Posted on 01/21/2008 11:33:00 AM PST by pianomikey
This is an analysis of Mitt's CURRENT positions and proposals: He's got problems with his past, but no frontrunner doesn't, but that's for another thread. I'm taking all information from his website and current news releases, starting with his entrance into the race.
Mitt's catching on it seems, so I'm posting this largely for my own reference and for other freepers to join in if they want. The other purpose is to catalogue his positions so we can spot changes OVER THE COURSE OF CAMPAIGNING. It'll be a good measure of overall campaign consistency.
Conservative:
-"I believe that we are overtaxed and government is overfed. Washington is spending too much money." (romney 2-13-07)
-Veto domestic nondefense discretionary appropriations that increase spending by more than inflation minus one percent.(website)
-Impose congressional rule requiring a three-fifths (60%) supermajority to pass any law that would raise taxes.[this would be great even when fighting dem congress, but it'd be hard to pass](website)
-"The key to effective homeland security, in my view, is intelligence, finding the attackers before they attack, gathering and analyzing tips, monitoring suspects, wiretapping, surveillance, all of the tools associated with intelligence work." (Romney 2004)
-While there has been much emphasis on protecting facilities and responding to attacks, a key priority must be prevention. (website)
-"I think many of us still fail to comprehend the extent of the threat posed by radical Islam, by Jihad." [ya, half the country!] (romney 4-10-07)
-Governor Romney has called for strategic divestment from companies that support the Iranian regime's dangerous actions, using efforts similar to the actions taken against Apartheid South Africa.[as long as sanctions are only the beginning](website)
-Lower The Corporate Tax Rate.(website)
Zero Rate On Middle Class Savings. Eliminate all taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains for anyone with Adjusted Gross Income under $200,000 to make it easier for the middle class to save. [i like this idea, but it would add to the complexity of an already burdensome tax code. The flat tax does this in its very nature] (website)
Make The Bush Tax Cuts Permanent, Eliminate The Death Tax Once And For All. (website)
Implement National Tort Reform. [put Edwardsesque leeches out of business for good!](website)
-Pursue our domestic sources of energy, drawing from our broad and diverse base of options, including opening ANWR to oil and natural gas development.(website)
-Accelerate construction of new nuclear power plants in order to ensure that nuclear power continues to be a part of a robust, cleaner, and reliable energy mix.[directly resulting from EPA/envirowhackos etc, we've become practically 3rd world in our nuclear power supply. This is ridiculous](website)
-Pursue our domestic sources of energy, drawing from our broad and diverse base of options, including opening ANWR to oil and natural gas development.[ANWR=good](website)
-Follow through on Congressional commitment to build a physical and technological fence along the southern border, and secure other points of entry.[None of this virtual fence stuff! Incredibly, the only time when Fed govt has a direct right and responsibility to take action, they drag their feet](website)
-Do not give amnesty or any special pathway to those who have come to this country illegally.(website)
-Punish Sanctuary Cities, Improve Interior Enforcement, Reject Amnesty.(website)
-Deregulate State Markets. Encourage states to eliminate the cumbersome insurance regulations that drive costs up and providers out of the market. (website)
-Level the playing field by making all health care expenses tax deductible, eliminating the special treatment afforded employer-provided health plans. (wbsite)
-"Conservative principles have the answers for health care. I think I'm going to be able to demonstrate to you today the conservative principles of personal responsibility and free market dynamics and choice and personal care – these kinds of elements allow us to reform health care in such a way that we can solve the problems that America faces in health care without having a government takeover, without having socialized medicine with all its drawbacks and all its weaknesses." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Florida Medical Association, 8/24/07)
-As President, Governor Romney will promote a culture of life. Governor Romney believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned so that the issue of abortion can be returned to the American people and their elected representatives at the state and federal level.[Yes I know he's got a dirty past but he's turned in the right direction. This policy is the correct conservative policy, NOT "making abortion illegal!" like Huck supporters have been calling for. Prez doesn't have that right](website)
-Governor Romney supports a Federal Marriage Amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. (website)
-Appoint Conservative Justices Who Abide By The Constitution. Governor Romney will appoint judges who respect the Constitution and the rule of law, and will not legislate from the bench. (website)
-Repeal McCain-Feingold. Governor Romney believes that McCain-Feingold should be repealed because it restricts our First Amendment rights. He believes we should enact reforms that promote transparency and disclosure, preserve grassroots activism and protect the ability to criticize or endorse current officeholders and candidates. [biggest single assault on our constitutional rights in any of our lifetimes.](website)
-Support Court Decisions That Strengthen The Second Amendment. The Governor applauds court decisions finding the Second Amendment protects an individualized right to keep and bear arms. As President he would support that interpretation and protect the right of every law abiding adult to keep and use firearms. [well and good, but just support constitutionalist judges and it's a non-issue.](website)
-Governor Romney Strongly Opposes The Taking Of Private Property For Private Development. Governor Romney believes that the Kelo property rights case was wrongly decided.(website)
-Governor Romney Will Promote School Choice, will support performance-based pay, Governor Romney Has Proposed A Federal Home Schooling Tax Credit. [similar to vouchers, and definitely a plus.](website)
Iffy:
-address the looming budget crisis caused by increasing entitlement spending in a BIPARTISAN WAY.(website)
-Create A Special Partnership Force (SPF). The SPF will integrate all elements of national power under a new force with leadership drawn from a core group of our Army Special Forces trained to work with civilian governments and intelligence personnel (website)[yet another bureau of govt??]
