Mitt Romney: No One Would Care If I Went From Pro-Life to Pro-Abortion

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he's getting tired of the questions about his shift a few years ago from supporting to opposing abortion. In a television interview last night, he said he wouldn't be barraged with so many questions if he had switched from pro-life to pro-abortion.

The comments came during a Monday night interview on the Fox News Channel program "Hannity and Colmes."

Romney has frequently explained how he became pro-life a few years ago after having to deal with the issue of embryonic stem cell research as governor -- after campaigning as a pro-abortion candidate on previous occasions.

"What I find interesting is, had I been pro-life and then changed to pro-choice, no one would ask the question," the former Massachusetts governor said.

He added: "But if you go the other direction, as I have and as Ronald Reagan did and (former Illinois Rep.) Henry Hyde and (former president) George Herbert Walker Bush, it's like the media can't get enough of it: 'Oh, well, why did you change?' "

Romney talked about his abortion views during the Republican presidential debate last week.

Asked whether "the day that Roe v. Wade is repealed" would "be a good day for Americans" Romney replied, "Absolutely."

The former governor was also asked about his position change -- something that presumably led to the Fox News comments.

"I've always been personally pro-life, but for me there was a great question about whether or not government should intrude in that decision. And when I ran for office, I said I’d protect the law as it was, which is effectively a pro-choice position," Romney explained.

"About two years ago when we were studying cloning in our state, I said, look, we have gone too far; it’s a brave new world mentality that Roe v. Wade has given us; and I change my mind," he added.

"And I said I was wrong and changed my mind and said I'm pro-life. And I'm proud of that and I won't apologize to anybody for becoming pro-life," he concluded.

Governor Mitt Romney (Courtesy of Unmarked Package)

On the record, from around the web (January 2, 2003 – Present)
Examine the record of Mitt Romney while Governor of Massachusetts and you will find that he applied and practiced core conservative principles of fiscal and social conservatism in one of the most liberal states of the U.S. It required courage to take the conservative positions and actions he did in the face of a hostile political environment.

I believe we should care about Mitt Romney’s actions while in a position of authority, since taking office in 2003, much more than we care about words he spoke in campaigns years ago. Mitt Romney’s record as Governor, when his actions had real consequences, tells the real story about how he would govern as President.

The following is my latest collection gathered from personal research all around the web. I hope FReepers will give it an honest look.

Contents:
[ War on Terror ] [ Guns ] [ Abortion and Sanctity of Life ] [ Judicial Appointments ] [ Homosexual Rights ] [ Immigration ] [ Government Spending and Taxes ] [ CFR ] [ Public Education ] [ Crime ] [ Healthcare ] [ Environmental and Energy Policy ] [ Labor Unions ] [ Mitt Romney’s Résumé and Education ] [ Photographs ] [ Miscellaneous Videos ] [ Resources ] [ Rebuttals ] [ Ping List ]

War on Terror

Governor Romney: “The jihadists are waging a global war against the United States and Western governments generally with the ambition of replacing legitimate governments with a caliphate, with a theocracy.”
Mitt Romney supports our troops and their mission in Iraq (watch the video). He supports President Bush’s “Troop Surge” plan to stabilize the population in Iraq and bring the conflict to a successful conclusion.

Mitt Romney holds some of the most hawkish, anti-jihadist positions among the top-tier candidates; especially against Iran as revealed in his major foreign policy speech delivered at the Seventh Annual Herzliya Conference in Israel on January 23, 2007. Romney was the only candidate who traveled to Israel to attend the conference and speak. While attending the conference, Romney had private meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and other Israeli officials.

Watch the short video clips from his speech about Iran and decide if you like what you hear from Mitt Romney concerning the War on Terror.

Romney: On Why Wishful Thinking on Iran is Wrong
On Confronting the Iran Threat: A 5-Point Plan
Concluding Remarks on the Iran Threat (with comments on Romney’s plan from former Ambassador Ronald Lauder)
MP3 File audio recording of entire Herzliya speech (21:30)
Text of the Herzliya speech

Governor Romney’s Four Changes Needed To Meet A New Generation Of Global Challenges:
First, We Need A Stronger Military. Video: On a Stronger Military
• We Must Increase The Size Of Our Military By 100,000 Troops.
• We Need To Dedicate At Least Four Percent Of Our Gross Domestic Product To Defense, Making Up For Critical Gaps In Our Military Modernization, Equipment, Personnel And Health Care Efforts (Additional $40 Billion To $50 Billion Annually For Defense).

• Investing In Our Military, We Need To Ensure Funds Are Used To Address Critical Needs And Support The Men And Women Of Our Armed Forces, Rather Than Political Or Contractor Interests.

Second, America Must Become Energy Independent.
Third, We Must Transform And Strengthen Our Civilian International Efforts To Meet A New Generation Of Challenges.

Fourth, We Need To Strengthen Old Partnerships And Alliances, And Inaugurate A New One, To Address The Threat Of Jihadism.

Policy Briefing Transcript: Combating Nuclear Terrorism Video: On Combating Nuclear Terrorism
Governor Romney (On the Threat of Radical Jihadism): “In the current conflict, there is only one way to lose, and that is if we as a civilized world decide not to lift a finger to defend ourselves, or our values, and our way of life. I will not be silent, you will not be silent.”

Mitt Romney is thought to be the best read among the candidates about the threat of the Jihadist. Romney’s reading list includes the following books among others on the topic:

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright
American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us by Steven Emerson
Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America by Walid Phares
America Alone by Mark Steyn
Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor
The Assassin’s Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer
“The old statement ‘know thine enemy’ is appropriate,” Romney told ABC News.
Romney wants the public to know that Jihadists are not an “armed group of crazed maniacs in the hills of Afghanistan.” Rather, Romney says the United States is facing a “far more sinister and broad-based extremist faction” with a “very 8th century view of the world.”

Based on his reading of books such as “American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us,” by Steven Emerson, and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America” by Walid Phares, Romney believes the Jihadists want to “retake the ancient Muslim lands and unify umma, or the world of Islam, under a caliphate.”
(’Know Thine Enemy,’ Romney Says of ‘Jihadists’, ABC News, April 30, 2006)

Mitt Romney described the threat of radical Islamic Jihad in a speech delivered at the National Review Institute Conservative Summit.

