Loads of email on Mitt Romney ... here's a few (updated 10 PM CST)

Mr. Hanania-
I thought Romney did a great job. Just so you know, a poll of the 60 Minutes interview showed that 70% of viewers had a favorable impression. I guess it shows that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Thanks
ali jarvis

(Ray comments: Wow. A respectful critic and Romney fan. Thanks for your note. I never said my opinion represetned the whole country. But you make a good point.)

Dear Ray
Who do you think you're fooling with this as a headline? You would never, EVER vote for any Republican. You DETEST Republicans, which is quite apparent by your article, if I should even call it that. Propaganda is more like it. I hope you don't call yourself a journalist, but you probably do, and you probably think this 'article' is worthy of news. I'm partially glad people like you are still writing this garbage, because it's obvious that you don't know a damned thing. "hiding out in the reserves during the height of the war".....ummm, just who did they call up for duty during that conflict, this war, and every other war? yes, the Guard. Was Kerry a coward too? he hid out in the reserves also, his unit's number was called up, and Bush's wasn't. The NRA has called for national background checks as far back as I can remember. I even saw the president of the NRA and Charles Schumer agree, and shake hands that he would introduce such legislation, but of course he didn't. Do you even care about your article being accurate?
No? I didn't think you were a journalist. Congrats, you make Goebbels proud.
Bruce K
Mission Viejo, CA

(Ray comments: Achtung Libra! Hey, the German reference. Does that come from living in California and knowing certain politicians who know certain other WWII people who knew certain others?)

Dear Ray
Sometimes op-ed writers are better off not writing an on-line column. The column was almost not worth reading. Poor examples and poor reasoning. Moreover, the argument that you might consider voting for Romney was utterly unconvincing. Very silly comments regarding his name. I'm sure you’re a shill for Obama.
I thought being from Illinois, you would be used to abortion flip-flops and obfuscation. You have Obama and Durbin in your backyard, the kingpins of flip-flopping and abortion ambiguity.
Thanks
Michael P.

(Ray comments: Hoo Rah! Glad you almost understood.)

Dear Ray

Along with all your other points, I wish you'd included this one.Mitt Romney's favorite book (before he remembered it was the Bible) is L. Ron Hubbard's 'Battlefield Earth.'I tried to read it in high school, when working my way alphabetically through the sci-fi section of our school library. Like Dianetics, it was turgid, wordy, and meandering. Like Dianetics, I only read a couple of chapters before giving up in disgust. 'Battlefield Earth' was the only book I returned to the stacks unread. I still think old Buffy, I mean Mitt, might have Scientological sympathies.
He's off my list, too!--
Barb


Dear Ray
Great column. Why don't more people in the media hit on these guys who switch back and forth on the critical issues of our time when they decide to run for a different office.
The right answer: My moral code is X. I believe that abortion is wrong and not necessarily a good thing. However, I am not god and I do not make the rules nor am I a woman. I do not believe that I or anyone in the government should be making decisions telling women what they can or cannot do with their own bodies. Now I know that you want me to tell you what you want to hear that I am unwaivering in my views of abortion. I am not. While I can see the merit to the strong beliefs held on both sides of the issue, it would be disengenuous for me to appear to be on both sides of the issue and thus this is where I come out. If you do not believe that abortion is right, then do not ever have one and if you believe in the right to choose, then if you or those you love find themselves in such a situation, I would hope that you would make the decision that protects the mother and also considers the value of human life and whether there is an alternative to abortion. As we are Republicans, who believe in less government intrusion into the private affairs of its citizens, this is not one we should regulate above and beyond the individual's rights over their person.
-- CHRISTOPHER L

Dear Ray

Read your article and would have to disagree with you 100%. For me 60minutes did just the opposite and opened the door to the possibility that Imight vote for Mitt Romney. I am a moderate American, like most Americans. Iappreciated his answer on the switching of his opinion and votes, I thoughtit was most honest. In a pool of old-rehashed-same ole-same old politiciansto me, Romney is a breath of fresh air which isn't easy to say aboutpoliticians.
Romney's proven track record as far as being successful in whathe has done is a sign of what could be for this country. GW Bush was afailure in many of his pre-presidential ventures, that is not the case forRomney. The man has it together on a personal and professional level and forme that is refreshing. Where you've been is often a good indicator of whereyou'll go and I think this guy could have something America needs. It isclear to me, none of the other candidates do. So far he is my front runner.
Kristy D.

Hello Ray,
This is not to argue the merits of Mitt Romney vs. other candidates; it is to suggest that you stay open and be as informative as you can. Your provocative title was the reason that I clicked on the many Google entries that showed up this morning. I was curious to see if it was a gimmick to grab the reader (that worked!), you were already disposed to that view, or you actually had some meat in your analysis. It turned out to be an entertainment piece, which made a few familiar comments that could have been made about any candidate. Maybe you might like to consider what you stand for, and write about that. If Mitt fascinates you enough to write about him, maybe you could dig deeper and find something that really adds value.
Writing takes a lot of courage. Keep it up.
Daryl


"He now is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun lobby that wants to protect the right of every criminal to sneak in and buy a gun at their leisure without having to go through extensive background checks or make them wait long periods of time."

