Yes, we all know that Mitt Romney lies. Even his Republican fellow-candidates say so:
[Read below-the-fold, for answers to the diary's question!]
<snark:>
So what? All politicians lie. If anything, Romney lied more when he claimed to be a conservative; he is really a moderate. He got elected in Massachusetts, after all, and enacted health-care there that Obama copied. He can't be that bad. In the primary, he just said what he needed to in order to beat Santorum and Gingrich. Now that it's the real election his moderate views are coming out. Once he's elected President, he'll be a moderate, and he's better able to bridge the polarized country. Obama only made it worse.
<snark continues>
I'm tired of all the talk about Romney lying. All politicians lie. What about Obama saying he'd [fill in your favorite example, here]?
I trust Romney more on the economy. Look, I'm not selfish, but I want to make more money, and Romney will do this better than Obama.
Again, there's no need to point out again and again that he's changed his views or changed what he said depending on the audience. *shrug* Yes, we know that. I don't care. I'm tired of Obama, let's try someone different.
</snark>
That's the attitude I'm hearing from some swing-voting people I know.
What are the best responses to this line of 'thinking', to win over those winnable voters?
I'm not interested in attacks on them. I don't want you to mock them or alienate them. They will read this Diary (I'll send them the link). I want their vote. The answer isn't (yet) obvious to them -- let's make it so!
I'll update this Diary with the best responses from the comments below (with full credit and links to you, of course!), and with some of my own responses. I'd like to shift the discussion away from "he lied about this. And this. And this"; and toward: "Electing the liar Romney would create deep problems for you, the voter, because..."
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Responses below the fold:
Best answers: (I've paraphrased and embellished, to make them succinct responses. Please correct me if I didn't get it right, and I'll revise.)
* Just because Romney is rich does not mean he'll make you rich. In fact, he got rich by exploiting people just like you, who believed his lies. -sgnola
* Better the devil you know than the one you don't. You can't predict what Romney would do as president. He got rich exploiting corporations and their workers. Now he's going to exploit the US. As he pointed out, "you put your money where your heart is". His money lives in the Cayman Islands, he vacations in Switzerland, and his business is in China. -white blitz
* Why are you voting? I understand being frustrated with Obama. But that's no excuse for voting for Romney. If every position Romney takes is a lie, then what's the case for Romney other than he's not Barack Obama? If you vote against Obama because he didn't get stuff done, it's like saying 'This guy didn't cure cancer. I'm gonna vote for cancer.' -sweatyb
* "Thou shalt not lie." It's not just a good idea, it's a Commandment. -liberalagogo
* Politicians can't always deliver on campaign promises, but Obama tried and was blocked by a Republican Congress. Romney doesn't try from one campaign speech to the next, even before he's elected. -sweatyb
* A lying president reflects on the entire US, and degrades conversation for everyone. Youth in particular will be hurt. -liberalagogo
* He's a 'bad' liar -- he's not even good at it, he's transparent. He'd be weak with foreign leaders -- as we've already seen in the UK. -Don't Roofrack Me, Bro
* Everyone thinks he's only lying to the other guy, and will actually do what you want. Would you invest your money in someone like that? Then why invest your vote? -eataTREE
* Read "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" -- what happens when you lose credibility? --liberalagogo
* There's a reason people like Honest Abe Lincoln and George Washington (who couldn't lie even about cutting down a cherry tree). Think about it. -liberalagogo & me.
* Whatever his lies and his past, he has now surrounded himself with right-wing Bush advisers on foreign policy (John Bolton), the economy (Glenn Hubbard), etc. Since he has no core principles himself, he will do what his advisors say. If you liked Bush, you'll like Romney. -me
* If you can't trust anything he says, are you voting for him because he's white? -Batya the Toon
* George Bush's biggest lie was about WMD in Iraq. What do you think Romney's biggest lie will be? He has the same advisors as Bush (John Bolton, Glenn Hubbard, etc.). Will it be to start a war with Iran? To deregulate Wall Street? -InformedDiva & me
* [More! What's the best comeback? Tks!]
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