Talk radio host Hugh Hewitt interviewed professor of military history and noted author Victor Davis Hanson who observed Mitt Romney’s ability to discuss Middle East foreign policy at length with experts at the Hoover Institution:
Hugh Hewitt: What I like is that he’s a voracious reader, not only your books, but things like The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright, Mark Steyn’s America Alone. I think this is pretty rare these days, to find curiosity at that level, and at that sort of voracious appetite for information. What do you talk about with him?
Victor Davis Hanson: Well, we talk about history just like you and I talk about. We talk about foreign policy, he talked about the plan or the effort to democratize the Middle East, the shortfalls, the problems, the liabilities, and you know what? He came to the Hoover Institution and got in front of 40 senior fellows. And in that room there were Nobel Prize winners, a lot of egos, too. And he held court with them, and there were a lot of hostile questions, and he went for an hour and a half, head to head, with these people. When he walked out of that room, I think everybody was impressed with him. He didn’t pull any punches, and he could argue and was as logical as any Hoover fellow, and I was more impressed with him than I was with my colleagues.
(The Hugh Hewitt Show, March 13, 2007)

Mitt Romney denied Massachusetts state police protection to Iran’s former President Khatami when he visited Boston to speak at Harvard. Romney thought it was a mistake for Harvard to invite Khatami to the U.S., calling it, “a disgrace to the memory of all Americans who have lost their lives at the hands of extremists, especially on the eve of the five-year anniversary of 9/11.”
(Romney Denounces Khatami Visit to Harvard, September 5, 2006)
Mitt Romney had to manage the first Olympic Games in a post-9/11 world just five months after the attacks. Complex and costly security measures were a major part of the challenge of turning around the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. The budget for security at the Olympic Games was $300 million for the huge international event involving 23,000 volunteers. The very successful Olympics went off without incident, and some of the security measures developed for the 2002 Games are used in other major venues today, for example, the Super Bowl. Romney turned a $379 million deficit for the Olympic Games into a $100 million profit. Romney personally contributed $1 million, and donated his three years of salary ($275,000 per annum) to charity. That counts for something in real world management experience in the War on Terror.

Governor Mitt Romney signed into law a measure to help state employees and their families meet their financial obligations while they are on active military duty. It provided state employees called to active military leave with the differential cost between their military and state salaries and guaranteed employees on active military duty would not lose any seniority, accrued vacation leave, sick leave, personal leave, compensation time or earned overtime.
(Romney Lends a Hand to State Employees on Military Duty, November 27, 2003)

Acting to implement recommendations he made to the nation’s governors as Chair of the White House’s Homeland Security Task Force, Gov. Mitt Romney created the Commonwealth Fusion Center in Massachusetts. The core mission of the Fusion Center is to facilitate critical and timely information sharing from the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to municipal police, fire and emergency response agencies to assist in the identification and investigation of possible terrorist activities.
(Romney Unveils Commonwealth’s Anti-Terror Fusion Center, May 11, 2005)

Massachusetts is one of only 12 states that do not have a capital punishment sentencing option. Governor Romney filed a bill enabling Massachusetts prosecutors to seek the death penalty in cases of first-degree murders that were committed as an act of political terrorism, assassination of law enforcement officials, or multiple killings.
(Relying on Science, Romney Files Death Penalty Bill, April 28, 2005)

Governor Romney filed and signed into law the most significant expansion of military benefits in recent years. The new law reduced to zero the cost members of the Massachusetts National Guard must pay to attend public colleges and universities, increased twenty-fold the death benefit paid to families of members killed in the line of duty, created a new annuity benefit for Gold Star spouses and boosted the amount paid to Gold Star parents.
(Romney Signs Legislation Expanding Military Benefits, November 11, 2005)

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Guns

Governor Romney: “Americans should have the right to own and possess firearms as guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. I’m proud to be among the many decent, law-abiding men and women who safely use firearms.”
Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Visits Firearms Industry’s Trade Show, Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, Jan. 12, 2007
Hasn’t Gov. Romney been against the right to bear arms?

No. Governor Romney has always supported that right. In fact, despite a heavily Democratic anti-gun Legislature in Massachusetts, he signed an NRA-backed bill in 2006 (H. 4552) that reduced a testing requirement on certain pistol-makers before they could sell guns in Massachusetts. The Gun Owners’ Action League (GOAL), which bills itself as “The Official Firearms Association of Massachusetts,” also praised Gov. Romney for his support of H. 4552. “Target shooters are an important part of our membership and I know they will be very pleased with this change,” said James Wallace, Executive Director of the Gun Owner’s Action League.
(Governor Romney Approves Exemption for Target Pistols, July 26, 2006)

Governor Mitt Romney signed legislation aimed at providing one clear definition of a loaded shotgun or rifle for the state’s hunting enthusiasts. For years, two competing definitions had existed on the books, leaving law abiding gun owners wondering when and how they can enter or cross a public way with their firearms.

“On behalf of the lawful gun owners of the Commonwealth, I would like to thank Governor Romney and all who took part in the passage of this legislation. We have taken another important step in reforming the 1998 gun laws,” said Jim Wallace, Executive Director of the Gun Owner’s Action League. “This new law addresses a conflict that had previously caused great concern in those who use traditional muzzle loading rifles and shotguns. Now they confidently know what is expected of them and can enjoy their heritage without the fear of being prosecuted for violating a poorly written law.”
(Massachusetts Clarifies Muzzleloader Law, Buckmasters, November 22, 2005)
Gov. Romney signed legislation requiring all new hunters to take a hunter education course. The measure had the strong support of sportsmen and gun owners.
“We are pleased with the passage of yet another correction of Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998, which created a confusing standard for acquiring a hunting, sporting or fishing license,” said James Wallace, GOAL’s executive director. “Prior to the passage of this law some eight years ago, hunter education was mandatory for all first time hunters. While GOAL does not normally support mandatory training, it is our belief that every first time hunter should be exposed to the ethics, safety aspects and laws in Massachusetts regarding hunting before taking to the field for the first time.”
(Romney Signs Legislation to Promote Hunter Safety, July 6, 2006)
On the 31st anniversary of the Gun Owner’s Action League, Governor Romney declared May 7, 2005 as “The Right to Bear Arms Day” in Massachusetts to honor “the right of decent, law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms in defense of their families, persons, and property and for all lawful purposes, including the common defense.”
(Romney retreats on gun control, Boston Globe, January 14, 2007)
Opponents of gun control and critics of Governor Romney point to the fact that he signed firearms legislation in July, 2004 that included a ban of assault weapons in Massachusetts. However, the bill only reaffirmed an existing Massachusetts state ban on assault weapons that was enacted as part of sweeping gun control laws passed in Massachusetts in 1998, five years before Romney took office, and didn’t ban any additional guns. The state ban of assault weapons enacted in 1998 was not due to disappear, nor would it have become invalid with the sunset of the federal ban in September, 2004.
(Massachusetts - Firearms Reform Bill Sent to the Governor`s Desk, National Rifle Association - Institute for Legislative Action, June 29, 2004)

The firearms reform bill signed by Governor Romney in 2004 had the endorsement of the NRA, Gun Owners’ Action League, law enforcement and Massachusetts gun owners. The bill added several measures these groups favored, including a lengthening of the terms of firearm identification cards and licenses to carry, namely;

