Why are the Romneys successful as politicians?

[flotsam]

Mitt's great-grandfather fled to Mexico when US law outlawed polygamy. The family fled back to the US during the Mexican revolution. His father was a spokesman for Rambler and failed to serve in WW2 but later became governor of Michigan and later a candidate for President of the US despite his Mexican birth. Mitt avoided Vietnam with 5 deferments yet became governor of Massachusetts, a candidate for President of the US, and now a US senator.

So how does a family that once renounced citizenship and arrived back here around 1910, and without making a single sacrifice for this country manage to establish a viable political dynasty?

[maxsolomon]

1. Mormonism.

Money.

[flotsam]

2. Maybe

But take a read of his father's early years from wiki-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Romney


"In the United States, Romney grew up in humble circumstances.[19] The family subsisted with other Mormon refugees on government relief in El Paso, Texas,[20] benefiting from a $100,000 fund for refugees that the U.S. Congress had set up.[21] After a few months they moved to Los Angeles, California, where Gaskell Romney worked as a carpenter.[17][20] In kindergarten, other children mocked Romney's national origin by calling him "Mex" "

In 1913, the family moved to Oakley, Idaho, and bought a farm, where they grew and subsisted largely on Idaho potatoes.[24][25] The farm was not on good land and failed when potato prices fell.[24] The family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1916, where Gaskell Romney resumed construction work, but the family remained generally poor

His family returned to Salt Lake City in 1921, and while his father resumed construction work, George became skilled at lath-and-plaster work.[28][29] The family was again prospering when the Great Depression hit in 1929 and ruined them.[20] George watched his parents fail financially in Idaho and Utah[30] and having to take a dozen years to pay off their debts


Again-the rise in fortunes seems strange.

[Wellstone ruled]

7. You got it.

Built in Campaign Staff.

[unblock]

3. i'm not sure the actions of mitt's great-grandfather have much bearing on anything.

and as for "dynasty", it's just mitt and his father, right? or are there more in politics?

it's not like the kennedys or even the bushes.

[JI7]

4. he failed when it came to presidency. his current job is in Utah

becsuse he could not win in mass or Michigan this time around as he and his dad did before.


I wouldn't call it a dynasty.

[TygrBright]

5. $$$$$$$$$$$$$ plus a big-ass Church. n/t

[NewJeffCT]

6. Mitt is a Republican, but was elected governor of very blue Massachusetts

Many consider that a big accomplishment by itself.

Of course, considering that when Charlie Baker's latest term is up in 2022, a Republican will have been governor of Massachusetts for 24 of the previous 32 years, it really isn't that big a deal (post Mike Dukakis, it's been all Republicans save Deval Patrick)