Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Ode to Mitt Romney

Obama and his supporters got their cake yesterday, and now they get to eat it. This isn't Bush's mess anymore. The responsibility is going to fall squarely on the shoulders of our new president. One way or another he's going to have to figure out how to work with Congress, how to deal with the fiscal cliff, and how to keep Americans safe both here and abroad in a world of growing instability littered by radical terrorists. (RIP Ambassador Stevens and the other brave men who needlessly died on American soil in Libya.) As Brandon likes to quote, "Life is a crap sandwich, and every day you have to take a bite." I'm afraid today is a little more than I can swallow, but before I pick myself up and face this new era in American history (gulp), I wanted to publicly acknowledge and thank Mitt Romney for being the good, decent, hard working, brilliant, and patriotic man that he is. You did a really good thing by me and the 56, 145, 950 (and counting) Americans who voted for you yesterday. I will take your gracious counsel and try to support President Obama (and, as a Mormon, I will take the counsel from our church leadership--I would note, a far cry from the rhetoric of Obama's long time pastor who married the Obamas), but I'd be lying if I said I was excited about it. For the sake of our country and my children's futures, I hope to God I am wrong about Obama and his vision for America.

Ode to Mitt Romney . . . 

Thank you for being a rich Bain Capital executive. I know the mainstream media did a whopper of a job painting you as a bad guy because you made a lot of money in private business, but millions of us look up to you and your model of success. Millions of us understand that you really do know how to create a job and turn things around. Millions of us still believe that financial success is a good thing,  and recognize that people with money usually got it by being smart and willing to work hard. You didn't inherit your money, you earned it, and I, for one, admire that. It is a sad day in America when we demonize the rich and successful and want nothing more than to burden them with heavy taxes because (in a whiny voice) "it's not FAIR." Unfortunately, when the rich get poorer, the poor also get poorer. You understand that, but our current president (and the record breaking 46 million people on food stamps in this country) do not. Not only do the rich keep the economy afloat by hiring people, investing, and buying stuff, but the "selfish and greedy" rich people are often the biggest contributors to charities. You have certainly been evidence of that, giving almost 30% of your income to charity last year and never taking an income as the governor of Massachusetts or as the man who turned around the Olympics. You are a class act, Mitt.

Thank you for being the smart, competent, and supposedly "out of touch" guy. Again, the media hammered you for being stiff, out of touch, and unable to connect with the "real" American people, but I for one never needed or wanted a rock star president. I heard your clear message of economic strength. I saw your vast leadership experience born of turning around failed businesses, governments, and the Olympics. I acknowledge how smart and competent you really are. We don't get many chances at having a candidate who is a graduate of both Harvard business and law school; a candidate with both political as well as private sector experience. Despite Obama's dismal record of unemployment, skyrocketing debt, and puzzling foreign policy behavior (why, why, WHY has no one outside of the conservative news outlets looked seriously into the Benghazi debacle?), you never had a chance against a guy who can dunk, a guy who can sing R&B, a guy who swaggers off Air Force One, a guy who gives speeches that can change the tides of the ocean, a guy who is friends with Sarah Jessica Parker. Sadly, too many people in this country get their "news" from MTV, The View, and Jimmy Fallon, and being the celebrity obsessed culture that we are, you never stood a chance as the boring old white guy who simply knew what to do.

