Fact checking the mendacity of ‘Mittens’

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week I posted Fact checking the mendacity of 'Mittens', a new regular Friday afternoon feature by Steve Benen at the Political Animal – Chronicling Mitt’s mendacity. His third weekly post:

1. “The president is planning on cutting $1 trillion out of military spending.”

That’s a Romney favorite, but it’s not at all accurate.

2. “This president has opened up no new markets for American goods around the world in his three years, even as European nations and China have opened up 44.”

That’s not even close to being true.

3. “We’ve got a president in office three years, and he does not have a jobs plan yet. I’ve got one out there already and I’m not even president, yet.”

This one actually includes multiple lies.

4. “Our navy is smaller than it’s been since 1917.”

That’s wildly misleading and intended to deceive.

5. “[D]on’t forget who it was that cut Medicare by $500 billion. And that was President Obama, to pay for Obamacare.”

As Romney almost certainly knows, that’s just not true.

6. “I went off on my own. I didn’t inherit money from my parents.”

Yes, actually, he did.

7. “While we’ve got $15 trillion of debt, [the president] said, ‘Look, I’m going to put another $1 trillion of debt for Obamacare.’”

That’s demonstrably ridiculous. The Affordable Care Act doesn’t add to the debt, it cuts the debt by hundreds of billions of dollars.

8. “I stood as a pro-life governor and that’s why the Massachusetts Pro-Life Family Association supported my record as governor, endorsed my record as governor.”

Actually, Romney was a pro-choice governor until late in his term (right around the time he decided he’s run for president as a culture warrior), and when he was endorsed by the Massachusetts Pro-Life Family Association, Romney forcefully rejected their support.

9. “I’m concerned about the poor in this country. We have to make sure the safety net is strong and able to help those who can’t help themselves. I’m not terribly worried about the very wealthiest in our society; they’re doing just fine.”

In reality, Romney wants to slash spending on programs that benefit the poor, shred the safety net, and give the very wealthiest in our society another generous tax cut.

10. Romney described himself as “someone who’s lived in the real streets of America.”

It’s unclear what constitutes a “real” street in Romney’s mind, but given his wealth and background, this is, at a minimum, entirely misleading.

So far, the political world has been reluctant to call Romney out on his dishonesty, and some in the media even seem taken aback when others, including Republicans, accuse the former governor of being deceitful.

I’m afraid we may be moving deeper into an era of “post-truth politics.”

I have been watching the GOP debates whenever I can, and there is something unsettlling about the responses of Willard "Mittens" Romney that I just couldn't put my finger on. But during last night's debate it finally came to me.

Romney compartmentalizes his thoughts into soundbites. He has memorized a series of GOP talking points and ad hominem attacks on President Obama and he mixes and matches these soundbites at will into non sequitur responses. It's kind of like random play on your CD player.

What is missing from his responses is any thoughtful consideration of the question and any analytical or critical thinking in response to the question that demonstrates a considered and honest response to the question. The question is just an opportunity for him to speak random soundbites.

Romney has frequently been criticized for being an automaton or robot, and his compartmentalized thought process is a possible explanation for why people sense this about him. There is a lack of humanity and genuineness about him.

When someone is so programmed that they can only repeat memorized lines, there is good reason to be concerned. Many people can memorize lines, like an actor, but they are not necessarily capable of analytical or critical thought, something I would argue is an indispensible attribute for the most important job in the world — president of the United States.

If you just want someone to parrot GOP talking points and ad hominem attacks on President Obama for your tribal identity with the right-wing then hire Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, or one of their wannabe imitators as the GOP nominee.

In any event, Willard "Mittens" Romney has demonstrated repeatedly and continues to demonstrate that he is a pathological liar. And this alone disqualifies him for the office of the presidency.