Five Do's and Don'ts for Mitt Romney, GOP Nominee

By Preston Cooper

Let's have a round of applause for the 2012 presidential nominee of the Republican Party, Mitt Romney. Last night, the Texas primaries gave him enough delegates to officially clinch the GOP nod. After knocking down thirteen challengers in as many months of campaigning, Romney has entered the second act of the presidential contest: the general election.

Game on, Obama.

In the next five months, Romney must convince the country that he is better equipped to occupy the Oval Office than the sitting president. As of now, he's not up to the challenge. Despite a lethargic economy and rumblings of renewed conflict in the Middle East, most polls still show the candidates tied. This election would be an easy win for the Republicans if Romney would take a little more initiative. Why do we not know his intentions after the repeal of Obamacare, or the hard numbers of his plan for deficit reduction?

If we're going to return Obama, Romney has to prove that he's worth our store credit.

Therefore, I've compiled a list of five do's and don'ts for our GOP nominee. Barring complete financial meltdown or nuclear war with Iran (both of which I'm trying not to count on), Mitt Romney must change his game plan to solidly win the White House.

DON'T spend time on social issues. Obama is not waging a war on religion; his war is on commonsense economic reforms. Social issues such as gay marriage and abortion are also where we find some of your biggest flip-flops. The economy is your strong suit, and it remains weak in critical swing states like Florida and Nevada. Use it to win the election, and then fix it.

DO press immigration reform. Hispanics, to whom immigration is a top issue, are a critical voting bloc that Obama won handily in 2008. We've heard a lot of talk about what you're going to do with illegal immigrants; let's talk about how you'll simplify the process for people coming here legally. Immigration has long been a backbone of this country, and voters want to know what you're going to do about it.

DON'T keep your plans for the country shrouded in ambiguity. My big issue is the nation's balance sheet; I want to know how you're going to cut taxes by twenty percent while also balancing the budget and bringing down the debt. Let's see some numbers.

DO spend a little time on the real Mitt Romney. If you're uncomfortable sharing personal details, dispatch Ann to do it for you. She can tell us about how you helped a Bain associate search for his missing daughter, or about time with the family that didn't involve strapping a dog to the roof. Don't let this distract from the real issues, though; in 2008 we elected a funny, interesting, nice-guy president with zero preparedness for the job.

DO talk about an issue important to voters across the political spectrum that has gone almost completely untouched this election season: partisan gridlock. In 2008, Candidate Obama promised to unite the parties and ended up dividing them like no other president in history. Gridlock has defined American politics for the last two years, giving us imbalanced budgets and downgraded debt. How are you going to end the stalemate in Congress and move the country forward? Talk about it. This is an issue you can win on.

An Open Letter to Mitt Romney

By Preston Cooper

Dear Mitt Romney,

I don't know who you are anymore.

You have no doubt heard that last Wednesday, President Obama endorsed the right of same-sex couples to be wed. In response, you predictably disagreed with the President's position, but also said this:

"I don't favor civil unions if they're identical to marriage other than by name. My view is that domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights and the like are appropriate."

Wow. Using the defense of protecting traditional marriage is one thing, but you just took discrimination to a whole different level. In this statement you made it clear that your interest is not in preserving the definition of marriage, but in expressly limiting the rights of same-sex couples. A civil union, identical to marriage other than by name, is not an ideal solution for proponents of same-sex marriage. However, it satisfies, to a limited extent, those who believe in preserving the definition of traditional marriage and those who advocate for expansion of the rights granted to same-sex couples. At least, until you came along, and in a blatant pander to the religious right, made this your official platform.

As a Republican and an LGBT person, I am a member of a very small voting bloc, and probably not one that you have to worry much about. I will likely still vote for you - economic issues, your strong suit, are more pressing - but with reservations. I know that at least one of your major backers, Bill White, withdrew his support and joined Team Obama after the daylight between you and the President on this issue became clear. More may follow. Are you prepared to alienate independents and young people, not to mention ostracize a major minority, for the sake of becoming a "fake" conservative?

You see, Mr. Romney, I don't believe you understand what true conservatism is. Conservatism is the belief that a limited government, which does only what it must, is the path to a prosperous society. I see no need under conservative values for the government to tell me who I may and may not marry. Nor do I see the need for forcing one definition of marriage, one espoused by only a segment of the population, upon the entire country. That is the exact kind of big government you should advocate against.

I certainly hope you and the rest of the GOP come to understand that protecting the liberties of our entire population, and by default supporting same-sex marriage, is an intrinsic element of conservative philosophy. If you want to be a true conservative, Mr. Romney, stop following what people say about our philosophy, and start following our philosophy.

Best of luck in November,

Preston Cooper