1) Extending the term of a firearm identification card and a license to carry firearms from four years to six years,
2) Granting a 90-day grace period for holders of firearm identification cards and licenses to carry who have applied for renewal, and
3) Creating a seven-member Firearm License Review Board to review firearm license applications that have been denied.
“This is truly a great day for Massachusetts’ sportsmen and women. These reforms correct some serious mistakes that were made during the gun debate in 1998, when many of our state’s gun owners were stripped of their long-standing rights to own firearms.”
(MA State Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D), July 1, 2004)

“I want to congratulate everyone that has worked so hard on this issue. Because of their dedication, we are here today to sign into law this consensus piece of legislation. This change will go a long way toward fixing the flaws created by the 1998 law. Another key piece to this legislation addresses those citizens who have applied for renewals. If the government does not process their renewal in a timely fashion, those citizens won’t be put at risk because of the 90 day grace period that is being adopted today.”
(MA State Representative George N. Peterson, Jr. (R), July 1, 2004)

“There are a lot of good things in the bill,” said Jim Wallace, legislative director of the Gun Owners Action League, the state’s leading pro-gun group. “In all, the bill represents a healing process, or the beginning of the healing process, between lawful gun owners and the Massachusetts Legislature.”
(State moves on assault weapons ban, Boston Globe, June 24, 2004)

The firearms reform bill signed in 2004 prohibited the sale of the same weapons in Massachusetts banned in the 1998 legislation but loosened other restrictions imposed by the 1998 gun bill. Therefore, after Governor Romney signed the gun bill in 2004, gun owners in Massachusetts had fewer restrictions on gun ownership than at any time since 1998.

The NRA gave Mitt Romney a rating of ‘B’ in the 2002 election race for Governor of Massachusetts.
(Romney retreats on gun control, Boston Globe, January 14, 2007)

Mitt Romney joined the NRA in August, 2006 and signed up for a lifetime membership. Romney said of the NRA, “I think they’re doing good things, and I believe in supporting the right to bear arms.”
(ABC News This Week interview with Mitt Romney on Feb 18, 2007)

Governor Romney: “I know the NRA does not support an assault weapon ban. So I don’t line up on that particular issue with the NRA, either does President Bush. He likewise says he supported an assault weapon ban.”
“Today we don’t have the Brady bill because we have instantaneous background checks. That’s no longer a operative or needed measure.”

“But I’m a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights. I believe people, under our Constitution, have the right to bear arms.”

“We have a gun in one of our homes. It’s not owned by me, it’s owned by my son, but I’ve always considered it sort of mine.”

“I’ve been a hunter all my life, not frequently, but as a boy, when I worked on a ranch in Idaho, we used to go out shooting rabbits, because they were eating all the barley, and I got pretty good with a single shot .22 rifle, and been quail hunting more recently.”

“So I’m a hunter and believe in Second Amendment rights, but I also believe that assault weapons are not needed in the public population.”
(ABC News This Week interview with Mitt Romney on Feb 18, 2007)

“Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, said during a fundraising stop Thursday that he had also hunted smaller animals in Utah. “I’m not a big-game hunter. I’ve made that very clear,” he said. “I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter. Small varmints, if you will. I began when I was 15 or so, and I have hunted those kinds of varmints since then. More than two times.”
(Romney says his hunting extended to ‘varmints’, Emily Udell, Associated Press, April 5, 2007)
Republican U.S. Senator Larry Craig of Idaho published an article in the Idaho State Journal on March 12, 2007 summarizing Gov. Romney’s record on gun rights and concluded Romney’s right on Second Amendment

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Abortion and Sanctity of Life

Governor Romney was presented with legislation concerning life issues on several occasions from the 85% majority Democrat Legislature in Massachusetts. In every instance he took the pro-life position by vetoing bills or lobbying for the pro-life approach, including the following actions:
He vetoed the bill providing state funding for human embryonic stem cell research
He vetoed a bill that provided for the “morning after pill” without a prescription because it is an abortifacient and would have been available to minors without parental notification and consent

He vetoed legislation which would have redefined Massachusetts longstanding definition of the beginning of human life from fertilization to implantation

He supported parental notification laws and opposed efforts to weaken parental involvement

He fought to promote abstinence education in public school classrooms with a program offered by faith-based Boston group Healthy Futures to middle school students.
(Romney Announces Award of Abstinence Education Contract, April 20, 2006)

Eight prominent leaders of pro-life and pro-family groups in Massachusetts wrote an open letter praising Gov. Romney for his leadership and accomplishments in these important issues and attesting to his commitment to the pro-life and pro-family causes. (This letter is a MUST READ)
Governor Romney has received the important endorsement of James Bopp, Jr., a nationally-known attorney and leading advocate for the pro-life movement. Jim Bopp reviewed Romney’s record as Governor and questioned him personally before giving Romney his endorsement. Bopp most recently joined the Romney Presidential campaign as a special adviser on life issues, an unpaid position.

Bopp wrote about the record of Gov. Romney,

“These actions as governor have lead leaders of the most important social conservative groups in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Massachusetts Family Institute, and the Knights of Columbus, to observe that, while previous comments by Romney “are, taken by themselves, obviously worrisome to social conservatives including ourselves, they do not dovetail with the actions of Governor Romney from 2003 until now — and those actions positively and demonstrably impacted the social climate of Massachusetts.” They conclude that Romney “demonstrat[ed] [his] solid social conservative credentials by undertaking” these actions, and has therefore “proven that he shares our values, as well as our determination to protect them.”
(The Best Choice Is Also a Good Choice - Why social conservatives should support Mitt Romney for president, National Review Online, Feb. 21, 2007)
Governor Romney believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned and the States should set abortion policy.
Romney believes that controversial social issues, such as abortion policy, should be decided through the democratic process by citizens in the several states and their elected representatives rather than by federal judicial mandate.

Governor Romney: “I understand that my views on laws governing abortion set me in the minority in our Commonwealth. I am prolife. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate.”
(”Why I vetoed contraception bill”, Boston Globe Op-Ed, July 26, 2005)

View video of a portion of a speech delivered by Mitt Romney at the National Review Institute Conservative Summit in which he describes a pivotal event in his life while learning about stem cell research and embryo farming from Harvard research scientists. From a researcher’s comment explaining that there wasn’t a moral issue at stake in the embryo farming process because the embryos are destroyed after 14 days, Romney was hit hard by the harsh realization that, in his words, “We have so cheapened the value and sanctity of human life in our society that someone could think there is not a moral issue because we kill human embryos at 14 days.” Gov. Romney publicly affirmed his pro-life position thereafter.