Thank you for trying to repeal Obama Care. As the wife of a physician, I can testify that it has already started to wreak havoc on our health care system. When was the last time anyone interviewed a doctor and asked them how they feel about Obama Care? If they did, they would know that the vast majority oppose it. Not just because it will hurt doctors in the pocketbook (which it will, of course--my husband saw a significant drop in his practice last January when people's co-pays went from $20 to $40 and even $50), but mostly because it's bad for health care. My husband is sadly resigned to what now seems to be the inevitable reality that he will have to join a large health care group and get a salary rather than try to continue practicing medicine privately. The federal mandates and regulations coming down the pike (and those that have already been instituted in recent years) are making it next to impossible for doctors to keep up with all the paperwork and bureaucratic mumbo jumbo while taking care of their patients at the same time. And as far as the great health care everyone is now going to get? This, from my husband: "The new accountable care model we're going to be moving towards is essentially a capitated system where physicians and care organizations are discouraged from doing more for their patients or using higher cost treatment modalities because they will only get paid a certain amount of money per patient regardless of how much work or care that patient requires. We've already seen this happen with HMO's where more expensive, cutting edge treatments become restricted simply because of cost. Essentially, you're asking the doctor to pay to do more work if he opts to do more expensive treatments, so it becomes a reverse conflict of interest. Instead of having the doctor interested in doing all he can to help his patient, you are incentivising the doctor to do less. It's a way of saving money, yes, but it's not really good medicine for patients and healthcare." To give another example, a recent federal mandate forces doctors to prescribe medications to 30% of their patients whether or not they need them. These types of irrelevant and dangerous mandates made by those without medical training get in the way of good medicine. But no one is consulting the doctors, and the doctors are too busy caring for their patients to take on the federal government. My husband's father made more money in the same speciality (urology) in the early 80's than my husband does today seeing the same amount of patients. Does anyone really think we will continue to attract the best and the brightest to the medical field if we continue to punish them after they've already done (in my husband's case) NINE years of expensive post-graduate training? As the father of a physician, Mitt Romney got that. Thank you for trying, Mitt, but America is now going to get what they asked for--federally mandated and controlled medicine. Congratulations!

Thank you for being a really decent man in a world of declining values. Hard as they tried, all the media could drum up on you was that you teased a classmate in high school. (Scandal!) I loved reading and hearing the stories from your personal life before you were even in the political realm. They say SO MUCH about your true character. Of course, these stories were all but hidden from most Americans, but for those of us who actually tried to get an honest picture of who you are, we recognize that the cold, uncaring, elitist narrative written about you by the mainstream media was not just false, it was downright dishonest. Again, you never had a fighting chance against the administration's media.

Thank you for your message of real hope. Half of this country shares your vision of what America was and should continue to be--a place that believes in We The People, not the federal government. Unfortunately, with the increase in our entitlement population (yes, part of that infamous 47% who would, in fact, never vote for Romney because they knew he wouldn't give them an Obama phone), that vision of America seems to be dimming. We are moving away from a people who ask what they can do for their country (thank you, Pres. Kennedy) to a people who expect the government and successful people's tax dollars to pay for their groceries and birth control. It is also difficult to make progress when there are so many single issue voters like the women who seem to think a Republican president would ban birth control and abortions (ridiculous!) as well as those who vote only for gay marriage or the color of a candidates skin (regardless of experience, policy, or track record). Our country really does seem to be making an ideological shift, and for about 50% of us, that shift is not in the direction of the America we know and love. The America 50% of us know and love praises and encourages individual success, acknowledges God and his role in this country, supports the idea of "peace through strength" rather than cutting the military by the trillions, and doesn't feel it has to apologize to other countries for either our successes or our ideas of freedom and democracy. It is very sad to so many of us that we will never have the opportunity to see what a Romney presidency could have done for our country.

Thank you, Mitt, for giving us hope. Not a hope that you would change America, but a hope that you would PRESERVE America.

Thank you, Mitt and Ann. Your vision, hard work, and sacrifice to try to get our country back on track will not soon be forgotten.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you


26 comments:

  1. I'm just sick. Literally. I have gotten a little teary about it through out the day.

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    1. Give yourself today to mourn, then get back up in the saddle. American has seen worse! (Think Civil War . . .) Though I am greatly concerned about the "fiscal cliff" and getting to a point of no return . . . okay, now I'm getting teary!

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  2. This is beautifully written and articulated. Thank you.

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  3. Perfectly said! You should be published or run for office Allyson!

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    1. I wish I had the guts (and the time) to run for office! And I AM published--the miracle of the internet. :D

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  4. Amen. I literally cried last night and have felt so depressed and worried about the future we now face.

