Anti-Romney PAC chief still loves capitalism
About the only line in the new film, "When Mitt Romney Came To Town" that's pro-capitalism is the first one: "Capitalism made America great."
From there, the film is utterly indistinguishable from a Michael Moore documentary. It would get cheers at an Occupy Wall Street rally, delight the leaders of the Democratic National Committee and drive free-market capitalists into angry shouts.
The odd thing is, it's a super PAC supportive of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (a self-described "Reagan conservative") which is promoting the film.
The managing partner of the Winning Our Future PAC -- Gregg Phillips -- defends himself as a lifetime small businessman, capitalist and free market true believer who complains about taxes and regulations like any other good Republican.
"This is about everyday people creating everyday jobs," Phillips said in an interview, as contrasted with "vultures" such as Romney who swoop in to buy and sell companies without a thought as to the people hurt in the process. "These guys aren't anybody we know," Phillips said. "He (Romney) is so out of touch and so arrogant. He just doesn't get it."
Winning Our Future and Gingrich -- although they can't coordinate their message -- are seeking to split a capitalist hair, distinguishing between small businesses like the corner bakery or auto body shop and Wall Street holding companies that don't produce products or services. And the movie -- promoted with the unlikely help of a $5 million donation from Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson -- is brutal.
It traces the fate of four different companies in which Romney's holding company, Bain Capital, made investments. In each case, workers lost their jobs or enterprises went bankrupt, but not before Bain made substantial profits. The "group of corporate raiders led by Mitt Romney," the narrator says, were "more ruthless than Wall Street."
What follows are heartbreaking stories of people losing longtime jobs, health insurance and homes. The movie is at its most brutal when it intersperses quotes from Romney about creating jobs with the real-life stories of those who lost them, thanks to actions by Bain or companies in which Bain invested.
"They never could get enough money," said Tracy Jones, a former employee of a washing machine company laid off along with her husband.
The film may find its moment in an economy ravaged by high unemployment, home foreclosures and a recession that even Romney describes as "tepid." It's not just Occupy Wall Street concerned about a vaunted financial class that tends to get bailed out in times of trouble at the expense of a middle class for whom help is scarce.
Against that backdrop, a man who proudly says, "Corporations are people, my friend" and, "Everything corporations make ultimately goes to people" is easily made the villain.
"People simply don't get this," Phillips says. "They just don't get how a group can get $64 billion screwing people."
Perhaps not, but Phillips' objections to the movie being labeled anti-capitalist are also misplaced. Layoffs, breaking up and selling off companies are just as much capitalism as the corner bakery and auto repair shop, albeit a dark side usually not promoted by Republican candidates. Romney appears to be one of the few willing to defend those aspects of capitalism against Gingrich's unsteady newfound populism.
Whether the movie comes in time to help Gingrich is unclear. (After it concludes, a pro-Gingrich message appears, along with a solicitation to give to Winning Our Future.) But it's certainly not a general election message that will displease Obama or the legions of Democrats who'd prefer Mitt Romney not come to a certain town on the Potomac.
Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist, and author of the blog SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/SteveSebelius or reach him at (702) 387-5276 or ssebelius@ reviewjournal.com.