The influence of family members and events in Mitt Romney’s life on matters of abortion are worth considering. They illuminate obstacles he surmounted to adopt pro-life beliefs in his private life. Mitt Romney’s mother, Lenore Romney, advocated a pro-choice position in her unsuccessful 1970 run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, writing in her campaign platform, “I support and recognize the need for more liberal abortion rights while reaffirming the legal and medical measures needed to protect the unborn and pregnant woman [sic].” Mitt Romney revealed in 1994 that his brother-in-law’s sister, a close family friend, died after a botched illegal abortion in the 1960s when Mitt would have been in his teens and early 20s.
(Romney releases mother’s statement on abortion issue, Boston Globe, June 28, 2005)

In a 2/14/07 appearance on ABC “Good Morning America”, Ann Romney talks about her personal struggle with multiple sclerosis and offers her perspective on embryonic stem cell research with a powerful, inspiring message opposing medical experimentation that could conceivably relieve her own suffering. Read a thought-provoking commentary by Alliance Defense Fund attorney David French on Ann Romney’s strength of character in opposing embryonic stem cell research as seen in the ABC “Good Morning America” segment.

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Judicial Appointments

When asked to describe the type of justices he would appoint to the federal bench if elected President, Romney responded:
Governor Romney: “I think the justices that President Bush has appointed are exactly spot-on. I think Justice Roberts and Justice Alito are exactly the kind of justices America needs. They’re people who believe that the Constitution is what they’re to follow, not what they’re to depart from; people who do not believe that legislation from the bench is the responsibility or authority of being on the bench. I respect legal scholars of all backgrounds, but those who are going to be on the bench, if I were lucky enough to appoint them, would be people who believe their job is to follow the law and follow the Constitution.”
(Romney on Judges: Follow Bush’s Lead, RedState Blog, Feb. 2, 2007)

Video: Gov. Romney talks about judges and legislation on life issues, Fox News, Hannity & Colmes, March 12, 2007

Didn’t Gov. Romney appoint more Democrat judges to the bench than Republicans, including two gay activists?

Gov. Romney nominated 9 registered Republicans, 13 unenrolled voters, and 14 registered Democrats to fill a total of 36 district court and clerk magistrate positions in the criminal courts of Massachusetts. The positions filled were not in courts that ruled on issues of constitutional law such as those that dominate the federal judicial debate. State court judges at this level have absolutely no influence over abortion rights. Abortion is primarily a matter of federal, not state constitutional law.

The Boston Globe reported in an article on July 25, 2005 that Romney said that he had not paid a moment’s notice to his nominees’ political leanings or sexual orientation, or to the impact his choices might have on a future presidential run. He said he had focused on two factors: their legal experience and whether the nominees would be tough on crime. He said most of the nominees had prosecutorial experience.
“People on both sides of the aisle want to put the bad guys away. With regards to those at the district court and clerk magistrate level, their political views aren’t really going to come into play unless their views indicate they will be soft on crime, because in that case, apply elsewhere,” Romney said.

The governor said that, so far, he has had few chances to appoint judges to the highest state courts, where his criteria would change to include “strict construction, judicial philosophy.”

Regarding the relative number of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats among the judicial nominees by Romney, it is very important to consider that every one of Governor Romney’s judicial nominees had to be approved by the “Governor’s Council”, a popularly-elected board that was dominated by Democrats in eight of nine positions on the Council during Romney’s term in office. Lt. Gov. Healey, who chaired the Governor’s Council, was the only Republican.
David French, a Harvard graduate working for the non-profit Alliance Defense Fund and a leading constitutional lawyer wrote:

“Imagine a situation where the President of the United States had to run all of his judicial nominees by a Senate that contained 85% Democrats—most of them of the radical sort. That would change the picture a bit, wouldn’t it? I think the best way to think of Governor Romney’s track record in nominating judges is that he did the best that he could have done.”
(A Comment from a Romney Opponent (or a “Pre-supporter?”), David French, Jan. 5, 2007 post at EvangelicalsForMitt.org)
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Homosexual Rights

Romney has always opposed same-sex marriage. He diligently lobbied Congress in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage to be between one man and one woman. Romney testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the Federal Marriage Amendment, and sent a letter to all 100 U.S. Senators on June 2, 2006 asking them to vote for the Amendment. Sen. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani opposed the FMA.

Governor Romney: “A lot of people get confused that gay marriage is about treating gay people the same as treating heterosexual people, and that’s not the issue involved here.”
“This is about the development and nurturing of children. Marriage is primarily an institution to help develop children, and children’s development, I believe, is greatly enhanced by access to a mom and a dad.”

“I think every child deserves a mom and a dad, and that’s why I’m so consistent and vehement in my view that we should have a federal amendment which defines marriage in that way.”
(ABC News This Week interview with Mitt Romney on Feb 18, 2007) (Mitt TV Clip)

When the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in the case of Goodridge v. Department of Public Health legalized same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, Gov. Romney identified and enforced a little-known 1913 state law that forbids nonresidents from marrying in Massachusetts if their marriage would not be recognized in their home state. This prevented gay couples living outside Massachusetts from flocking to MA to be married and then returning to their home states to demand the marriages be recognized, thus opening the door for nationwide same-sex marriage. Implementation of the 1913 law was contested in court by same-sex couples from outside MA, but the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in March, 2006 to uphold the application of the law.
(Mass. high court says nonresident gays cannot marry in state, Boston Globe, March 30, 2006)

Gov. Romney provided active support for a citizen petition drive in 2005 that collected 170,000+ signatures for a state constitutional amendment protecting marriage. He rallied citizens to place pressure on the Legislature for failing, through repeated delays, to fulfill their constitutional obligation to vote on placing the marriage amendment on the ballot. Gov. Romney filed suit in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) asking the court to clarify the legislators’ duty to vote on the issue of the amendment, or place the amendment on the ballot if the Legislature failed to act. The SJC declared that legislators had a constitutional duty to vote on the petition in a ruling handed down on Dec. 27, 2006. The suit was successful in pressuring the Legislature to vote on the issue of the amendment. A vote was taken on January 2, 2007 and the measure passed. Through Governor Romney’s considerable efforts and leadership, a state constitutional amendment defining marriage to be between one man and one woman has passed a critical hurdle to get it placed on the 2008 ballot where voters in Massachusetts will have the power to restore traditional marriage in their state.

Mitt Romney does not favor action at the national level to sanction civil unions and would leave it to the several states to define the permissible contractual relationships between two people. Romney would not seek to impose, at the national level, a prohibition on contractual relationships between two people.
(ABC News This Week interview with Mitt Romney on Feb 18, 2007)

Governor Romney strongly defended the right of Catholic Charities in Massachusetts to deny placing adoptive children in the homes of gay couples; saying it was unjust to require a religious agency to violate the tenets of its faith in order to satisfy a special-interest group. Romney filed “An Act Protecting Religious Freedom” in the Legislature, a bill to exempt Catholic Charities of Boston and other religious groups from the state anti-discrimination law.
(Romney files ‘religious freedom’ bill on church and gay adoption, Boston Globe, March 15, 2006)

Whereas Mitt Romney believes sexual orientation should not preclude joining the Boy Scouts, he supports the right of local Councils of the Boy Scouts of America to decide and enforce their policy regarding homosexuals in their organization and leadership. Romney served on the Boy Scouts of America’s National Executive Board from 1993 to 2002.