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    2. Ditto what I said to Valerie. Let's all get back in the saddle and back to work tomorrow. Wallowing won't get our country back on track or help us move forward. Onward and upward! (Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself, too? ;D)

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  5. My thoughts exactly!! Very well put. I wish he could read this! :-) It's so true, the media did not present an authentic view on Romney at all. I just hope and pray we will not reach that point of no return at the end of 4 more years. It was a close election, that is my only solace right now! Gives me a little piece of hope knowing I'm not the only one who feels this way.

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  6. I love the positives you so brilliantly elucidated about Governor Romney, and I wish everyone had a true view of them...of course,someday, they will.

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  7. It really is too bad our media stopped doing their job of educating and informing the American people somewhere along the way and instead became political Puppets for the liberal agenda.

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  8. Thank you indeed! You have so eloquently put into words the feelings I've had in my heart. Our country has passed up on a great man that would have truly done great things for America. I like your advice to get back in the saddle and ride.

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    1. Yes, back up in the saddle today . . . miss seeing your smiling face!

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  9. THANK YOU so much for this. You wrote this so well. I am worried how America will just keep going down hill for the next 4 years. You wrote what I feel. There was a great tradgedy that happened Tuesday when Mitt wasn't voted in. There are many that don't understand how things would have improved. Hopefully Mitt will run again in 4 years and by then the majority will vote for him because they will finally see how Obama has screwed up the country all on his own.

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    1. I honestly hope all of Obama's ideas work. That would really be great for the country. I'm just doubtful . . .

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  10. It’s not that I’m totally against him – I did start to read it – but I just disagree w/too much of who he is. It’s nice that he is a good man according to you, but there are other characteristics and traits that are more important than just that one to lead this country back to hopefully a prosperous one for all citizens.

    This is why I refrain from discussing politics and religion. Those are 2 of the most contentious topics and I truly do avoid them in conversations. My oldest daughter even knows this as she is one of those in the higher income bracket that will be taxed more ‘heavily’ as they should be much as your husband complaining as he isn’t making as much money as a doctor now w/Obama care. That’s where I quit reading. It would be more admirable to say that he is more worried about the possibility of patients not being able to seek necessary medical care due to the higher co-pays.

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    1. Anonymous--I don't why I am this way, but I actually LOVE to discuss politics and religion, and only refrain because I know it makes other people uncomfortable. I think when we STOP having the discussions, we stop being open to change and understanding. I didn't actually intend for this to be a discussion--simply an "Ode to Mitt" as well as a place to list off my major concerns with the direction this country is going under Obama's leadership--but since you have (maybe unintentionally) invited discussion I have to respond. I wish you would have kept reading, because I clearly explained why managed care is not only bad for the pocketbooks of doctors, but yes, more importantly, it is bad for the individuals needing health care. There are so many implications on various levels: 1. Yes, doctors will have less money to put back into the economy (true economic stimulus) 2. Who will want to go to medical school and then residency for 7-10 years after 4 years of college and incur hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt if there is no financial return for all that effort and highly technical skill? No one! 3) Patients not being able to afford higher co-pays doesn't just mean doctors make less money, it means patients aren't getting treated! It's one big fat lose-lose. 4) As I explained above, doctors are incentivized NOT to test and treat their patients if it's too expensive, even if they need it. How can this be good for health care? And I have to defend my husband, because he has treated so many people for free it's ridiculous. He has a big heart, and is constantly going above and beyond (meeting people at his office after hours, to give just one example) to make sure his patients get their problems solved, but there is a growing mentality in this country that people are entitled to free healthcare and doctors should just give and give and give out of the kindness of their hearts with no thought of financial gain. Yes, most doctors go into medicine because they have a genuine interest in helping people, but doctors are also trying to make a living just like everyone else! Of course, no one is crying for them because even the lowest paid doctors make a decent living, but again, shouldn't they get paid well after spending 10 plus years of their life living under the poverty level while getting highly expensive training that has to be paid back? Should a doctor not get paid well for removing someone's cancerous bladder in a highly technical 5 hour surgery? Do people expect a plumber to come into their homes and fix a big problem with their technical skill for free? Of course not! Good health care cost money, and a lot of it. (But everyone can rest assured that doctors get paid MUCH less now than they used to . . .) As for taxes, I'm sure you are aware that the top 1% of wage earners pay 40% of the taxes in the country (3 times their share of taxes to income) and the top 20% of earners pay almost 95% of all the taxes. The bottom 40%? They pay NADA! So if our government continues to spend like mad and rack up more debt, do we just continue to tax the "rich" more and more? It doesn't make sense to me. Again, when the rich get poorer, the poorer get poorer. I surely hope you are not offended by my view of things, because I am not offended by yours in the least! We just have two fundamentally different opinions about how to help the lower income members of our society. Conservatives want to keep money in the hands of the people so they can create more businesses and jobs, hire more people, buy from more businesses, and give more on their own to charity. Liberals want to tax the rich and create government programs that then distribute that money to the less fortunate. (You can tell me where I'm wrong.) It's just a different way of looking at the problem and how to fix it. That's what makes America great! Thanks for the honest comment--I really do appreciate it!

