https://redstate.com/erick/2012/01/12/in-defense-of-capitalism/feed/Conservative News & Politicsen-usWed, 10 Jun 2026 01:04:59 -0400<![CDATA[Sweet Lord in Heaven, every time I try to tune these clowns out they hack me off and drag me back in.There are legitimate criticisms to be made of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital. Anyone who says otherwise needs to be prepared to defend Bain Capital more than once relying on the government to cover their butts on deals and even being bailed out by the government under Mitt Romney&#8217;s watch — not exactly free market.There are legitimate criticisms.But as Rush Limbaugh said, as always correctly, the criticisms of Romney should come from the right, not the left. Attacking him for profiting in the free market has gotten out of hand on the right. I appreciate that the Democrats will raise the attacks and I appreciate that Romney is going to need to defend himself. Better now than in the general.I am a bit appalled by the sudden decision that it is verboten to level any attack at Romney because of Bain. Just as we can go after people in politics, corporations should not be immune from criticism. Mitt Romney tells us they are people too. It&#8217;s just that we should attack Bain for relying on the government as we attack Solyndra and GE for doing the same.I would, however, note that a great many of the people (but not all) screaming at Perry and Gingrich for attacking Romney &#8220;from the left&#8221; on Bain were staggeringly silent when Romney was attacking them from the left on entitlements.Then there is Mitt Romney. The best defense he has so far offered about his time at Bain is that he did what the President did with General Motors. Except few on the right agree with what the President did and think the free market should have done it. In fact, that&#8217;s probably the best criticism of Romney — he seems to see no difference in the private sector and the public sector and has been all too willing to commingle money and responsibility between the two.This isn&#8217;t Mitt Romney&#8217;s first time headed down this road. Back in 2003, he attacked the very position he&#8217;s now wrapping himself up with to defend himself. At the time, he said]]>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:45:00 -0500<![CDATA[Erick Erickson]]>https://redstate.com/erick/2012/01/12/in-defense-of-capitalism-n41805