The Columbian of Vancouver, which serves Washington state as well, has endorsed Mitt Romney for president:
We endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and acknowledge his passion and diligence. But he has fallen far short of the two nonpartisan goals expressed above. Yes, Congress shares much of the blame for continued economic stagnation. But the best leaders break the worst logjams. Obama has not.
Members of Congress have their own self-inflicted defects, what with historic low favorability ratings. Most of them face stern accountability tests on Nov. 6. But President Obama also must be held accountable, and even he acknowledges too little has been done to repair the economy, reduce the deficit and cut the federal debt.
Romney lacks Obama’s credentials and experience in foreign policy. But he better understands how an economic recovery is powered by an incentivized private sector, not a bloated bureaucracy. Thomas J. Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a Sept. 10 speech: “Our economy is stuck in first gear … our government borrows 40 cents of every dollar we spend.” Obama has presided over “a massive debt, out-of-control spending, a broken tax system and unsustainable entitlement programs.”
Instead of looking to government as the solution, the next president must oversee cuts in government costs, starting with reductions in military spending. And he must help institute meaningful reforms of unsustainable entitlement programs. Romney offers the best hope for that.
The Columbian endorsed Obama in 2008.
How is it possible that this paper could endorse Romney for President and say President Obama has not lived up to his 2008 campaign? The Republicans, from the top down, made statements when the President took the vows of office that their fisrt priority was too see that he got no help from that party to make sure he had only one term in the office! To now then say that you feel the need to back Romney is absoluety ridiculous. I rec’d my bill for the renewel of my subscrption on the Friday before seeing your editorial endorsing the wealthy Romney so immediately pulled the bill from my “to be paid” slot and discarded it. Just wanted to let you know, you’ve lost two senior citizens readers from this household. Many Presidents before Obama have tried, or at least said they would try, to do something about health care in America but who did do something???? President Obama, and only because he had some bipartisan help. Romney had his health plan in Mass. but decided he had to step away from even backing his own plan’cause it was like the Presidents plan. He has flip-flopped on so many issues since the primiary when he had to say so mnay things to get the right-wing of the GOP that now he says a;most exactly the opposite in this election. I won’t even get into the feelings of a WOMAN on the policies of his party!!!! So this was a way for me to submit my cancellation of my subscrption and vent about your stupid editoral choices as my choice is to no longer read anything from your paper!