Governor Romney responded to a question about the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and gays in the military during an NRO interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez in December, 2006:

Lopez: And what about the 1994 letter to the Log Cabin Republicans where you indicated you would support the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and seemed open to changing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military? Are those your positions today?
Gov. Romney: “No. I don’t see the need for new or special legislation. My experience over the past several years as governor has convinced me that ENDA would be an overly broad law that would open a litigation floodgate and unfairly penalize employers at the hands of activist judges.”

“As for military policy and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, I trust the counsel of those in uniform who have set these policies over a dozen years ago. I agree with President Bush’s decision to maintain this policy and I would do the same.”
(A Primary Factor, NRO, December 14, 2006)

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Immigration

Governor Romney: “I’m against an amnesty and against anything that provides an incentive for people to come here illegally.”
(Matinee Mitt, National Review cover story, June 20, 2005)
Governor Romney: “I don’t think there should be a pathway to citizenship for people who are here illegally.”
(Romney: Reform immigration, allow students to stay, The Des Moines Register, March 23, 2007)

Governor Romney strongly opposes the McCain-Kennedy approach to immigration reform or other amnesty measures offering benefits to those in the country illegally.

Governor Romney: “McCain-Kennedy isn’t the answer. As governor, I took a very different approach. I authorized our state police to enforce immigration laws. I vetoed a tuition break for illegals and said no to driver’s licenses. McCain-Kennedy gives benefits to illegals that would cost taxpayers millions. And more importantly, amnesty didn’t work 20 years ago, and it won’t work today.”
(CPAC 2007 Speech, March 2, 2007)

Governor Romney: “Immigration has been an important part of our nation’s success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.”

Governor Romney: “We need to make America more attractive for legal immigrants for citizens and less attractive for illegal immigrants. I want to see more immigration in our country, but more legal immigration and less illegal immigration.”
(AP, June 23, 2006)

Mitt Romney opposed a bill that would have allowed illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses.

Romney vetoed a bill in 2004 that would have given illegal aliens the right to in-state tuition at public universities.

Romney arranged a federal and state agreement enabling Massachusetts State Troopers to investigate immigration status and arrest illegal aliens they encounter during the normal course of their duties.
(Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact, Dec. 13, 2006) (Video: Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio debates LULAC spokesman about MA pact with ICE)

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was named as Honorary Chair for the Romney for President campaign in Arizona. Sheriff Arpaio, better known as “America’s Toughest Sheriff”, has gained a nationwide reputation for his tough stance on crime, illegal immigration and border security in the nation’s fourth largest county.

“I like him,” Arpaio said of Mitt Romney. “He’s a man of principle, of good character. He did a great job in Massachusetts and I feel he’s going to make a great president.”
“I’m sure the governor believes in my philosophy too,” Arpaio said. “He sure would not be asking for my endorsement if he didn’t believe in what I’m doing.”
(Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Tells FOX News Why Mitt Romney Picked Him for Presidential Campaign, Fox News, Feb. 28, 2007)

Video: Sheriff Arpaio Explains Why He Endorses Mitt Romney For President, Fox News
Video: Neil Cavuto Interviews Sheriff Arpaio About Mitt Romney Endorsement (McCain, Giuliani, Hunter, and Tancredo mentioned)

Romney proposes an immigration plan with the following features:
1. Strong border and internal enforcement and security. Romney strongly supports a wall, fence or other effective restraint along the U.S.-Mexico border.
(Romney calls for border barrier, The Dallas Morning News, April 12, 2007)
2. An enhanced, fair and workable employee verification system with tamper proof, bio-metric ID that eliminates the burden and uncertainty of the current workplace enforcement system. Employers that hire workers without the proper credentials are subject to fines.

3. A temporary worker program that enables willing foreign workers to be matched with participating employers to meet increasing workforce needs.

4. Provisions that will allow undocumented workers to earn legal status so that they can continue to remain in the workforce. People who are here illegally should not be granted citizenship or get any benefit by being here and should go to the back of the line behind all those who have applied for citizenship.

For the 12+ million illegal aliens in the country now, Romney favors deportation of criminal illegal aliens and deportation of illegal aliens who refuse to get off public welfare assistance.

Watch the video of Mitt Romney discussing his immigration plans during a townhall meeting in New Hampshire.

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Government Spending and Taxes

Governor Mitt Romney inherited a $3 billion deficit in Massachusetts upon taking office in 2003 and the state was losing thousands of jobs every month. Over the course of his administration, without raising taxes or increasing debt, he balanced the state budget each year with a 85% majority Democrat Legislature and erased the deficit by cutting wasteful spending and government jobs and enacting economic reforms to spur growth. The state had a $1 billion budget surplus in 2005 and new jobs in MA were up 60,000 from the low point by the end of his term. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts was averaging more than a full percentage point lower when he left office in 2007. (Mitt TV Clip)
In the four balanced budgets he signed into law, Governor Romney used the line-item veto or program reduction power to cut spending by nearly $1 Billion. Over the course of four budgets, Governor Romney made over 300 line-item reductions, 350 line-item eliminations and struck language 150 times. (Governor Mitt Romney signs no new tax budget in time for new fiscal year, June 30, 2003) • (Governor Mitt Romney signs $22.402b fiscal year 2005 ‘no new tax’ budget, June 25, 2004) • (Governor Mitt Romney signs into law $23.8 billion budget for fiscal year ‘06, June 30, 2005) • (Governor Mitt Romney signs $25.2 billion fiscal year 2007 state budget, July 8, 2006)

Spending in the Governor’s office dropped from $5.6 million in 2002 to $4.6 million in 2006.
(Romney Transfers Funds From Governor’s Office to Pay Military Benefit, November 3, 2006)

Careful examination of the complete story of Mitt Romney’s record in managing the state budget of Massachusetts leads an honest reviewer to the conclusion that his term as Governor was a remarkable success story of fiscal conservatism in government.
(Romney often casts himself as budget hero, Boston Globe, October 24, 2005)

Gov. Romney was instrumental in passing a bill abolishing a retroactive capital gains tax in the state that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay an additional $200 million in state taxes and fees. The law also will result in refunds of between $225 million and $275 million over four years to an estimated 157,000 taxpayers. Video: On Fighting for Lower Taxes
(Romney Signs Bill Abolishing Retroactive Tax, December 8, 2005)

Gov. Romney sought to cut the state income tax from 5.3% to 5% in the annual budget he submitted in each of his last three years in office. (Amid Record Revenues, Romney and Healey Renew Call for Tax Cut, May 2, 2006) • (Romney Calls for Tax Cut as Revenues Come Flooding In, October 3, 2005)

Gov. Romney’s administration extended the 3% investment tax credit for five years, passed sales tax holidays, and gave tax breaks to medical manufacturing companies.
(Romney Announces Extension of Investment Tax Credit, June 25, 2003) (Romney Approves Tax-Free Shopping Holiday, July 22, 2005)

Gov. Romney’s administration gave real estate tax breaks to senior citizens, and expanded tax benefits for disabled veterans.
(Romney Signs Bill to Give Seniors Tax Relief, November 20, 2005) (Romney Expands Tax Benefits for Disabled Veterans, August 14, 2006)

Mitt Romney never took a paycheck for his time as Governor of Massachusetts.
(Romney passes up $135K governor salary, Boston Business Journal, December 31, 2002)

When Gov. Romney left office in 2007, there were 600 fewer government workers employed by the state of Massachusetts than at the beginning of his term.

