(The Root) — Mitt Romney is being a bad conservative, say conservatives. Since the Romney tapes have hit the mainstream, writers on the right are just flabbergasted.
The Weekly Standard:
These appear to be the words of somebody who doesn't understand American conservatism and its relationship to the American idea. Conservatives don't believe in economic determinism. Conservatives know — and explain why — their economic policies will help the poor, as well as senior citizens, working families, and our troops who pay no income taxes. Conservatives realize that the Republican party is not the party of people who want to be rich, it's the party of people who want to be free.
Also …
The American Conservative:
I thought I was the only theocon Romney had lost, or just about lost, with his 47 percent talk. Guess not. May this be an indication that Romney has inadvertently done a good thing for American politics: brought back economics as a pressing moral concern for religious conservatives.
Oh, and …
The Wall Street Journal:
This is not how big leaders talk, it's how shallow campaign operatives talk: They slice and dice the electorate like that, they see everything as determined by this interest or that. They're usually young enough and dumb enough that nobody holds it against them, but they don't know anything. They don't know much about America.
So Mitt Romney's belief system isn't what conservatives actually believe? That's interesting, since that's what a lot of people believe conservatives believe. And how do you explain the conservatives who have come out to defend Romney's disdain for half of America?
This all falls right in line with the GOP brand in 2012. So to all of you conservatives who are bothered by your representation via the GOP presidential candidate: Maybe if you didn't let your party and its message get hijacked by dangerously misinformed pundits and ignorant politicians, you might have a leg to stand on.
Sorry, Republicans. This is your brand. When you yell about makers and takers, trickle-down and taking your government back, this is what people in your own party will simplify, amplify and run on.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST at TWIB.FM and watch at TV.TWIB.ME/LIVE. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.