Romney’s about-face on campaign funding

The Hill ^ | February 8, 2007 | Alexander Bolton

[EternalVigilance]

One more example of how Mitt Romney manages to come down on both sides of every issue.

In this case, Romney's proposals predated McCain's attack on the First Amendment known as "McCain-Feingold," and perhaps were part of the inspiration for it. It was too radical even for McCain, though.

[EternalVigilance]

ping...

[JCEccles]

He's going right. Hard right. That's good. Way good. Just like Reagan.

That's much better than starting right and going left, like McCain, or starting left and staying left like Giuliani.

[EternalVigilance]

Well, when Mitt has proven his mettle for a couple of decades like Reagan, have him come talk to us.

[samm1148]

Thanks for the info. The more information we have on these "saviors from Hillary" the better.

[EternalVigilance]

Absolutely.

[EternalVigilance]

During remarks before the Burlington (Mass.) Business Roundtable in 1994, Romney spoke like the committed reformers who later enacted sweeping national reforms in Congress.

“I understand Ted Kennedy will spend about $10 million to be reelected — he’s been in 32 years, $10 million. I think that’s wrong because — and that’s not his own money, that’s all from other people,” Romney said during the 1994 presentation, which was aired by C-SPAN. “And to get that kind of money you’ve got to cozy up as an incumbent to all the special-interest groups who can go out and raise money for you from their members. And that kind of relationship has an influence on the way you’re gonna vote.”

Romney lost his race against Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). When he ran for governor eight years later, Romney again proposed dramatic changes to campaign-finance rules.

Hey, Mitt. It may be "other people's money," but they are covered under the First Amendment, too. You might try reading it some time soon.

[BearArms]

This guy's a real piece of work.

[rwh]

But...but..but... He was actually against it, before he was for it, before he was against it.

We can trust him to be a conservative. (/sarc)

[Delphinium]

Is this guy just like John Kerry, or what? Is there anything he has been consistant about.

[Unmarked Package]

"He's going right. Hard right. That's good. Way good. Just like Reagan."

If Mitt flips consistently to the Right, he's not a flop in my view. :-)

[Afronaut]

"Romney freely admitted that he has been firmly opposed to abortion rights for only two and a half years."

How many posts have I read on the FR that state that Mitt was always Anti-Abortion? Now he has a change of heart 2 1/2 years ago? This guy pure snake oil.

[Reagan Man]

BTTT

[plain talk]

Yep. By these articles you can see some people are afraid of him and really reaching for something - anything they can find. Like a 180 on a few issues will matter. Very few politicians have zero 180's.

[Afronaut]

You forget the sarcasm tag, right?

[nowandlater]

I am not shocked. A politician acting like a politician. And one that changes over 12+ years (from the left to the right). But, to respond to all of his criticisms, I come back to same point: What did he do when was in elected office? Did he sign into law campaign finance law? The answer is no.

[EternalVigilance]

Like a 180 on a few issues will matter.

What's the limit? This guy is flipping on every issue that matters, and only when he started to run for President.

[EternalVigilance]

I am not shocked. A politician acting like a politician.

That sentence would cover for anyone on anything.

[Radix]

Hey EV....who is your candidate?

[Torie]

What was Romney's position on McCain Feingold at the time of its enactment, rather than now? The article does not discuss that little detail. Now, he seems to criticise it because it hurts the GOP, which seems a rather parochial point of view. Maybe he opposed it then for similar reasons.

Myself, I favor public financing of campaigns, in the sense that if one candidate goes over a limit, the other candidate gets 150% of the excess from the government. It is the only thing that will ever work.