Governor Mitt Romney signed Americans For Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” affirming as part of the pledge that he will “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates” and “oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits.” Romney signed on January 4, 2007 making him the first potential 2008 presidential candidate to sign the pledge.
(Governor Mitt Romney Signs “Taxpayer Protection Pledge”, Jan 4, 2007)

Presidential Campaign Platform

Governor Mitt Romney pledges, if elected President, to cap non-defense, discretionary federal spending at inflation minus 1 percent. That would save $300 billion in ten years. Romney pledges to veto any federal budget that exceeds the cap.
Mitt Romney pledges to personally lead a top-to-bottom review of federal government programs, agencies, procurement and spending to eliminate waste, inefficiency and duplication.

At the 2007 Conservative Political Action Conference (3/2/07), Gov. Romney talked about his plans to restrain government spending and eliminate waste and inefficiency (view the video clip). MUST SEE Mitt TV!

As President, Governor Romney Will Fight To Permanently Abolish The Death Tax.
(Policy Briefing: Abolishing The Death Tax)

Governor Romney Proposes Lower Tax Rates For All Americans.

Governor Romney Believes Our Corporate Tax Rate Must Be Competitive With The Rest Of The World.

To Protect American Taxpayers, Governor Mitt Romney Calls On Congress To Re-Impose A Three-Fifths (60%) Supermajority Requirement To Raise Taxes.

Romney included the following campaign platform items about federal budgets, spending, taxes, regulatory relief, and national tort reform in an economic policy speech at the Detroit Economic Club on Feb. 7, 2007:

FISCAL DISCIPLINE: Unless Given The Line-Item Veto, Governor Romney Would Veto Any Appropriations Bills If They Exceed Spending Targets. “I have a fairly simple idea for keeping spending in check. Give Congress a spending target and then insist that it is met. If Congress does not meet the spending targets, then its appropriations bills should be vetoed. I regularly exercised my veto power while governor. The alternative is for the Congress to vest the President with a power held in some form by 43 governors, including this Governor - the line-item veto.” (Mitt TV Clip)
MAKING THE 2001 AND 2003 TAX CUTS PERMANENT: “Which course is better for America? A European model of high taxes and regulations? Or, low taxes and free trade - the Ronald Reagan model? That’s the choice the next President will make. Some are already fighting to implement a massive tax increase. Instead, we should make the tax cuts permanent.” (Mitt TV Clip)

REFORMING THE TAX CODE: “However, making the tax cuts permanent is only the first step. We also need reform of the tax code that moves towards a tax system that encourages growth, fairness, and simplicity.”

TAX FREE SAVINGS: Governor Romney Proposes Allowing People To Save Tax Free. “It is time to make saving easy in America. I believe people should be allowed to earn interest, dividends and capital gains up to a certain amount a year, tax free and without restrictions on how or when their savings and investments are spent. As an example, let’s say we chose $5,000 for joint filers as the annual tax free figure for dividends, interest and capital gains. This would help middle class families to be able to save and to invest - and spend their savings the American way: any way they want.” (Mitt TV Clip)

REGULATORY RELIEF: Governor Romney Would Reinstitute A Regulatory Relief Board To Cut Back Regulations That Choke Off Growth. “Our regulatory burden is also overbearing. I’d re-institute a regulatory relief board to cut back the regulation weeds that choke off growth. One that deserves pruning is Sarbanes Oxley - it’s driving away IPO’s, depressing jobs, and requiring billions of unnecessary cost. Executives who violate the law should go to jail, but the entire economy shouldn’t have pay an inordinate price for the sins of the few bad actors.”

NATIONAL TORT REFORM: Governor Romney Believes America Needs National Tort Reform, Not Reform State-By-State. “Another burden on our economic future is our out-of-control tort system. Last year, U.S. corporations spent more money on tort claims than they did on R&D. If innovation is the key to our long term leadership, then some tort lawyers are cashing out our country’s future. I spoke with one member of the plaintiff’s bar the other day. He said that the tort lawyers are ok with state reform, but not national reform. You know what state level tort reform means - it means that as long as there is one lawsuit-friendly state, they can sue almost any major, deep-pocketed company in America. No thanks, America needs national tort reform.” (Mitt TV Clip)

Mitt Romney has received the endorsement of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) who is a leading figure in the U.S. Senate advocating reduced federal budget spending and smaller government (a hero to fiscal conservatives). Video: Feb. 2, 2007 Fox News: Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) describes why he believes Gov. Romney is the best choice for president Video: Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) shares his thoughts on Mitt Romney
Romney received the endorsement of Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) who is a leading fiscal conservative in the U.S. House, head of the House Conservatives Fund and a key player in the Republican Study Committee. Rep. Feeney also serves on the Florida Steering Committee for Mitt Romney. Video: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) shares his thoughts on Mitt Romney

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Campaign Finance Reform

Governor Mitt Romney is calling for the repeal of McCain-Feingold.
• Governor Romney will fight to restore the free speech rights of the American people.
• Governor Romney believes grassroots organizations and activism should be encouraged, not restricted.
• Governor Romney believes that there must be more transparency and disclosure in campaign finance.
The American people have the right to engage in the democratic process without burdensome and technical federal limitations
• Americans must be able to safely exercise First Amendment rights without a team of lawyers.
Governor Romney believes we should enact campaign finance reforms that are guided by three core principles:
• Promoting transparency and disclosure
• Protecting the First Amendment and the ability to criticize or endorse current officeholders and candidates
• Preserving grassroots activism.
(Policy Briefing: Repealing McCain-Feingold, Press Release, March 2, 2007)
Mitt TV Segment On the Need to Repeal McCain-Feingold
Governor Mitt Romney discusses Campaign Finance Reform with Dennis Prager
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Public Education

“Under Governor Romney’s leadership, Massachusetts’ fourth and eighth grade students ranked first in reading and tied for first in mathematics. In 2004, Governor Romney helped ensure more students received a higher education by establishing the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program to reward the highest performing Massachusetts high school graduates with a four-year, tuition-free scholarship to state universities or colleges. In three years, more than 14,000 top-scoring high school seniors have been awarded these scholarships.”
(Mitt Romney Campaign Website | Learn About Mitt | Our Stories | Governor Romney’s Record)
Governor Romney strongly supported a successful ballot initiative that replaced the state’s bilingual program with English immersion.
(Romney Vows to Protect English Immersion Law, May 1, 2003)