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  12. Thanks for your post, Allyson. It was well written. I have always been a slightly right leaning moderate but this election has moved me further to the right. The question I have been asking all of my liberal friends is why they think the federal government is in a better place to care for the poor instead of us, the individual. While they are all good people, it has become clear that many of them just don't want the responsibility of being their brother's keeper. If Obama truly cares about the poor and needy, why did he only donate 1% of his income to charity? Each of us (regardless of political ideology) should be asking ourselves what we have done lately to care for our neighbor. I'd better stop before I get a head of steam built up. Thanks again for the post.

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    1. Thanks, Jason. Like I said in my reply to the last comment, it really is just two very different views of how to deal with the same problem. I wish the argument over how to care for the poor weren't such a divisive issue! It's pretty silly if you think about it. At least individuals can always give to their charity of choice no matter what's happening in the government. (That is, unless a good chunk of your discretionary money is already going to the federal government in the form of taxes . . . sigh . . . here we go again.)

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  13. Wonderful post and great response to others comments Allyson.

    Well done Governor Romney. You gave the American people the opportunity to see a man who truly has intregity. I appreciate your willingness to fight for the values that our country was founded upon. May God bless you and your family.

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  14. WELL Done Governor but I really wish you would demand a recount. There is no way I believe they took this election legally

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  15. Thank you for all your hard work!! And Ann Romney really helped me appreciate my decision to not work and take care of my children. In the "modern, or Progressive" world we live in we, Moms are viewed lazy or never worked!! I have sooooo much respect for Ann and Mitt! I have learned so much from viewing the integity of the Romney family.


    I am so proud to support the Romneys. I feel lucky to have been able to vote for Romney/Ryan!

    Thank you!!!

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  16. seriously. you go girl! as a now doctor's wife still in residency who worked hard in public accounting for 7 years before i got hitched and took on a CRAPLOAD of debt, i was probably one of the formerly ignorant thinking "those doctors, they make way too much." I don't think people understand it - they just think, oh those doctors, they just take our money, thank you for explaining what they actually put in - something that NOBODY understands unless they are a doctor's close relative, there for the late nights, the single parent nights, the stress, the mental toll, the HUGE OH MY HEAVENS DEBT that we will only start to earn back positive money after ten years later and only because I am working and had been working for 7 years prior... UGH. it just disgusts me. I can't believe the ignorance of people. It's not that I don't agree with some liberal beliefs, it's that nobody tries to get both sides. The only reason I became a Republican supporter was after wanting to know more about the other candidate that none of my Democratic friends wanted to know about. You tell anyone Democrat that Romney is a good person and cite some examples and basically they say in disbelief, he's just too rich. And he was just born with too much money. HELLOOOOO DO you know where Obama went for high school?! Do you know how freaking expensive Punahou is?!?!?! Do you know anyone in Hawaii who is not stinking rich who goes there who does not have a parent who works there?!?!?! Until you do, talk to me later you ignorant pile of dung. Sorry. I get so angry too. Anyway - I'm glad you put it into words I could not so beautifully have said. Oh yeah - you forgot the fact that he put his dog on the roof for the longest time. I can't even believe that one. Really? Obama smokes people! ALL THE TIME! Ugh!!!

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