Mitt's Bain is His Bane

You have to love politicians. Mitt Romney has been running around for months claiming that while he headed up Bain Capital he created 100,000 jobs. In fact rather than point to his record as Governor of Massachusetts, he seems convinced Bain is his best selling point. It probably has to do with that whole universal health care thing he pushed through in the Bay State. You know the one used as a model by the Obama administration for its national health care program. The one  the Mittster now seems to want to repudiate, or ignore, or at least treat as if it was some boyish prank gone too far.

Now, the Romney people are crying foul that the President's campaign is focusing in on the downside to the Bain operation. They are saying it is unfair to spotlight just the layoffs, reduced benefits, and lower salaries that Bain imposes on the companies it has eaten.

Former "car czar" Steve Rattner agrees. Rattner is a financier and was the lead auto industry advisor to the Treasury Department when Obama saved places like GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Despite his willingness to bail out the big three automakers, he says downsizing and bankruptcies induced by people like Bain, "Are part of capitalism. This is part of life." He did go onto say that Romney should have never bragged about those 100,000 jobs because Bain isn't in the business to create jobs. "Its responsibility is to make profits for its investors." The part about screwing rank and file labor while doing so was left unsaid, but is understood.

Even Newark Mayor, democrat, Cory Booker felt it was unfair to point out Bain's short comings when it comes to the average middle class citizen. On Meet the Press he said, among other things "Bain is a successful business, end of discussion." It didn't take him long to rethink that position. Within hours His Honor was doing a nervous little tap dance saying, "Romney has made his business record a center piece of his campaign. Therefore it is reasonable and I encourage it, for the Obama campaign to examine that record and discuss it." It would appear the Mayor was made an offer he couldn't refuse. It is, after all, Jersey.

A few years ago, when John Kerry went to the democratic convention and talked about his service in the Navy the republicans jumped him like a pack of blood thirsty hyenas. Suddenly Kerry's war record was the only germane issue in the campaign. They grinded on it for weeks. Now they are appalled Obama is pointing out that the Bain success story depended heavily on its willingness to throw innocent people out onto the street.

Bain is a double edged sword. Romney should have known that by now. Hell, people in his own party used it against him during the primary gang fight. Did he seriously think Obama wouldn't? If he did then I have a bridge out there somewhere to sell him.

Yes, Mitt the lesson here is quite simple. There are two sides to every coin and when you flip it the odds are half the time you are going to lose the toss.

And, you brought it up in the first place pal, now live with it.

5-21-12