axiomata
05-16-2009, 04:14 PM
http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/14/obama-republican-party-baby-boomer-opinions-columnists-mitch-daniels.html
Posted to gauge LF's thoughts about this guy.
The Future Of The GOP
Peter Robinson, 05.15.09, 12:01 AM ET
This past Saturday, Mitch Daniels, the Republican governor of Indiana, delivered a commencement address at Butler University. Unlike nearly every other commencement address you'll read about this spring, Daniels' speech was good--witty, profound, pointed, moving.
(The first part of the commencement address can be found here; the second, here.)
It was so good, it proved hope remains for the GOP.
Daniels began by contrasting the students in his audience with members of his own generation, the baby boomers. "You have taken the first savvy step on the road to distinction, which is to follow a weak act," he said. "As a group, we [baby boomers] have been self-centered, self-absorbed, self-indulgent and all too often just plain selfish."
Daniels condemned the economic profligacy of the baby boomers in detail. "We have spent more and saved less than any previous Americans," he said.
"Year after year ... we ran up deficits that have multiplied the debt you and your children will be paying off your entire working lives ... [W]e voted ourselves increasing levels of Social Security pensions and Medicare health benefits, but never summoned the political maturity to put those programs on anything resembling a sound actuarial footing."
"In sum," Daniels said, "our parents scrimped and saved to provide us a better living standard than theirs. We borrowed and splurged ... It's been a blast. Good luck cleaning up after us."
Daniels then performed a feat rare among politicians: He talked about social issues without sounding either apologetic or preachy.
"Our parents," he said, "formed families and kept them intact, even through difficulty, 'for the sake of the kids.' To us [baby boomers], parental happiness came first. We often divorced at the first unpleasantness, and increasingly just gave birth to children without the nuisance of marriage. 'Commitment' cramps one's style, don't you know? Total bummer."
"Please, be judgmental," Daniels continued. (In the text the governor's press office released, those italics are his.) "As free people, we agree to tolerate any conduct that does no harm to others, but we should not be coerced into condoning it. Selfishness and irresponsibility in business, personal finances or in family life are deserving of your disapproval. Go ahead and stigmatize them."
Be judgmental? Stigmatize bad behavior? An elected official said that? He did indeed. And the audience gave him a standing ovation.
Which brings us to the GOP.
Republicans in Washington may have adopted a hopeless, frozen crouch, but out in the states, plenty of Republican governors are displaying self-confidence. Instead of shrinking from the message of limited government and personal responsibility, they're proclaiming it. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota. Haley Barbour of Mississippi. John Hoeven of North Dakota. Jon Huntsman of Utah. Rick Perry of Texas. Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
And Mitch Daniels of Indiana.
In 2005, his first year in office, Daniels turned out Indiana's first balanced budget in eight years, transforming the $600 million deficit he had inherited into a $370 million surplus. In 2007, he enacted a health care plan that extended coverage to more than 130,000 uninsured Indianans, giving them health care savings accounts. And in 2008, Daniels signed into law a tax reform that capped property taxes at 1% of assessed value for homes, 2% for rental properties and 3% for businesses, giving Indiana among the lowest property tax rates in the nation. Although the governor partially offset this measure by raising the sales tax from 6% to 7%, this year alone, Hoosiers will receive a net tax cut of several hundred million dollars.
Daniels has about him none of the star quality of President Obama. He speaks with the flat tones of the Midwest. He is physically unprepossessing. He looks earnest.
But if you want to see a politician who knows how to connect with voters, go to YouTube, look over a few of Daniels' recent speeches and click on a couple of his campaign ads. Whereas last year Barack Obama carried Indiana by just one point, Mitch Daniels swept to a second term by 18.
"Our current baby-boomer president," Daniels told the students at Butler University, "has written two eloquent, erudite books, both about ... himself."
Who knows? By 2012, the country may be ready for a no-nonsense, straightforward candidate who doesn't hold with self-involvement--or big government.
part 1 of commencement speech:
YouTube - Butler Commencement Part I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsMUXcy_-Os)
Posted to gauge LF's thoughts about this guy.
