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)
Romney did not flip suddenly or casually away from pro-choice to pro-life. His conversion was based on careful self-examination and maturity. I don’t believe he will flop back to pro-abortion. I hope he does not prove me wrong.
If that were true, you wouldn't be considering backing Romney.
Look pal, its not encouraging to see "so-called" conservatives running around Free Republic telling people, when Fred drops out, you'll move over to Romney. If you don't see a problem with that line of reasoning, I doubt you're a conservative. The facts on Romney speak for themselves. Btw, it takes zero intelligence to support a liberal.
The stench of his past and present is enough to gag a maggot.
His statements and actions say otherwise.
Get over it.
Get your facts straight.
I sure enjoyed your analysis and comments. The biggest thing that scares me about him is the 2d ammendment stuff, which I think he is weak on. I guess since DH is out and Fred is looking down (maybe out?) I’d have to pick him over Ron Paul. After that, I’m staying home.
OUCH!
Strong! LOL.
“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:
Romney Supports Ban on Weapons of ‘Extraordinary Lethality’”
Thank you, chalk that up in the lib category. It wasn’t on his website.
pm,
You are making the classic case of listening to what Mitt
says and not judging him based on what he does. There is
no historical reason to believe anything he says. It doesn’t
reflect any belief. It reflects his desire to win the Presidency.
Read an interesting Mormon blog post about an hour or so about that. Take your average Mormon who is politically active and would vote in the primaries.
Now you have the front runner choices of Romney, McCain, and Huckabee. Lets say for arguement sake that Romney is NOT a Mormon.
Now who does the Mormon vote for?
Answer is still Romney.
Why? Because Huck and McCain both have record of anti-Mormon rhetoric. Huck posing the fake question of "Don't Mormons believe Jesus and Satan are brothers" and McCain's campaign eluding to the Mormon church supporting Hamas and treating women like the Taliban.
Imo McCain's campaign statements were worse then Huck's supposedly honest(yea right) question.
Enter Romney who hasn't said anything about other candidates religions at all and recognizes that if he was President he would need the prayers of all faiths.
Romney LDS or not out of the three front runners GOP LDS voters are going to vote Romney because of the treatment the other two have given the religion.
You have got him right in the cross hairs.
You could have saved a lot of typing by just posting the FR link to the RomneyTruthFile !
You are either the most gullible person on the planet or are a paid MYTH operative.
I'm going to assume that if Fred drops you'll be staying home, writing him in or just leaving the top of the ticket blank. That's fine if that's your conviction, but we will just have to agree to disagree. Have a pleasant day.
Good point actually. As a Mormon, I have been supporting Duncan Hunter, then Fred. If I end up voting for Romney, it will be because he’s the best of whats left, not because of him sharing my faith.
I do think there is a certain “isnt that neat” factor that the church community has about him with it being a novelty and all. This is identical to Baptists who dont follow politics much but vote for Huckabee simply because he shares their faith. Just remember, 90% of voters dont really look too deep into this stuff before voting. I dont fall into that group myself.
“Why does the bigotry just flow one way and not the other?”
Good point. However, Romney is NOT NOT NOT campaigning AS a mormon. I think Huck is campaigning AS a Christian. The people who voted for Romney BECAUSE he’s a mormon are bigots, but you can’t hold that against Mitt.
The mormon issue, because it isn’t part of his policy/platform, is outside the scope of this thread.
The mandate was for low-income women on medicaid. By Romney's own words, 7% of Massachusetts' population was covered by RomneyCare that previously had not bought into insurance coverage. By Romney's own words, he said about 1/4th of those minus health coverage in the Bay State were earning $75,000 or more (and my estimate would be that at least almost 5% of the female population of Massachusetts were both uninsured and earning above $35,000 a year).
Therefore, RomneyCare provided $50 abortions to almost 5% of the female population who were not eligible for medicaid. Want to offer any more disengenous comments?
You are the only one lying around here.
Oh sorry, MYTH is lying as well.
Romney did some democrat things in MA. Some of that is due to the very liberal legislature. He compromised with the legislature to get legislation passed. But, it was not Romney’s fault that the insurance paid for abortions. That was court ordered. It is also my understanding that he does not support civil unions (George Bush does, unfortunately). He fought against gay marriage.
Romney’s past support for abortion is very troubling. But, I suspect deep down, as a Mormon, he really does lean pro-life. In an election of RINOs, I believe Romney is probably the best of the bunch.
bump for reference. Romney was not my first choice; however, I’ll vote for him which is more than I’ll do for McCain or Huckabee.
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