say that this significantly portrays what is wrong in America and why I don’t believe Romney is the solution to the problem.
I’m no fan of “Slick Mitt”. I didn’t like him last election cycle and I like him no better now, but I have said (and I intend to abide by it ) I will support whomever receives the Republican nomination because I insist that we elect “anybody but Obama”. We’ve had three years of ballooning debt and deficit as well as an inability to stop federal spending and over regulation in all aspects of our lives. Taxpayers can no longer afford to support social benefit after social benefit while we struggle to make ends meet in our own homes and business’.
So what does the man who may very well be the alternative to Obama do when confronted with someone who has no job and is in need of assistance do? He hands her cash. I wouldn’t want him to stop what he’s doing, take a moment to think about this person as an individual and say, “ I have to go right now, but I want you to go with this person (hand her off to someone on his staff or even his wife) who will take the time to sit down with you, see what kind of work you normally do and figure out what we can do to assist you with a loan to get you through until we can help you locate work that will get you out of this bind and help get you back on your feet.” That is a gesture that would have given him my vote of support FOR Mitt Romney as a candidate rather than as a vote for “Anybody but Obama”.
As a nation have we forgotten how to fish and how to teach people to fish and feed themselves? Is the answer to every plea a handout or a hand up. Do we truly believe the answer to every problem is just throwing money at it or do we believe that people can help themselves with the help of others who can show them the way.
I don’t resent that Romney is wealthy or how he acquired that wealth. I’m happy for him and pleased that he figured out how to make a bundle from guiding foundering business’ into profitability (and yes sometimes to succeed you have to cut the fat). What I am disappointed in is his inability to apply that principle to that one person standing on the rope line who reached out for help. He could have had a defining moment. He chose instead to throw money at it.
