As flights were being cancelled across the eastern seaboard, I fastened my seat belt on the last flight out of Hartford Connecticut, before the shutdown, in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy.  My husband and I had been to Parents Weekend for our youngest daughter who began college at the end of August.   Seeing all the young men and women around campus who were there to get an education, and make a meaningful contribution to the country, I was unable to forget about the Palin children who were each unable or unwilling to pursue higher education.   As we were returning to Dallas, I couldn’t help but consider the contrast in our lives and those of the candidates for President of the United States.  President Obama had cancelled his campaign stops to return to his job in D.C. to manage the crisis created by the hurricane.  Palin was …not campaigning anywhere.  My husband would be returning to work today.  Mitt Romney would be cancelling his campaign appearances in New Hampshire, Florida, and Virginia , and has now cancelled his campaign stop in Ohio.    Ann Romney was  in New York on Thursday making meat loaf  with Rachel Ray.

Surely she was able to escape New York before the subways had to be closed down, and the stock exchange closed.   The city had to shut down its schools, and businesses in anticipation of the hurricane surges of ocean water of up to 6 -11 feet.

While Ann made sure to mention her struggles with breast cancer and MS as she was making meat loaf on the Rachel Ray show, there were no signs of her disability as she boarded her flight out of New York.  As I sat in my coach seat, thankful for the ability to gate check my walker, which made it possible for me to travel, I thought about Ann Romney walking unassisted to board either a private plane or to travel in first class to one of her vacation homes.

 

The Romneys sold their home in Belmont and the ski chalet in Utah, so she couldn’t return to those. She have to decide between the New Hampshire home,

 

 

or the one with the car elevator in San Deigo.

Mitt Romney has touted his unemployed status.  He hasn’t held elected office since Jan. 4th, of 2007 when he completed his four-year term as Governor of Massachusetts.    That means for the last 6 years Mitt Romney has been able to visit his vacation homes and travel to inspect his holdings in places like the Caymans.  The 45 Million he spent of his own money in the 2008 campaign  didn’t help him get the Vice Presidential nomination that he was hoping for.  He lost to Sarah Palin.

It is unclear if his loss to Palin was because of his decline in approval ratings to 34% by November of 2006, ranking him the 3rd least popular Governor in the United States, or if he was just outmatched by Palin’s intellect.  Regardless, Romney has positioned himself as an unemployed candidate, uniquely positioned to spend his time criticizing the President, instead of leading any state, community, or town.

As Hurricane Sandy poses a huge threat to the East Coast, President Obama traveled to the FEMA for a briefing on preparations for the hurricane.

As Obama faces a huge national disaster, Romney positions himself to criticize the President for any problems caused by the hurricane that were not adequately anticipated by FEMA.  When the Governor of Connecticut requested a declaration of a federal emergency for his state, Obama approved the immediate federal assistance requested for evacuation, shelter, water, food, blankets, and debris removal.    If Obama had failed to approve the relief requested Romney would be positioned to attack the heartless failure of the Obama Administration.  Now that Obama has approved the relief requested Romney is free to attack for the outrageous spending of the Obama administration.

 

That’s the difference between a leader like Obama, and an unemployed ex-politician.  The leader has to be willing to make the hard choices and attack the problems facing the country, and the unemployed ex-politician has only the choice to make of which vacation home to visit, and which action of the President he’ll attack today.  While both Palin and Romney have attacked Obama over the last four years, Romney didn’t help McCain lose the 2008 election.  Both Palin and Romney are worth millions, but Mitt Romney has more.  Both Palin and Romney have two homes, but only Romney has a car elevator.

Palin quit her job as Governor, and Romney served the entire four year term.  Both are extremely unpopular today in the states where they served as Governor.  Both have five children, and both are liars.  Palin was defeated in 2008 in the general election and Romney was defeated in the primary race in 2008.  Both have taken positions against women, including being anti-choice, and neither has supported equal pay for women under the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act.  Romney lies for the Lord, and Palin just lies.   Most of us wish we had never had to learn about Sarah Palin or Mitt Romney, and soon both may become only a footnote in middle school history classes.  When our children and grandchildren ask us if we remember a person named “Sarah Palin” or “Mitt Romney” who were both losers, we will exclaim “You Betha!

About these ads