-Strengthen Global Alliances. The failure of efforts such as the United Nations Human Rights Council has given multilateralism a bad name. America’s strength is amplified when it is combined with the strength of other nations. [America's strength is directly proportional to the strength of our alliances. Multilateralism is acceptable only when subordinate to America's strength and interests. Too often "work together" means "at the expense of USA international interests]
-"I am pro-life. 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." [good, except I don't like "pro-life except" positions.] (Governor Mitt Romney, Boston Globe, Op-Ed, 7/26/05"
-Software Filters To Guard Children From Online Pornography. Governor Romney will work with computer and software companies to make sure all new computers have optional parental control software filters that are ready and easy to use during setup. Governor Romney will also promote and increase awareness of available parental control filtering products for existing computers. [nice idea, but outside the purview of the presidency imo. Nannystatery](website)
Liberal:
Improve Worker Retraining. Consolidate and streamline the numerous federal programs in this area, and focus on giving workers the skills they need to succeed in a global economy.[it is not the responsibility of the federal government to train individuals!](website)
Build And Repair Transportation Infrastructure. [This is buying into the canard that the MN bridge collapse last year was evidence of an aging infrastructure and that federal government needs to swoop in and help. Let state governments maintain and oversee their own transportation systems. The last thing we need is expansion federal power!]
-Dramatically increase federal spending on research, development, and demonstration projects that hold promise for diversifying our energy supply and increasing our energy efficiency. [I call bullshit: private enterprise and investment are the ONLY effective means of innovation and advancement. Computing hardware/software, medical/drug advancements, etc are all the result of private investment, not federal grants! The market WILL drive and decide.](website)
-Support More Severe Punishments For Those Who Commit Crimes With A Firearm. Those who use a firearm during the commission of crime must be punished severely. The key is to provide law enforcement with the resources they need and punish criminals, not burden lawful gun owners. [Lame. Crimes are crimes, gun-involved or not. Demonizes gun ownership.](website)
The flaws in his past are way overstated. The only real blot against him is his once being pro-choice. Other past liberal positions are relatively minor (i.e. supporting gays in the military 14 years ago). Doctrinare economic libertarians don't like his healthcare plan, but most conservatives are okay with it when they evaluate it objectively. That's why the Heritage Foundation supported it.
His position on guns isn't great, but it's pretty much identical to that of President Bush.
He's not without his flaws, but taken as a whole, he's a package most conservatives will like.
Go to anncoulter.com and read the elephant in the room article. I chose Romney in 2006 for his anti-amnesty stance. I didn’t look here, I read the available into I could find on the net back then. I believed his abortion conversion, and Bay Buchanan explained it much better than Mitt did or I can.
And look at the media.... Cameron on FNC never even mentioned Mitt in his updates, the 2 I saw this morning before I quit watching. Mitt is the guy the MSM including FNC who now quality for that status do not want.
As Tancredo said, Mitt did some vetoing of instate tuition, opposed illegals drivers licenses and supported Englith emersion “before it was cool”....which is why Tancredo endorsed Mitt. Tancredo and I are writing in Cavuto if mccain is the nominee.
Sure his CURRENT claims SEEM conservative. The problem is his ACTUAL record bespeaks of a center left guy. Why should we believe him NOW that he is suddenly a conservative?
If this was as bad as Romney gets in regards to the Second Amendment & gun rights, I could hold my nose & vote for him. Sadly, it isn't.
In a December 2007 appearance on NBCs' "Meet the Press", Romney confirmed his support for a ban on semi-automatic "assault weapons", and then went even further, stating that he "would look at weapons that pose extraordinary lethality."
Here's the FR thread on it:
The answer is not one of the moderate-liberal candidate choices of McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee or Romney, and never will be.
>>>>>I’m leaning toward Mitt ..
If liberals turn you on, go for it.
-Lower The Corporate Tax Rate.(website)
“Zero Rate On Middle Class Savings. Eliminate all taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains for anyone with Adjusted Gross Income under $200,000 to make it easier for the middle class to save. [i like this idea, but it would add to the complexity of an already burdensome tax code. The flat tax does this in its very nature] (website) “
Ireland lowered their corporate tax rate to 12% a few years ago, and look what happened. They’re GNP is number one in Europe and they stopped fighting.
The candidate who lowers our corporate taxes will usher in a new age of prosperity.
My God, I can’t believe the people in this forum with their heads up their b*tts, thinking that they’ll “sit out this election before they’ll vote for Romney.”
