FU - FairAndUNbalanced.com

In response to F&B: On Honor, Wealth, and Romney

It is logical to believe that someone who has experience creating and managing wealth and jobs will do a better job with our economy than Obama has done.

- F&B, October 1, 2012

It is not logical to believe that. Mitt Romney's private sector experience does not uniquely qualify him to make decisions for our entire economy. If we want to know how Romney will be as a president, we should look at his record as Governor of Massachusetts.

Why the democrats insist on demonizing success and successful people, as if Americans should be ashamed of being successful and gaining wealth...

- F&B

That is your (or the Right's) invention. Democrats do not want people to be ashamed of success and wealth. Romney is condemned not because of these factors, but because he has offshore bank accounts, pays less in taxes than much less wealthy people do, speaks of 47% of Americans as dependent victims who will vote for Obama, seems out of touch with the average American, and so on. Whether or not you find these behaviors to be worthy of condemnation, Democrats do and therefore think little of him as a man. It is not as simple as your account in which Romney is condemned because he has money. Your willingness to believe that shows only your own bias against Democrats.

That he only did it because of the apparent social status or wealth of the individual he was helping is purely your fictionalization of the account. It is interesting, however, that you are able to discern Mitt Romney's intentions and feelings as well as interpret his actions.

- F&B

I don't care one way or another about the story of Romney helping Marriott, but you proceed to condemn Obama for actions that he did not and would not (except in your mind) take. Is the hypocrisy not apparent to you?

But somehow, democrats seem to believe that Obama's actions deserve merit and approval while Mitt's actions should result in condemnation. And not just condemnation of the actions, but of the man as well.

Welcome to politics. Actions are interpreted according to the context that we perceive and the context that we bring to the table. Character is part of context. Republicans don't like Obama, so they interpret meaningless (or even good) behavior as diabolical, which reinforces their attitude toward him. Democrats do the same for Romney. It is a feedback loop.

In fact, it is not unique to politics. Our emotions interfere with reasonable judgment. But you know this, so do not act like Republicans are innocent. Even you are not.

In addition to his generous contributions here, Ryan also writes for his own site, where he applies principles of logic to real life propositions.

Please visit Secular Ethics.