Thoughts on Mitt Romney

I respect him for jumping off the Trump train and I do think he's, at heart, an honest and decent human being. His successful stint as a governor in liberal Massachusetts showed that he had some executive ability. For instance, I don't know if he really thought public health insurance was the greatest thing in the world, but he was smart enough to see it as a good political move, and he was smart enough to hire good people to work out the details. He wasn't as dynamic as his father but he was okay.

On a personal level, he kind of makes my skin crawl. George H. W. Bush affected me the same way. It's like he's really uncomfortable; his gestures are awkward and robotic. He has a weird way of putting words together – "binders full of women", "severely conservative", "corporations are people". And he's one of those Chamber of Commerce types of Republicans who have no clue what the underclass of this country goes through on a day-to-day basis – and don't care. It's that trickle-down economics, a rising tide lifts all boats kind of thinking, where the only thing that matters is the continued prosperity of the wealthy.

Mitt Romney is a Republican I could vote for.

You will have to take my word that that is a more positive comment about him than anything else you may get in response to your OP.

There are VERY, VERY few other Republicans about whom I feel that way.

Ok, my turn.

On the plus side, Romney is a successful business man, not just a Trump-like "success" where you play one on TV. On the other hand, his success was in venture capital, where you use your wealth to make other people's ideas happen in exchange for a significant cut.

On the plus side, Romney pushed for universal healthcare in Massachusetts when he was governor and considered it his signature accomplishment. On the other hand, he refused to support it for the nation and voted against sustaining the Obama policy in the Senate because "states' rights".

On the plus side, he has been critical of Trump and voted to convict him during his impeachment trial. On the other hand, he has routinely kowtowed to Trump and mostly voted with him.

Overall Romney seemed like someone I could vote for. He's smart, seems to have a moral compass, will listen to an argument that is not in line with his preconceived notions. The flip side is Romney is completely (as in absolutely and totally) out of touch with what it is like to grow up in the US. During his run against Obama, he touted he was a self-made man - because all of us are sent to the best high schools and universities, are gifted with a fully paid home when we get married and live off a large portfolio of stocks when in college so we don't have to work. He infamously said that 47% of Americans don't pay federal income taxes, so don't worry about them without realizing that those same people pay around 30% in other taxes when his overall tax rate from all sources is around 15%. (And while his 15% is a seven-figure value, their 30% significantly impacts their standard of living while he doesn't even notice his is gone.) He bragged that he did not receive any inheritance from his CEO and governor father, but used generation hopping tax schemes to ensure his children got it instead.

Personally, I would like to have a couple of hours with him to discuss politics. I don't know that I could inform him, but I think it would be interesting.

Mitt Romney is Mormon, he's got very conservative principles and when it comes to women's rights, he's a true Republican. Yes, he's initiated universal healthcare in Massachusetts, but he was right there with the other Republicans rejecting insurance rights for women towards contraceptives, was against Planned Parenthood, etc. and he made it clear he would have repealed Obamacare and it's protection for women's health. He was also against young people being insured under their parents policy until age 26.

Needless to say he's pro life and would have done anything to repeal women's right to choose. He believes that life starts at conception!
He never would have been electable in my book.

On a side note: Mitt Romney bought a beach house in my town about 10 years ago. It was a beautiful old Spanish home, about 3500 sq.ft and right on the ocean. Building permits at our beach communities don't come easily and Mitt Romney was in the market to tear down the Spanish home and build a huge monstrosity of 12,000 sq.ft. since he's got a large family. The coastal commission turned him down, but then he sent his wife, Ann Romney, to the next meeting and she (along with donations) made it happen. They built this dreadful McMansion at the beach - neighbors were up in arms, but couldn't do much. It was the Romneys vacation home and three years into it, they sold it.
What's left is that dreadful house!

Did I say I would never have voted for him? Yes, worth mentioning twice!!