Governor Romney demonstrated his commitment to school-choice by vetoing a bill that would have canceled funding for Massachusetts’ charter-school program.
(Romney to Veto Charter School Moratorium, June 23, 2004)

Governor Romney: “At some point, I think America — and, importantly, the minority communities — are going to say, ‘it’s time to split with our friends, the unions and the Democratic Party, and put our kids first here.’ Unequal educational opportunity is the civil rights issue of our time.”
(Tulsa World, March 7, 2006)

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Crime

Governor Romney proposed and signed “Melanie’s Law,” a tough new drunk driving law that stiffened penalties on drunk drivers and closed legal loopholes that allowed repeat offenders to get behind the wheel.
(Romney Celebrates the Passage of Melanie’s Bill, October 28, 2005)
Gov. Romney proposed and signed the “McNamara Bill,” a law extending death benefits to the families of volunteer and part-time public safety officers who die in the line of duty.
(Romney Approves Death Benefit for McNamara Family, November 8, 2005)

Saying he was committed to keeping families and their children safe, Governor Romney signed a section of a supplemental spending bill to publish the state’s most dangerous sex offenders photos and addresses on the Internet. Romney also signed the section requiring incarcerated offenders to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) 48 hours prior to their release from prison or else be denied release.
(Romney Signs Sex Offender Changes Into Law, November 24, 2003)

Governor Romney signed legislation that entered Massachusetts into the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision, a national system that monitors the movement of the estimated five million convicted criminals nationwide who have been released on probation or parole. The legislation closed a gap in the law to help authorities more accurately monitor those with criminal histories.
(Romney Signs Bill to Track Released Criminals, October 27, 2005)

Governor Romney took aim at gang violence and witness intimidation by signing into law a measure that enables prosecutors to seek punishment for those who attempt to interfere with cases by intimidating potential witnesses. The legislation established a witness protection program in the state for the first time. The law also made it a crime to circulate grand jury testimony with the intent to impede criminal proceedings or deter witnesses from testifying.
(Romney Signs Bill to Crack Down On Gang Violence, March 30, 2006)

Governor Mitt Romney signed legislation requiring all convicted felons to provide DNA samples to the state’s database. The law will create a greatly expanded database to help law enforcement officers compare crime scene evidence against DNA samples for known offenders.
(Romney Signs Law to Expand State DNA Database, November 12, 2003)

Governor Romney signed into law a measure that allowed law enforcement officials to use stun guns, bringing Massachusetts in line with nearly every other state in the nation and ensuring police professionals had the most effective tools available to them to protect the public’s safety.
(Romney Approves Electronic Weapons for Law Enforcement, July 15, 2004)

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Healthcare

“Massachusetts in 2002 was spending an enormous amount of public money on health care—and yet leaving almost one 10th of its population uncovered. Romney became more and more interested in this problem and demanded a detailed survey of the uninsured population.”
“The big surprise revealed by Romney’s investigation: The uninsured were not as poor as everybody had assumed they were. A majority of them could have bought health insurance if they wanted to—they chose not to buy, because they regarded health insurance as a bad deal. It cost too much—especially for the self-employed, for whom health insurance is not tax deductible. It covered too much. And everybody knew that even if you did not buy it, hospitals would care for you all the same.”
(Could This Man Be the Next U.S. President?, David Frum, January 10, 2007)

Under federal law, nearly all hospitals are required to provide a certain level of treatment to all patients who visit their emergency rooms, regardless of those patients’ ability to pay. Governor Romney sought a way to prevent the free-rider problem: those who take advantage of emergency services and then skip out on the charges, leaving taxpayers to cover the bill. In a very real sense, we already have “universal healthcare” in the U.S., but many are not paying their share of the cost for the services they receive.

Governor Romney secured the enactment of a market-based, private sector healthcare reform plan supported by the Heritage Foundation, America’s premier conservative think tank.

The Massachusetts healthcare reform law enacted by Governor Romney is not socialized medicine. It is not a single-payer system involving government takeover and control of medical care in the state. It is not HillaryCare.

Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation: “Romney’s plan also got a thumbs up from an unlikely source yesterday – Barbara Anderson, head of Citizens for Limited Taxation, a group that often looks with deep suspicion on government mandates and programs. … The tax activist said that Romney is proposing universal insurance, not universal health care – which Anderson said society effectively already has, as almost no one is denied care even if they can’t pay for it. ‘Let’s just face that reality and deal with it,’ Anderson said, adding that covering more people will reduce costs to taxpayers.”
(Jay Fitzgerald, “Romney Wins Health-Y Reviews,” Boston Herald, June 23, 2005)

The key element of Gov. Romney’s healthcare reform law in Massachusetts is a new, statewide “Connector,” a private, state-chartered clearinghouse where workers in businesses with 50 or fewer employees — and any other individual seeking insurance — can purchase coverage. A small business simply designates the Connector as its group health insurance plan, and its workers can then choose from the menu of health plans the Connector offers.

Workers can switch plans annually, at standard rates, and keep coverage as they move from job to job, with both employer and worker premiums paid on a pre-tax basis. The reform law exploits a loophole in federal law that enables the self-employed to buy insurance with pre-tax dollars, just like employees. HMOs are permitted to offer HSA-qualified, high-deductible plans which are more affordable. Insurance plans in the Connector are permitted to contract with health care providers offering the best value, and it permits insurers to offer lower cost plans to individuals between ages 19 and 26.

Gov. Romney’s reform law redirected state and federal Medicaid dollars to provide lower-income individuals with a subsidy (essentially a voucher) to help them purchase private health insurance. The healthcare reform law mandates that all individuals buy an insurance policy; no more free riding at hospital emergency rooms. Regulatory changes in the healthcare reform plan permit residents to satisfy the mandate simply by purchasing catastrophic coverage through a high-deductible health plan or a Health Savings Account (HSA). These changes made the mandate less of a burden than it otherwise would have been.

The Democrat-controlled Legislature of Massachusetts degraded the original proposal from Gov. Romney by adding an employer fee mandate, and by adding fines for individuals who refuse to buy healthcare coverage; the original proposal required them to “self insure” by posting a $10,000 bond for hospital care they might not be able to afford. Furthermore, the Legislature expanded Medicaid coverage to a larger base of children in low-income families and restored funding for public health programs which were not part of Gov. Romney’s original proposal. The Legislature rejected Governor Romney’s proposal to permit high-deductible, low benefit health plans.

Governor Romney vetoed eight sections of the healthcare legislation, including the employer fee mandate. He also vetoed provisions providing dental benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. The Legislature overrode all of the eight vetoes.

