How bad is it when an uber-Progressive is calling Mitt Romney a born-again Progressive? - Granite Grok

How bad is it when an uber-Progressive is calling Mitt Romney a born-again Progressive?

Fifth Annual Values Voter Summit Held In Washington, DCDavid Corn, pretty much far Left as one can get without being BFF with Castro bros (ok, maybe he’s standing between them in that picture over there) is now welcoming Mitt Romney as a brother-in-ideology (reformatted, emphasis mine):

It is time for liberals to cheer Mitt Romney.

Not because his possible entry into the 2016 Republican presidential contest could cause chaos for the GOP. But because Romney, apparently seeing the error of his “severely conservative” ways, has become a progressive crusader. Initial news reports noted that Romney was telling Republicans privately that should he mount a third presidential bid he would run to the right of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, an all-but-announced contender. Yet in public remarks, Romney has been sounding like a born-again lefty. At an investment management conference in Utah this week, Romney told the crowd that a new-and-improved candidate Romney would focus on climate change, poverty, and education.

Yes, climate change, poverty, and education. In a bizarre Freaky Friday sort of way, Romney appears to have been body-snatched—perhaps by the ghost of Ted Kennedy. He declared, “I’m one of those Republicans who thinks we are getting warmer and that we contribute to that,” he said of climate change. And he called for global agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions, slamming the US government for having failed to achieve such accords. “Let’s deal with poverty,” he also proclaimed. “Have we done it? No. Let’s do it.” And to improve education, he urged more pay for teachers.

Oh, and Corn’s serious – this is not a head fake.  Which means that Conservatives had better take note.  Yes, all of these Prez wannabees first much stake out some claim in the Golden Candidate Meadow but to run as a Charlie Bass on steroids (which is to say, a Big Man in the Main Street Republican progressive club?  So ham-stringing the US in yet another web of International law?  Using the powers of Big Government to change our behavior (fer our own good, dontcha know?) for something that hasn’t warmed for 18 years and 4 months (give or take a few weeks)?  Corn goes on:

So what gives? Romney was once a moderate Republican governor who held liberal positions on certain issues—and who pioneered Obamacare before Obamacare was cool. But as he was sucked into the black hole of GOP presidential politics, these views were crushed into nothingness by forces as inexorable as gravity. Yet like Matthew McConaughey’s character in Interstellar, Romney has come back from beyond the event horizon. It’s a miracle. Hallelujah. He’s now ready to heal the climate, assuage poverty, and prioritize more pay for teachers. The few dozen liberal Republicans who still exist should be rather excited.

Given that Romney is not likely to be warmly embraced by the tea party GOP base for his new priorities, progressives ought to welcome him enthusiastically.

Got that right and that’s right they will.  Our standard of measurement is clear – the Platforms.  But of course, we have seen the Establishment gravitate more to what the Dems value most – just the Win.  As in “Winning is merely the precursor; what is most important is what comes afterwards”; they stop after the first three letters.  Accountability for their actions?  Held to a standard?  So not Progressive.

Liberals across the land ought not scoff at the remodeled Romney. They should encourage him to return to the political battlefield. For the sake of the planet and down-and-out Americans, there needs to be more reasonable (if lonely) Republicans within the GOP. And if nothing else, this new Mitt proves that evolution is real.

We shall see, shan’t we?

(H/T: Mother Jones)

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