I could not care less about, Mitt Romney’s money. I don’t begrudge him a penny. I do begrudge his highfalutin’ tax breaks and money he hides. You can’t do that unless you have more money than God (or substitute object or belief system of your choice) and because he is convinced, it is his birthright. Though mine? Not so much.

I don’t begrudge his wife a “therapy” horse that is also weirdly qualified for tax breaks and Olympic competition. I don’t like that he’s never met a position he wouldn’t take…then reject 5 minutes later. However, that is hardly unusual for a politician.

The problem is he doesn’t understand himself or anyone else. He is as empathetic as a powdered donut. Saying he is out of touch is a colossal understatement because he believes in a two-caste system. His caste and the untouchables. Wealth has nothing to do with that, common decency and respect for others does.

Oddity is Not a Political Calculation

There are reasons why he not only appears, but actually is, out of touch. I am aghast at Harry Reid’s tax charges. Mitt is innocent until Harry proves him guilty. Don’t get me wrong, it would not surprise me if the tax dodging was true, but it does tie into his odd decision to hide tax forms he already released to John McTheusela. That oddity is not a political calculation; it is how Mitt views the world. He is the product of a sheltered upbringing and Brigham Young’s great-great-granddaughter and ex-Mormon, Sue Emmett, thinks so too.

Mitt came from a moneyed family that became moneyed by the sweat of non-moneyed George Romney’s brow. Most people believe George would’ve been a 1000X better candidate than his progeny. That’s because George remembered his humble beginnings. He worked hard, didn’t lie, and had none of the noblese oblige of his son. He was of the common people and understood and cared for them.

Emmett shocked the LDS world when she left the church over their handling of women. She describes an, “entitled Mormon male syndrome, where the leadership professes compassion and concern but leaves the manifestations of that to the drones.”

Emmett points out that Mormon women can rarely question men, doubly so for all-male Bishops and triply so for all-male Stake Presidents. Congregants bow to Bishops, Bishops bow to Stake Presidents, and no one questions either.

Mitt was a Stake President, a man unaccustomed to questions and unable to deal with it. His wealth and position allowed him to have his way. He became an unassailable font of wisdom and did not take kindly to those who dared challenge him. When questioned he becomes mightily insulted – insulted in the same way he insults those he considers his inferiors.

Mitt is also a firm believer in the Mormon concept of “Lying for the Lord”. Ken Clark was an LDS teacher and Bishop before leaving the church. According to him, “Every Mormon grows up with the idea that it’s OK to lie if it’s for a higher cause…this becomes a part of your ethical tool kit, you develop a condescending attitude toward people.”

This says a lot about Mitt’s open and unassailable lies to protect his campaign and “reputation”. He believes you should believe him because he told you he didn’t lie, not because there isn’t ample evidence he did.

The Book According to Mitt

The Book According to Mitt says his tax returns hide nothing; therefore, he does not have to release them. And if you don’t believe him, he will say if all the other politicians release theirs, he will ‘think’ about releasing his.

The point is not that he has to release them, he doesn’t. The point is not that the returns may or may not vindicate him. The point is not that all the other politicos must release theirs for him to consider releasing his. It is not about their tax returns, it is about his. He said the returns hide nothing and is quite offended that others, including his own party, offend him by asking him to release them.

Mitt is not a man who understands why most voters want to know. He is a man who will take himself down because people questioned what he said. That’s a damning indictment of his sense of self-importance.

Despite all the work poured into making Mitt look approachable and like he understands, he spends an inordinate amount of time proving it is an impossible task. He insults people – in fact, entire countries. He says stupid things that make him look as clueless as a tree stump. He is more easily offended than those he tries to convince are being offended for no reason. He stands upon his “principles” like a B-movie Tarzan stands on quicksand and preaches his integrity as a businessman who practiced the same behavior he now rails against. He condemns Obamacare though it is Romneycare writ large. His defense is, but I told you that isn’t true. Why do you keep questioning me?

Mitt is a fatally flawed man, by temperament and training. He is as incapable of understanding the problems of this country as he is of attempting to try. It is hard to believe otherwise.

Believe us. We say so.

Cross posted at The Omnipotent Poobah Speaks! More than politics, more than pop culture & humor