The first round of competitive bids for “Commonwealth Choice” non-subsidized insurance policies have been received and the news is encouraging, especially considering the misleading initial information that received national attention indicating the average preliminary premium bid was $380.

“Premiums as low at $153 (Neighborhood Health Plan premiums, with prescription drugs, outside Eastern MA — below $100 when treated as non-taxable income) reduce significantly the legitimate affordability worries that greeted the $380 number. In fact, the $380 number was artificial — an average that included some ridiculously high estimates by carriers that had no desire to play in this market.”
(The Bids Are In, II: So What Does This All Mean?, Health Care For All, March 3, 2007)
The plans with the lowest premiums and deductibles ranging up to $2000 are substantially less costly than the original estimates for coverage which were in the range of $190-$200 at the time the Massachusetts Legislature debated the healthcare reform plan.

Gov. Romney discussed the Massachusetts healthcare reform law with Neil Cavuto on Fox News on April 12, 2006.

In a December, 2006 interview for Human Events, Gov. Romney was asked about the healthcare initiative in Massachusetts and its suitability for the nation:

Question: One of the other things you accomplished as governor was a healthcare plan for Massachusetts, which has been both lauded and criticized by some libertarians and conservatives. Is this something you would consider proposing for the federal government as well?
Romney’s response: “My current thinking on that is that the states as laboratories really play a very useful role for the nation. There are some aspects of what we proposed and put in our health plan that actually could be helpful for the entire nation and may well figure into national legislation. But there are others that really are peculiar to the state of Massachusetts, and I’d like to see how they work in Massachusetts, and frankly to see what other states do. Because I wouldn’t be surprised if some other states came up with ideas, borrowing from our own experience, that could be better than ours.”

“I don’t think we’re ready as a nation to adopt a Massachusetts plan for the entire nation. I’d like to learn more from other states, perhaps take some things that we found and get them under way right away. For instance, all the mandates we put on insurance—that just makes insurance more expensive than it ought to be. There’s a need also to allow people to own their own insurance policy rather than having a company decide which insurance you get. There are features in our plan that I think could be helpful, but time’s going to tell, because we want to hear what other states have to say.”
(Q&A: Mitt Romney Discusses Iraq War, Reagan’s Influence and Gay Marriage, Human Events, Dec. 28, 2006)

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Environmental and Energy Policy

“We must become independent from foreign sources of oil. This will mean a combination of efforts related to conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification, and finding more domestic sources of oil such as in ANWR or the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).”
(Mitt Romney Campaign Website | Issue Watch | Energy)
Gov. Romney would review how government invests our research dollars. He believes the United States must invest more research dollars in power generation, fuel technology and materials science.
(Policy Briefing: Supporting Clean Coal Technologies)

Governor Romney: “We’re using too much oil. We have an answer. We can use alternative sources of energy — biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear power — and we can drill for more oil here. We can be more energy independent and we can be far more efficient in the use of that energy.”
(Waterloo Courier, September 29, 2006)

FUEL EFFICIENCY: Governor Romney Would Evaluate Reforms To CAFE Standards To Develop A Better Way To Get Higher Fleet Mileage Without Market Distortions. “What does this mean for Detroit? Well, it means that the automotive fleet will have to become more fuel efficient. CAFE improved mileage initially, but the consumer has gotten around it over the last couple of decades. CAFE has some real problems. It distorts the market. It penalizes the domestic automakers. It can ignore technical realities. So before I would change the CAFE standards, I want to sit down with every major knowledgeable party and evaluate each of the alternatives. A good number have been proposed; let’s decide which is the best course by looking at the data and analysis, rather than by playing to the TV cameras Let’s not forget that a far more fuel efficient fleet must be part of our energy future. The issue is which is the least distorting way to achieve it.”
(Mitt TV Clip, Detroit Economic Club on Feb. 7, 2007)

Governor Mitt Romney on the Current Environmental Debate
Friday, Feb 23, 2007

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the current environmental debate. Saying that South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was right on this issue, he continued:
“Unfortunately, some in the Republican Party are embracing the radical environmental ideas of the liberal left. As governor, I found that thoughtful environmentalism need not be anti-growth and anti-jobs. But Kyoto-style sweeping mandates, imposed unilaterally in the United States, would kill jobs, depress growth and shift manufacturing to the dirtiest developing nations.”

“Republicans should never abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore. Instead of sweeping mandates, we must use America’s power of innovation to develop alternative sources of energy and new technologies that use energy more efficiently.”

Governor Romney opposed mandatory, Kyoto-like “global warming” regulations in Massachusetts, opting instead for voluntary, pro-growth measures to improve the environment and reduce carbon emissions.
(Romney Unveils Climate Protection Plan for Massachusetts, May 6, 2004)
Gov. Romney signed energy legislation to soften the impact of high home heating costs on low income residents. The law also enabled income-eligible taxpayers to apply for income tax deductions for home heating costs and provided incentives for individuals and businesses to undertake upgrades that promote energy efficiency.
(Romney Signs Legislation to Provide Energy Price Relief and Increase Conservation, November 22, 2005)

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Highly Successful Business Career in the Private Sector, Harvard MBA and Law Degree

“Prior to his Olympic service, Mitt Romney enjoyed a successful career helping businesses grow and improve their operations. From 1978 to 1984, Mr. Romney was a Vice President at Bain & Company, Inc., a leading management consulting firm. In 1984, Romney founded Bain Capital, one of the nation’s most successful venture capital and investment companies. Bain Capital helped launch hundreds of companies on a successful course, including Staples, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Domino’s Pizza, Sealy, Brookstone, and The Sports Authority. He was asked to return to Bain & Company as CEO several years later in order to lead a financial restructuring of the organization. Today, Bain & Company employs more than 2,000 people in 25 offices worldwide.”
(Mitt Romney Campaign Website | Learn About Mitt | Mitt’s Biography)
“During the 14 years Romney headed Bain Capital, the firm’s average annual internal rate of return on realized investments was a staggering 113 percent. At that growth rate, a hypothetical $1,000 investment would grow to $39.6 million before fees. Few, if any, venture capital firms have ever matched Bain Capital’s performance under Mitt Romney.”
(Mister PowerPoint Goes to Washington, Matthew Rees, December 01, 2006)

“Governor Romney received his B.A., with Highest Honors from Brigham Young University in 1971 (graduating class valedictorian). In 1975, he was awarded an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar, and a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Harvard Law School.”
(Mitt Romney Campaign Website | Learn About Mitt | Mitt’s Biography)

The top academic honor at Harvard Business School is the Baker Scholar designation (High Distinction), given to the top 5% of the graduating MBA class. Mitt Romney studied under a joint MBA/JD degree program at Harvard and graduated with honors in four years with both degrees. The MBA degree and JD degree program at Harvard normally require two and three years, respectively (five years total taken consecutively).

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