The Midas Touch

Will someone please explain to me what the upside is for Romney in opposing the Nantucket Sound Wind Farm? What's the Governor doing running down to Washington to oppose the project? Or better yet, on who's behalf is he opposing the wind mills? Don't believe that's why he went to DC. That was just the cover story.

The last time Romney took such a tough stand on an issue was to insist that the taxpayers were not going to bear the brunt of the cost overruns from the Big Dig. (Weren't we suppose to get $50 million back from Bechtel in overpayments?) And just this week he stood firm for the resignation of the Turnpike Authority head for papering over the agency's dereliction in the management of the project.

So exactly what was he doing in Washington last week? He was there to get his marching orders from Andy Card, Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. Let's connect the dots.

Andy Card, gatekeeper for the President, was not only a Massachusetts legislator, around when the Big Dig was first approved, but years later he was Secretary of Transportation when the state got its first Big Dig bail-out from the federal government.

First, Mitt gets the disappointing news that he's not in line for a Cabinet position. Go home and run for re-election, raise some money for the party and wait your turn. Mitt plays it like it was his idea. He promised the voters of this state that he would serve out his term. What a trooper.

Second, he's told to lay off Bechtel. They're the largest construction company in the world. Their Board reads like a who's who of former Republican Administration officials. Talk about firing the manager, instead, even though you can't actually fire him. That's the ticket.

Last, keep up the bluster on Cape Wind. This project was made in dog heaven for the Bush Adminstration. It's renewable energy; it gives the President cover from the environmentalists. It's big business; GE manufactures wind turbines here with union labor. It's politics at its best; sticking it to both John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. With the propect of windmills in their backyard, let's see how long they hold out before they agree to drill for oil in the Artic.

But most of all, Mitt, your job is to keep Richard (do you know who I am) Egan off the President's back. Pay lip service to the Ambassador and the opposition. Cover the President's back from those ungrateful Pioneers on this one Mitt, and we'll talk about that Cabinet post in a couple of years.

Appearances can be deceiving. In opposing the wind farm that's going to get approved anyway, he will mollify local Republicans that oppose the project. But be careful to lose this one smart. Don't go down with the ship. And hedge your position. Buy some GE stock.

Coming off the party building disaster this election season, Romney needs a win. But you have to wonder, can he do for the wind farm what he did for Republican legislative candidates this year?

When it comes to the state's highway adminstration and the state's party politics, the Governor seems to have lost the Midas touch. Let's hope he has the same feel for the state's energy future.