I USED TO SHINE MITT ROMNEY'S SHOES
Long ago and far away, I worked as a "clubhouse boy" ("Hey, Boy!") at a very upscale private club.
To be clear, I served some of the finest men I have ever known there, many of whom became role models and mentors. But I also served prototypical Mitt Romney a number of times. No, not this particular guy but still this same guy attitudinally. The little, cutesy choppy steps, the "boss laugh" (It is not a sign of mirth, it is the grant of permission to all those around him to laugh--no, actually, it's a command to laugh.) Everything about this guy shouts, " I am big time, you are little people." Most of all, this guy (times 100) is absolutely entitled to whatever he wants or thinks suits him.
Somehow, THAT guy never, ever serves his country in the military. It's amazing. He just never has his nose in harm's way. That's really strange. When you consider that the history of the 20th Century was that eastern educated, super rich people populated the submarine force and the forerunner of what is now Special Ops. Look at how many of the crazy Military Intelligence guys in WWII were Yalies and from prominent families.
But Mitt and his prototypes are a different kind of elite. They are a non-participatory elite. They just make money and trash the forty-seven percent., far different from the Kennedy men or the Alsops and so many others who took their gifts and applied them to the good of their country.
I tell you all this to explain why I am comfortable supporting Barack Obama. Those who know me, know I have not been thrilled with much of this Presidency. I won't detail my issues now.
But I fail to see how electing smug locker room guy who failed to serve his country at a critical time in her history is an improvement in the flawed but earnest administration we have now.
Elections are always between to finite and fallible human beings. I would have appreciated some other meaningful choices. Given the menu we now have, Obama looks better every day.
posted by UMRBlog @ 19:53
2 comments
2 Comments:
Obama didn't serve in the military either, so I don't see how this can serve (no pun intended) as a decision point.
I knew somebody would say this. They come from different eras. By the time Obama left college we were served by an all volunteer military. Romney bolted from Stanford at a time of semi-universal military service. Same age as Bill Clinton. It was argued that Clinton's failure to serve was a disqualifier but he was continuously in post-High School education and thus, for seven years "1Y". Romney left school, forfeited his "1Y" and had to head for France. Perhaps a small thing to some but talk to most Vietnam era guys and they'll tell you it's a consideration.
Obama simply had to register. Anything beyond that was just a career decision. Romney had to affirmatively get out of service. That's why I hold them to different standards, as did the law of their respective eras.
TYFCB
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