This is a rediculous statement for you to make. You are just another foolish HACK, with a worthless opinion and you are even worse than the worst Candidate from either side in this Presidential race.

I realize that many criminals "abuse" the system at gun shows. That is not what the NRA is advocating and its not the NRA's fault that gunsellers break the law to provide criminals with weapons.

You're so biased you couldn't see the truth if you slipped and fell in it. You're the type of person that blames the truth for being wrong. Just Asssssenine.

Criminals can get guns and keep guns because they are criminals, they don't obey the law! Gun Control only works on those who are willing to abide by the law.

JASON T.

Ray,

Your article was fairly well articulated, and I actually believed that you could care less about the things you mentioned (such as Romney's religion, etc.) until you started saying you wouldn't vote for someone named Mitt. Pretty lame. That made me think you were just looking for an excuse to bring up everything else that people may not like about Romney before you gave your reason, just in case your reason to hate him wasn't good enough.
My suggestion - end the article with the "Sorry, Mitt." It would be much stronger and seem more sincere. My two cents.

Shane

(Ray responds: The ending was pure satire, a play on the idea that people are shallow.)

Ray, I read your column why you are not voting for Rommey because of his flip flop views on 60 min's.
So you rather see the guy go on lying to keep up his image for the likes of you and others?
I was never going to vote for him regardless of what he said before and after 60 min.s But I do admire the man on his new stand on abortion and other issues, and let me say it took guts for him to say so on 30 min's. Who wants another Bill Clinton who felt your pain Ray.
Then you pull out a fast one out off your hat concerning gun control for us who follow the law to wait for months to obtain a weapon. When was it the Last time you looked at the geography of this huge country of ours with over three hundred million people, with so much diversity from different cultures and different back grounds.
Get use to it Ray shit happens, just make sure that you and your love ones are not on the spot when something goes down. Pray to God if in the event that you ever find your self in a tight squeeze that you might have something else beside sticks, and stones to throw at your adversary.
Next time you feel the ache of worrying over small stuff, just think of the big picture....IRAQ!
Frank C.

Ray,
I enjoyed your article but the 60 Minutes show convinced me more to support
this candidate. I have seen him on a couple of other shows and I thought
his stance on the family was right on. 60 Minutes spun some of the other
stuff so you can't take everything that was said at face value. A little
more research on why he has changed his mind will help. The show last night
didn't cover that well.
Thanks for the article.
Blake R.

Ray
I don't really like Romney because I think he's just like Clinton. A chameleon who tries to be everything to everyone and will change colors depending on the audience. I was with you for a while here until I read this.
" He now is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun lobby that wants to protect the right of every criminal to sneak in and buy a gun at their leisure without having to go through extensive background checks or make them wait long periods of time."
While I think it comical for politicians to run out and join the NRA so they can claim to be conservative, stating that the NRA wants to "protect the right of every criminal to sneak in and buy a gun" is insidious. At this point you lost me pal and I find you to be a uninformed, crackpot. You killed your entire line of reasoning here as a fringe, cookoo, liberal alarmist. Get back in your hole retard, your obviously too stupid to be let out among the public.

Brent

(Ray responds. Thanks NRA champion!)

Hi Ray,
While reading your column about Mitt Romney, I read your position on
gun control.
I have an idea to revise the gun licensing process.
Furthermore, this license must be co-sponsored by 2 individuals who present photo id at the time the license of the license application. Neither of these co-sponsors should be employees of the purchaser. (To avoid coercion)
Only one of these co-sponsors should be related to the purchaser. (To avoid family feud situations)
There should also be a limit on how many times an individual can co-sponsor. Both these people would need to be physically present with photo IDs at the time the gun license application is made. Obviously, this would not prevent people from illegally purchasing guns.
It would, however, bring the purchase of a licensed gun up as a topic of conversation among those who know the person who wants to purchase a gun. Requiring the physical presence of 2 cosponsons might also be a way to address impulse purchasing.
As a database developer, I respect the usefulness of the FBI database that is currently in place to check for previous convictions.
As recent tragic events in Virginia have unfortunately revealed, people with records of mental illness are not always detected by a database history check.
What better than to engage the participation of people who actually know the potential gun owner in a process of gun licensing.
Feel free to pass this idea on! I've been writing my congressman.
Thanks,
Marcia W.

One thing we can agree on - Romney shouldn't have appeared on Wallace Ambush TV,
otherwise known as 60 Minutes. He spun a web of innuendo and outright lies that
has poor, uninformed saps like yourself completely caught in his web. Romney
balanced the Massachusetts budget WITHOUT raising taxes - Wallace left you
thinking otherwise. Romney did NOT flip flop on gun control - Wallace left you
thinking otherwise. Romney is NOT a draft dodger, unlike Clinton - Wallace left
you thinking otherwise. Romney has changed his stance on one single, solitary
issue - abortion - and he is clear about the fact that he has changed his mind
and why he did it. Have you personally volunteered for the military? If you're
running for political office, or even if you expect to be a decent American,
apparently you'd better do it - that's the point Wallace was hammering home to
the Romney boys. Give me a break. He chopped Romney into convenient 5 seconds
sound bites and promoted his liberal agenda. It sounds like you're a liberal, so you got what you were looking for in the interview. That wasn't an
interview, it was an ambush.
Brian