Mitt Romney is back on the political map

In 2008, I strongly supported Romney.  I liked his cheerful attitude (somewhat Reaganesque, although he clearly lacks the Great Communicators verbal abilities); I loved the fact that, in both the public and private sector, he has an incredible track record of being effective; and I really appreciated his money savvy.  I agree with many that he made a huge mistake when he oversaw Massachusett’s socialized medicine plan, and I think he would do himself a favor right now, today, if he would admit that he learned from the experience and won’t make that mistake again.

Well, Romney’s back again.  No one doubts that he was one of the quiet forces behind Scott Brown’s overwhelmingly successful campaign, and he’s now trying to be a force behind his own political resurgence.  The time may well be right for him.  In a time of continuing economic disaster, his financial history is going to be very useful.

I also suspect that his Mormonism won’t be as much of a problem today as it was in 2008.  Between a socialist with Muslim leanings who clearly dislikes America and wants to debase it, and a solid capitalist Mormon who is tremendously patriotic, some people are just going to have to hold their noses for the good of the nation.  If Mitt is making a religious error, he’ll have to answer to God — although I firmly believe (because I have to) that God is forgiving of those who live righteous lives even if they get entangled in the wrong doctrine.

On this doctrinal point, I’m not alone in my thinking.  The great Christian scholar, C.S. Lewis, thought so too.  In his book The Last Battle, which envisions an apocalyptic battle between the Christian West (the Narnians, who worship the lion Aslan) and the Muslim East (the Calormenes, who worship Tash), Lewis envisions how Aslan would receive a righteous Calormene on the day of judgment.  Here speaks the Calormene, who has been taught that Aslan and Tash are one, questioning Aslan on the subject:

I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one?  The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false.  Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou has done to him.  For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be dome to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him.  Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him.  And if any man do a curelty in my name, then, thought he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted.

At this moment in political time (and political time changes with unusual rapidity), Romney is head and shoulders above many, if not most, who are currently on the scene.  He is certainly leagues away from the current White House occupant when it comes to experience, judgment, instinct, skills, and love for his country.  I wish him well in his political pursuits.