In defense of Romney's vagueness

These columns have the politics all twisted: Romney’s job is to make the election about Obama, not himself. Polling suggests that voters prefer Obama’s stance on taxes to Romney’s and trust the President more on health care. Romney already has an edge on the economy among independents. Why risk messing that up? It’s Obama who’s pulling for a choice election. Romney is better served by a referendum. And if conservatives feel the economic case against Obama isn’t working, they may only need to wait a few months. …

With some notable exceptions, Presidents tend to enact exactly what they promise during campaigns. This is a feature of democracy, not a bug. But if politicians crafted every single detail before they took office, the end result might just be a shoddy product. Think about it: During a campaign, the first thing on a politicians’ mind is winning, and nine out of ten guys in the room are campaign strategists, not wonks. That’s not an environment that’s likely to produce good policy. Congress, especially the House, where election season is practically continuous, is also hyper-political. But it benefits from having a big staff of policy experts on hand and guidance from a seated President who is looking to create a legacy. Presidential campaigns are all horse race.