# "Start packing?" So, Gov. Romney, should we even bother with the election?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [April 16, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000 "2012-04-16T21:11:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/21 "2012-04-17T12:36:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> I wish he would hire more people, and I say that as a tax payer. We tried your way; it failed.
Remember how the economy grew when GW lowered the taxes on the wealthy?đ
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### Author:  [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/22 "2012-04-17T12:52:45Z")
> [@monavis](#):
>
> I wonder how Mr Romney is going to bring some miracle about. If women cannot get birth control, and have more children than they can afford,and since the working poor cannot afford to be stay at home momâs like Mrs Romney, How is that going to bring up the economy. Just look at what happened to the economy in Haiti, and other countries, where the population is greater than the country can support!
Canada might want to take notice (out of a 10M population in the Dominican Rep. 2 million are Haitian immigrants). đ
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/23 "2012-04-17T12:58:05Z")
This was the classiest move since Nancy Reagan opined that the Carters should move out early so she could redecorate. At least the Reagans had the decency to actually win the election before wanting to evict their predecessors.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/24 "2012-04-17T13:19:30Z")
> [@Drum\_God](#):
>
> I agree that success and wealth are two different things. Bill Gates (among many others) are successful _and_ wealthy. Romney, on the other hand, is merely wealthy.
What are the indicia of success?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/25 "2012-04-17T13:19:49Z")
Outrage meter reads 0.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/26 "2012-04-17T13:24:10Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> If Romney tries to promote the idea that his success in private equity will translate to success as president, itâs entirely fair for Obama to point out that the two jobs have very different standards for success. The goal of private equity is return on investment. The goal of a president is, well, just about everything else, but keeping the unemployment rate low (i.e. not laying people off) is usually part of it.
You know, this is an interesting point, and whatâs more⌠itâs absolutely true. One may argue â and I believe â that the skill sets for corporate success translate well to the White House, but youâre correct when you point out that the actual end goals are not the same. Government is not, and cannot, be about profit; business must be.
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### Author:  [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/27 "2012-04-17T13:49:45Z")
âStart packingâ would have been a great line if he had used it at the right time, maybe when he had a small lead in some poll. As it is, the line sounded, to me, flat and out of context. Even when he is trying to talk smack, Romney manages to make it sound like heâs reading a script. He may be able, using his business experience, to get the economy straight but he will never inspire me.
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### Author:  [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/28 "2012-04-17T13:57:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Outrage meter reads 0.
I agree that this isnât that outrageous. But you should check that outrage meter of yours, I think the pin is stuck at 0.
đ
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### Author:  [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/29 "2012-04-17T14:07:51Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> You know, this is an interesting point, and whatâs more⌠itâs absolutely true. One may argue â and I believe â that the skill sets for corporate success translate well to the White House, but youâre correct when you point out that the actual end goals are not the same. Government is not, and cannot, be about profit; business must be.
:clap clap:
Yay! We agree!
I think there is something to be said for constitutional expertise in a president too though.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/30 "2012-04-17T14:43:31Z")
> [@Lobohan](#):
>
> I agree that this isnât that outrageous. But you should check that outrage meter of yours, I think the pin is stuck at 0.
>
> đ
No. Your post sent it up to 8! đ
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/31 "2012-04-17T14:57:26Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#):
>
> :clap clap:
>
> Yay! We agree!
>
> I think there is something to be said for constitutional expertise in a president too though.
Oh, I couldnât agree more. I donât go quite so far as to say the President should be a lawyer, but he should have a thorough understanding of the Constitution and relevant caselaw.
Not that Governor Palin was ever held in my high esteem, but she forever torpedoed herself by being unable to answer the simple question, âApart from Roe v. Wade, what Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?â
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### Author:  [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/32 "2012-04-17T15:03:18Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> âApart from Roe v. Wade, what Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?â
**Palin Answer Generator:** âOh all of them. When we SUPREME COURT DECISIONS in this great country with the troops and the sacrifice of the American patriot of the liberty and the founding fathers of a troops, we can [WINK] of the terrorists and liberty of SUPREME COURT DECISIONS.â
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/33 "2012-04-17T15:06:15Z")
My outrage burns with the fury of an Easy-Bake Oven.
Itâs boilerplate electoral smacktalk.
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/34 "2012-04-17T15:09:02Z")
> [@Absolute](#):
>
> Youâre mad at Romney because he is not saying publicly âYeah, I probably have a 50/50 shot at bestâ?
Probably not. This thread was not started in the pit. It got moved here (because there wasnât much to discuss? I donât know why).
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/35 "2012-04-17T16:28:47Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> I wish he would hire more people, and I say that as a tax payer. We tried your way; it failed.
Considering that neither I nor anyone Iâve voted for has ever held high federal office, I donât think weâve ever tried it âmy way.â
More to the point, considering that the total number of people getting paid by the government, whether employees or contractors, has been rising steadily for years, under both parties, itâs pretty safe to say we havenât tried the âincrease efficiency, including laying off unnecessary workersâ way.
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### Author:  [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/36 "2012-04-17T16:42:29Z")
> [@Lobohan](#):
>
> **Palin Answer Generator:** âOh all of them. When we SUPREME COURT DECISIONS in this great country with the troops and the sacrifice of the American patriot of the liberty and the founding fathers of a troops, we can [WINK] of the terrorists and liberty of SUPREME COURT DECISIONS.â
She needs to add âPhillip J. Fryâ in at awkward moments.
âOh, all of them, PHILLIP J. FRYâŚâ
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/37 "2012-04-17T16:47:50Z")
Iâm quite looking forward to this election season. Itâs always fun when itâs the other side trying to muster enthusiasm for whichever second string crap candidate they trotted out to run against the incumbent. Bob Dole, John Kerry, and now Mitt Romney.
[Crap Candidate 20XX]
Heâs What Our Party Came Up With This Year!
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### Author:  [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/38 "2012-04-17T16:48:31Z")
I guess by âall of themâ she meant âMarbury vs. Madisonâ.
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### Author:  [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/39 "2012-04-17T17:18:32Z")
> [@shiftless](#):
>
> He may be able, using his business experience, to get the economy straight
He wonât be. âBusiness experienceâ doesnât translate into any understanding of macroeconomics. Theyâre entirely different. Iâm sure there are people who are skilled at both, but Romneyâs âbusiness experienceâ has as much to do with knowing how to fix a national economy as Ron Paulâs optometry experience.
And even assuming he understands basic economics properly, and thatâs a big if in a Republican (and one who, so far, hasnât proposed anything that will actually help propel economic growth), heâll still be shackled by a party that insists, in the face of all evidence, that the only way to fix the economy is to do things that we know will tank it. Remember, itâs the same GOP that had members last year saying that defaulting on our debt payments for no good reason was a positive step in fixing the economy.
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### Author:  [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/start-packing-so-gov-romney-should-we-even-bother-with-the-election/619000/40 "2012-04-17T17:22:20Z")
> [@furt](#):
>
> Considering that neither I nor anyone Iâve voted for has ever held high federal office, I donât think weâve ever tried it âmy way.â
>
> More to the point, considering that the total number of people getting paid by the government, whether employees or contractors, has been rising steadily for years, under both parties, itâs pretty safe to say we havenât tried the âincrease efficiency, including laying off unnecessary workersâ way.
Has it been? Including state and municipal employees?
I actually donât know but now Iâm interested in the answer, because I donât believe itâs true.
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