The Future Of The GOP
Peter Robinson, 05.15.09, 12:01 AM ET
This past Saturday, Mitch Daniels, the Republican governor of Indiana, delivered a commencement address at Butler University. Unlike nearly every other commencement address you'll read about this spring, Daniels' speech was good--witty, profound, pointed, moving.
(The first part of the commencement address can be found here; the second, here.)
It was so good, it proved hope remains for the GOP.
Daniels began by contrasting the students in his audience with members of his own generation, the baby boomers. "You have taken the first savvy step on the road to distinction, which is to follow a weak act," he said. "As a group, we [baby boomers] have been self-centered, self-absorbed, self-indulgent and all too often just plain selfish."
Daniels condemned the economic profligacy of the baby boomers in detail. "We have spent more and saved less than any previous Americans," he said.
"Year after year ... we ran up deficits that have multiplied the debt you and your children will be paying off your entire working lives ... [W]e voted ourselves increasing levels of Social Security pensions and Medicare health benefits, but never summoned the political maturity to put those programs on anything resembling a sound actuarial footing."
"In sum," Daniels said, "our parents scrimped and saved to provide us a better living standard than theirs. We borrowed and splurged ... It's been a blast. Good luck cleaning up after us."
Daniels then performed a feat rare among politicians: He talked about social issues without sounding either apologetic or preachy.
"Our parents," he said, "formed families and kept them intact, even through difficulty, 'for the sake of the kids.' To us [baby boomers], parental happiness came first. We often divorced at the first unpleasantness, and increasingly just gave birth to children without the nuisance of marriage. 'Commitment' cramps one's style, don't you know? Total bummer."
"Please, be judgmental," Daniels continued. (In the text the governor's press office released, those italics are his.) "As free people, we agree to tolerate any conduct that does no harm to others, but we should not be coerced into condoning it. Selfishness and irresponsibility in business, personal finances or in family life are deserving of your disapproval. Go ahead and stigmatize them."
Be judgmental? Stigmatize bad behavior? An elected official said that? He did indeed. And the audience gave him a standing ovation.
Which brings us to the GOP.
Republicans in Washington may have adopted a hopeless, frozen crouch, but out in the states, plenty of Republican governors are displaying self-confidence. Instead of shrinking from the message of limited government and personal responsibility, they're proclaiming it. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota. Haley Barbour of Mississippi. John Hoeven of North Dakota. Jon Huntsman of Utah. Rick Perry of Texas. Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
And Mitch Daniels of Indiana.
In 2005, his first year in office, Daniels turned out Indiana's first balanced budget in eight years, transforming the $600 million deficit he had inherited into a $370 million surplus. In 2007, he enacted a health care plan that extended coverage to more than 130,000 uninsured Indianans, giving them health care savings accounts. And in 2008, Daniels signed into law a tax reform that capped property taxes at 1% of assessed value for homes, 2% for rental properties and 3% for businesses, giving Indiana among the lowest property tax rates in the nation. Although the governor partially offset this measure by raising the sales tax from 6% to 7%, this year alone, Hoosiers will receive a net tax cut of several hundred million dollars.
Daniels has about him none of the star quality of President Obama. He speaks with the flat tones of the Midwest. He is physically unprepossessing. He looks earnest.
But if you want to see a politician who knows how to connect with voters, go to YouTube, look over a few of Daniels' recent speeches and click on a couple of his campaign ads. Whereas last year Barack Obama carried Indiana by just one point, Mitch Daniels swept to a second term by 18.
"Our current baby-boomer president," Daniels told the students at Butler University, "has written two eloquent, erudite books, both about ... himself."
Who knows? By 2012, the country may be ready for a no-nonsense, straightforward candidate who doesn't hold with self-involvement--or big government.
part 1 of commencement speech:
YouTube - Butler Commencement Part I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsMUXcy_-Os)