That was a real glimpse of Bain's former CEO, Mitt Romney, vulture capitalist.

[ProSense]

This piece is related to the economy, but it nails Mitt, a guy who sees people's lives as expendable for his own gain...whatever it takes.

He’s No Averell Harriman

Fred Kaplan has what I think is the best take so far on Romneyshambles:

The thing that Krauthammer doesn’t get is that Romney is not the sort of businessman—that his brand of capitalism is not the sort of enterprise—that requires even the most elementary understanding of diplomacy, courtesy, or sensitivity to other people’s values, lives, or perceptions.

The American capitalists-turned-statesmen of an earlier generation—Douglas Dillon, Averell Harriman, Robert Lovett, John McCloy, Dean Acheson, Paul Nitze—took risks, built institutions, helped rebuild postwar Europe, befriended their foreign counterparts: in short, they cultivated an internationalist sensibility at their core. Whatever you think of their politics or Cold War policies generally (and there is much to criticize), financiers formed an American political elite in that era because finance (through the Marshall Plan, the World Bank, the IMF, and so forth) was so often the vehicle of American expansionism.

By contrast, private-equity firms, such as Bain Capital, where Romney made his fortune, tend to view their client companies as cash cows, susceptible to cookie-cutter formulas from which the firms’ partners reap lavish fees, almost regardless of the outcome. Their ends and means breed an insularity, a sense of entitlement, a disposition to view all the world’s entities through a single prism and to appraise them along a single scale.

I would only add that the bankers of yore operated by building relationships; Bain made its investors money in large part by breaking relationships, e.g. by walking away from implicit promises to workers. It’s not a style that makes for good diplomacy.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/27/hes-no-averell-harriman/

Mitt's smirking disaster
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021326694





Mitt Romney leaving the podium...
http://sync.democraticunderground.com/10021327066



Mitt Romney Started Bain Capital With Money From Families Tied To Death Squads
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014187901

Bloomberg: “Romney Persona Non Grata in Italy for Bain’s Deal Skirting Taxes”
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021081334

[Schema Thing]

1. Yes. He saw blood and like a vulture, attempted to capitalize on it.

[valerief]

2. We're all ants to him. nt

[Th1onein]

3. Mitt's Smirking Disaster

OMG. The look on his face as he leaves the podium. Doesn't he have any decency? I guess when you're a vulture capitalist something like the deaths of Americans is just another opportunity to get what you want. These people look at the world differently than the rest of us.

[Faux pas]

4. Losing presidential candidate walking...

[bullwinkle428]

5. The looks on his face suggest that he REALLY THINKS he just won the election!

[lunatica]

6. He doesn't have an ounce of class

Yet his wife thinks they're so superior to everyone else. Well she has the husband she deserves. A classless vulture capitalist who can't contain his glee at attacking the President who is dealing with one of the most serious situations that can happen. It makes me break out into a cold sweat to think of his reaction if he were the President.

[catbyte]

7. He really is creepy as hell

He seems to be getting creepier and creepier with each passing day. He reminds me of a serial killer whose "mask of sanity" is beginning to slip and we are seeing the REAL Mitt Romney.



And Queen Ann isn't doing herself any favors either. This pair is a real piece of work.

[ProSense]

8. Yup! n/t

[hifiguy]

9. Willard looks like Ted Bundy would have if Bundy had lived

to Willard's age. That should be signal enough. Just as fucking crazy, sociopathic and amoral as Bundy to boot.

[Initech]

10. He is a cold blooded, cold hearted vulture. An absolute monster.

He'd stomp over anyone or anything for the almighty dollar. Romney is completely addicted to his wealth - just like the rest of these vulture criminals - and it's starting to show.

Although I have to say "Smirking Disaster" would be a great name for a metal band.

[Bake]

11. And he just showed his true colors.

I hope America is watching.

Bake

[ProSense]

12. Soulless bastard. n/t