Mitt Romney for President

The 2008 presidential race is already heating up. The GOP candidates have now participated in their second public debate. FOXNEWS moderated last night's debate in Columbia, SC preceding the nation's first presidential primary election. After having studied each candidate, Mitt Romney is the clear favorite for my vote. What do I like about him and why do I think he is the best candidate for president? Look at this guys insane resume!

1. He excelled in his education.

Mitt Romney didn’t just attend an IVLeague school and coast by. After attending Stanford for 2 semesters and serving an LDS mission he transferred to Brigham Young University, where he was valedictorian, earning his B.A. summa cum laude in 1971. In 1975, Romney graduated from a joint JD/MBA program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar. He graduated cum laude from the law school and in the top 5 percent of his business school class.

2. He is a proven leader and a financial genius.

Romney is a former vice-president and then CEO of Bain & Company. While working as a vice president, Romney broke away and formed Bain Capital. Bain Capital was an immediate success while Bain & Co. approached bankruptcy. Only a few years after founding Bain Capital, Mitt was asked to rescue Bain & Co. Romney accepted and merged the two companies. Under Mitt's direction, Bain & Co. became one of the most successful private equity investment firms worldwide.

Next, Romney was asked to rescue the almost bankrupt Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics. After the bribery scandal, the games had lost nearly all their sponsorship. With Romney as CEO, the games ended up one of the most profitable Olympic games of all time. Salt Lake City was left with several state-of-the-art Olympic venues and a trust funds to cover their upkeep (unprecedented!).

After the Olympics, Mitt Romney (a republican) was elected Governor of Massachusetts (the bluest of the blue states). The state was in a financial crisis whose citizens looked to Mitt Romney for financial salvation. In 4 short years, Mitt Romney turned a $3 billion state budget deficit into a $1 billion surplus; without raising taxes.

Romney also instituted one of the most ingenious healthcare programs ever. From 2001-2004, Massachusetts experienced a double-digit rise in the number of uninsured due to rising healthcare premiums. Without raising taxes, Romney expanded state Medicaid to subsidize low-income residents in purchasing their own private insurance. Since 2005, "Romney-care" has achieved double digit decreases in the number of uninsured. And, what is all this progress causing the taxpayer? Not a dime! By helping people afford to purchase private insurance, the individual citizen pays some of the costs, and are also then able access preventive medical care instead of showing up to the ER with an expensive medical crisis. Through "Romney-care", the state is using the same state Medicaid dollars more efficiently.

3. He is not a career politician.

Mitt is a true Washington outsider who’s a relative newbie in politics (just 4 years). However, as a former CEO and governor he has demonstrated that he can manage enormous, and complex institutions. Through these experiences, Mitt has developed the necessary leadership skills necessary for the President of the United States. The most important skills being the ability to set worthy goals, see the path to achieving them, and then to inspire others with that same vision.

4. He exemplifies moral integrity and family values.

Mitt Romney has the clearest vision for America. When he says he wants a stronger America, a better America, with stronger families, better education, and more prosperity; Mitt's life exemplifies that vision. His vision of America is not some theoretical Utopia. Mitt is actually living his American dream. And he wants everyone to share in the prosperity and happiness he has enjoyed in his family life, career, and civic life.

So, As I consider who will win my vote for President in 2008, I first look at the biggest issues facing this country: national debt, Medicare, social security, national security, healthcare, immigration, disintegration of family values. Then I look at the qualification of the applicants. After careful consideration, the choice is clear. In my mind, only Mitt Romney has the credentials to tackle our foreign and domestic problems and lead a stronger America into the 21st century.