Steve Moore:
Well Donald Trump has passed his first big test as a presidential nominee with flying colors.
The choice of Mike Pence of Indiana to be his running mate should all but erase any remaining doubts among conservatives about Donald Trump’s political leanings.
The Indiana governor and former U.S. House Republican leader has nearly impeccable free market and social conservative credentials. He is not just a champion of the cause of liberty – from pro-life to supply side tax cuts – he’s proven to be a warrior. Who better to be one heartbeat away from the Oval Office?
Now will the “never-Trumpers” on the right please shut up?
It’s a gutsy pick. Mr. Pence is an unflinching conservative who will be cannon fire for the left media. The Washington Post already sneered that Pence is a “conservative ideaologue.” When is the last time the media refered to a liberal as a “leftwing ideologue?”
Well, bring it on. Pence has been a stellar governor. He has balanced budgets, cut taxes, slimmed government and made it more customer friendly.
Along with fellow economist Arthur Laffer, I do an annual rating of the states on their economic/fiscal policies. No state has improved more on the index over the last four years than Indiana. That’s a great tribute to Pence’s values and leadership skills.
If the theme of this contest is jobs and growth, Pence’s performance in Indianapolis is a case study in how free market ideas and tax cuts work.
Here is another example of his spine of steel. Mike Pence led the Republican fight against the Bush Medicare prescription drug bill and almost successfully killed that budget buster. He did it even though he was told this was destroy his political career. (That was clearly wrong!) He did it even though he was bribed with all sorts of favors and career boosters if he would only toss aside his principles and toe the party line. He didn’t cut and run – as many of his colleagues did.
He had a near-100 percent rating with American Conservative Union. He’s a budget hawk, tax cutter, strong on defense Reaganite. He used to love to say: “What we really need from government is less of it.”
His ferocious attacks against ObamaCare and the massive $800 billion debt “stimulus” bomb that Obama dropped in his first months in office helped launch the Tea Party movement in America.
He is the perfect alter-ego for Donald Trump. Trump is bluster and showmanship and the classic New York street fighter and counter-puncher. It is what so many voters love about him: toughness.
I’m not a fan of Pence at all, but I have to admit Trump made a rather savvy decision in tapping him for VP. Pence has the support of some conservatives, some evangelicals and among establishment Republicans, meanwhile the left hates Pence so much, they would not support any suggestion of assassinating Trump and getting a “President Pence” in return.
5 Times Mike Pence Helped China Steal American Jobs
United Technologies is leaving Huntington, Indiana for Mexico, costing the town 2,100 jobs. And yet another Indiana company heads for Mexico; just announced:
Manufacturer Rexnord plans to move 300 high-paying jobs to Mexico
Hey, Trump will put a stop to this corporate exodus! Pay no attention to the cheap steel he purchased from China, or his use of cheap overseas manufacturing, or his hiring of undocumented construction workers, or the fact that his VP choice Pence hasn’t exactly been the best thing that ever happened to Indiana workers. It’s all the fault of democrats. Worker protections, employee union rights, etc… Not to mention those pesky health and safety and environmental protection rules.