Maybe Mitch
It is beginning to look more and more like Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana will be throwing his hat into the ring for the 2012 GOP Presidential nomination. While an announcement is still likely a few weeks away, he is already getting probable endorsements from some pretty prominent GOPers, like this nod from Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is no media darling. He seems to be equally a target for both the left and right these days, and that may work to his advantage even more than his conserable record for toeing the fiscal line. Watching the press on Governor Daniels for the last few weeks has been much like watching a ping pong game. His twitter mentions are much the same. Why the back and forth? Simple, because he, much like Rep. Paul Ryan, is a man with a plan.
By now, most have heard that Daniels has called for what amounts to a moratorium on addressing social issues. While this stance has angered many hardline Republicans, it can really be our only stragey for curing the most pressing ailment of this country: our out of control spending and massive public debt. Pundits on the left and right have both pointed to the deficit increase during Daniel’s tenure as U.S. Director of the Office of Management and Budget (2001-03), but outside of his already thrilled supporters, few have mentioned his long list of achievement inline with the most Conservative agenda in decades.
Despite his mellow demeanor and apparent lack of charisma, Daniels has managed to take Indiana from being a state deeply in debt to one with a consistently balanced budget. He also has recently signed hard line immigration legislation, will soon sign legislation banning tax dollar use for abortions, and has taken the lead in this country on education reform . If you are looking for the anti-Obama, with a shot of wooing the center right AND the center left ( which means an actual change to make Big O a Big Zero) , then Mitch is an obvious choice.
If you haven’t been following, his fans aren’t just politicians and certain Twisters tweeters. Governor Daniels has been urged to run by quite a few student groups. Students for Daniels has been actively supporting him since January. In February, Yale students ran a media spot urging the Governor to run. If the future of our country seem to think he can give Obama a run for his money, isn’t he worth checking out?
Update: On May 22, Mitch Daniels announced he would not run for President in 2012.
I live in indiana, I’ll move to canada if this moron gets in office. If Indiana is first in education then why are so many schools closing because of the lack of money??? He’s a fraud and a Liar!!!
Frank,
If the money isn’t there to fund schools, then they close. Daniels is doing the right thing by maintaining a balanced budget. The cuts aren’t always pretty, but they must happen. Where do you think the money comes from? If your workforce is cut, tax income is cut, spending has to be cut. It is that simple.
I like the last comment,honestly ,they can’t even get jobs to come to this state not any decent ones..and they cut back pay in every factory that did not leave or close.which are loaded down with illegals now….not to mention.my comment on facebook:) please this state and it’s officials are nothing but a joke…
And re: the oft remarked call for a truce, which I have recently heard described as ‘truce, just another name for surrender’ – ‘truce’ is in no way synonomous with surrender in Mitch Daniels world. Truce means a cease-fire, and the term was used in the context of a call for unity *from both sides of that debate* in the face of the fiscal crisis we find ourselves mired in – preferably before the point we have run out of options and become Greece, or worse.
And as for those grousing about the Bush deficits – the OMB executes policy, which would be altogether different from ‘setting’ policy. When Daniels was in control of SETTING policy, he turned IN’s deficit into a $1.3 billion surplus. Which looks fairly freaking ATTRACTIVE from where I’m sitting, thank you.
Fabulous article btw, Mich 🙂
Thanks, Rune 🙂 Appreciate the comment and RTs
Probably because it snowed, Frank.