Duncan Hunter, Fred Thompson are UN-ELECTABLE...I’m sorry to admit that, but they are. So let’s move on. Let’s back Romney, OR AT LEAST GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE SHOULD VOTE HIM.
And if Fred actually does endorse John McCain, then Mitt was the best choice all along. (Anyone who is for McCain has very poor judgement).
You shouldn’t. Why would anyone want to vote for a person with no convictions? One thing I admire about GW Bush is that agree with him or not he sticks to his word. He doesn’t look at polls. Romney’s whole political life has been based on polls and telling people what he thinks they want to hear. Aren’t the traits, of honesty. principle and courage still important? We will never get someone elcted who agrees with any of us on every issue, but I respect the honesty and courage of a Rudy or Mc Cain over a lying weasel like Romney any day. We used to have a saying where I came from..”I will not lie, steal or cheat or tolerate it in others” Romney is an “other”.
Pure nonsense. That's why the president of the ACU endorsed him, right?
Romney raised taxes and called it “fees.”
There's a big difference between fees and taxes. Fees are prices charged to users of specific government services. You only pay them if you use a particular government service. Taxes are charged to everyone.
Making the only people who actually use a government service pay for it , rather than the taxpayer, is a conservative position. That's what Romney did.
Romney made the people who actually drive on the MA turnpike pay more of the cost of maintaining it (the toll still doesn't cover it fully). He made people who actually use state golf courses pay for the cost of upkeep. He made people who get duplicate drivers' lisences pay the cost of getting one. What's wrong with that?
Romney brags about his health care bill that fines people if the don’t sign up for health insurance.
There's nothing wrong with punishing people who act irresponsibly. In fact, that's generally something conservatives support.
It also partially funds abortion.
Massachusetts had taxpayer funded abortion before Romney came into office. The state supreme court, in a really bad decision, mandated it long before Romney's time.
Romney supported and voted for Paul Tsongas against GHW Bush.
That's a lie. He crossed over and voted in the Democratic primary in 1988 because the Republican primary was uncontested. Lots of Republicans did that. He voted for Bush in the general election.
Romney supports “Gay Unions”.
That's a lie.
Just as tepid as my own. This November, there will be a bunch of rabid dims voting for either Hillary of Obama. On the other side, we have disappointed Repubs. If we nominate Romney, I will support him--vote, give $, bumper sticker, etc. If it's Rudy, I will vote for him, I'm pretty sure. If its Huck or McCain, hell, I don't know. I might vote to be anti-dim, and I may not bother. We'll see.
Romeny's past is 2002-2007.
In fairness, none of the remaining candidates have a past that I find either conservative or selflessly putting America first. So, I don’t see a problem with Romney in that respect, although he is quite likely the most likely to flip-flop among the candidates.
There are likely to be many Romney supporters on this thread, so they could address his flip-flops and hypocrisy better than I. I would be interested in their take on his “I am just like you” speech when Huckabee forced his hand after winning Iowa. The fact that he is a Mormon is as big an elephant in the room as his past actions. Will conservatives and especially Evangelicals support Romney in a general election? I recall there were some charges of bigotry from the Romney supporters because voters would not vote for Romney just because he was a Mormon. I think most of that sentiment bubbled to the surface after Huckabee handed him a stinging defeat in Iowa.
In Nevada, one of four GOP voters was a Mormon and Romney received 98% of that vote. I find it hard to believe that he would receive 98% of that vote unless it was just because he was Mormon. So, it is ok to vote for Romney because he is a Mormon, apparently. My question is it not also ok to not vote for him for the same reason? Why does the bigotry just flow one way and not the other? I think this is a fair question and one that begs answering before we move forward to a general election. The hypocrisy is palpable on this issue and his posing down at the border by the fence gives him an appearance of sleaze that his money will not soon wash off.
I know Fred’s still in it and liberals do not “turn me on”. I also know that I am not going to stay for my primary or the election. With that in mind, I have to look at the field and make a choice. I vote on Feb 5th, and if Fred drops before that time, I need to decide on a different candidate. Your first post appeared to be reasonably intelligent, so I thought you might have more to offer. My mistake for asking...
Cuz he is just like a bunch of us. As Fred fades, we've gotta hang our hat somewhere, and it can't be Benedict McQueeg, can it?
I have read that he has flip flopped on abortion and gun control.No on gun control. He stated he believes the second amendment protects an individual right but stands by Mass' draconian laws, supports an assault weapons (whatever they are) ban, supports a ban on weapons of unusual(*) lethality (whatever that means also), and took out an NRA life membership weeks before declaring his candidacy.
“Is his past not relevant?”
The past is definitely relevant, and is an important factor in choosing your candidate. But it was outside the scope of this article which is “Is Romney’s policies Conservative?”
Your rationalizations are amazing. Your last two statements defy what came right out of his mouth.
Romney supports the 2nd admendment for individuals. All the rest is smoke screen stuff.
Get over it.
When you get 98%, you know your are probably dealing with “kool aid” drinkers if you get my drift.
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