Posted on 01/14/2006 8:31:58 PM PST by Connie Servative
Mitt Romney: The November Surprise by Carol Turoff January 14. 2006
An unlikely package of contrasts emerges from Leftachusetts.
In a state that has kept dependable liberals Ted Kennedy (first elected in 1962) and John Kerry (1984) in the senate and Barney Frank (serving since 1980) among its congressional representatives, an atypical political figure has emerged on the Massachusetts horizon.
Never previously having held elective office, Gov. Mitt Romney was elected in 2002 with a decisive margin. The son of George Romney, a former Cabinet member who served three terms as governor of Michigan, Mitt presents an intriguing Republican persona as the 2006 presidential cycle shifts into full gear. Recently named Chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association, he has exhibited an impressive mix of business acumen and political savvy notably lacking in many of the names currently receiving attention. Since announcing he would not seek a second term leading Massachusetts, he has visited the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, which are key in garnering national prominence.
The curiosity of a social and fiscal conservative at the helm of the state of Massachusetts stirs initial interest. A closer look does nothing to dispel the notion that Romney has what it takes to keep Republican occupants in residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Successfully leading the management consulting firm of Bain and Company, the cum laude Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School honors graduate then distinguished himself directing its highly profitable venture capitol spin-off, Bain Capitol.
Called upon to oversee the 2002 Winter Olympics which had been mired in scandal, financial and organizational controversy, Romney became president and CEO of the organizing committee, in what became one of the nation’s most successful Olympic endeavors. Turning a $100 million profit from the debt-ridden organization by scaling back opening and closing ceremonies and holding a tight rein on the purse strings of the committee, required diligence. In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks the preceding year, security concerns presented unique and costly challenges.
Touting his spirited call for volunteerism while in Utah, Romney assembled thousands of eager participants. Deeply involved in his church and long active in numerous civic and charitable organizations, Mitt Romney provided a guiding example for others to follow.
Blessed with movie star good looks, Mitt and Ann Romney have been married thirty-seven years. Surrounded by their five married sons and their families, they resemble the photographs of models manufacturers insert into newly purchased frames. Although Ann was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, she remains committed to her community service projects, notably those helping at-risk girls make positive life choices.
In 2004, Gov. Romney, a steadfast advocate of traditional marriage, filed emergency legislation requesting the state’s highest court stay its order legalizing same-sex “marriage” until Massachusetts residents could vote on the issue. State legislators passed a compromise amendment banning such nuptials while legalizing civil unions. His reaction was swift. “The people of Massachusetts should not be excluded from a decision as fundamental to our society as the definition of marriage,” said Gov. Romney. “This issue is too important to leave to a one-vote majority of the Supreme Judicial Court.”
He takes a jab on his strong, squared chin, from social conservatives who oppose what they see as his squishy positioning on the issue of abortion, however. “While I’ve said time and again that I oppose abortion, I’ve also indicated that I would not change in any way the abortion laws in Massachusetts. And I’ve honored that promise. I take my promises very seriously,” he stated.
Reminiscent of the contemptuous anti-Kennedy crowd in the early 1960’s, wary of electing the first Roman Catholic to the presidency, there are those who balk at pulling the lever for a Mormon. The fact that there are governors, cabinet members and currently five US Senators and thirteen members of the US House of Representatives of both parties who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints should serve to quell such unreasonable concerns. Sen. Harry Reid aside, most faithful LDS adherents tend to hold traditional values.
Meanwhile, throwing judgment to the winds, likely Democrat contender, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) appeared with leftist activist Harry Belafonte at The Children’s Defense Fund’s 2006 Winter Benefit where Clinton confidant and political advisor, Susan Thomases was the honoree.
“Banana Boat” singer, Harry Belafonte, recently traveled to Venezuela to denounce President George W. Bush, calling him “the greatest terrorist in the world.” Embracing the socialist dictator Hugo Chavez, Belafonte enthused, “We respect you, we admire you.”
Then, Hillary’s chum, Harry, warmly declared, “¡Viva la revolución!”
Mitt Romney is looking better and better.
Carol Turoff is a former two-term member of the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments. During her eight years on the commission, she participated in the selection of four of the five current Arizona Supreme Court Justices as well as 17 judges on both Division I and II of the Arizona Court of Appeals. Appointed by two governors, Turoff served with three chairing Supreme Court Justices.
In Mormonism, the United Order was one of several church organizations established to manage and administer the Law of Consecration (a voluntary form of Christian communism and religious communism) within the Church of Christ. The United Order was an egalitarian community designed to achieve income equality, eliminate poverty, increase group self-sufficiency, and create an ideal utopian society Mormons referred to as Zion. Its practice within Mormonism is now very rare, generally limited to small sects of Mormon fundamentalists.
Great idea! How can Romney be convinced to take on Teddy?
Look for him to appear again on C-Span and judge for yourself. He's an accomplished speaker, almost Reaganesque, great sense of humor, and good-looking, too. TV cameras love him. Given a moderate amount of publicity (and no scandals) he could easily acquire a following.
Apparently you are not from the New England area, you would know that senile Kennedy would wipe the floor with Romney in Massachusetts.
"and good-looking, too" - Ann Coulter was right, giving women the right to vote was a mistake.
Actually, I agree with Ann. However, as long as we are stuck with universal suffrage, it doesn't make sense to nominate a guy that looks bad on TV. Little old Republican ladies ask for his autograph. They vote.
Romney is a phoney baloney, elephant eared, RINO. He is loved by liberal Massachusetts, where he goes along and gets along with the socialists in the legislature. He should be crusading against the radical judges there and gay marriage but isn't, because he actually supports gay rights.
Is he trying to repeal the noxious gun laws there? No. What exactly does the guy do but get his face in the media? He's a clone of his father, who said he was "brainwashed" on the Vietnam War.
That stupid statement, a poor attempt at being wishy washy, cost his father George any chance he had at the 1968 GOP nomination. His father was a squishy moderate and a media creation. No difference with the son. Running the nation's closest thing to the USSR is hardly a recommendation to be president. He's a big nothing. Even got beat by Fat Teddy once. Great job, Mitt.
Mitt lost all credibility as a Presidential contender when he chose not to seek a 2nd term as Governor.
I don't care what label you put on ANYTHING that comes out of Massachusetts, if it LIVES there, it cannot be conservative and strong for America. Forget Romney. Wrong crowd, wrong neighborhood, wrong everything.
In Massachusetts he nominated at least one homosexual liberal Democrat gay rights activist as district court judge.
Let me repeat: Mitt Romney thinks liberal Democrat gay rights activists are good judge material.
Can't wait for Romney to nominate Barney Frank to the Supreme Court!
He's pro gay marriage and special rights, too.
Mormonism is as credible as 8 foot tall Quaker moon men.
Right. However, I think you are wrong on thinking the MSM would oppose him. He has pandered so much to the libs in Taxachusetts he would be a darling of the MSM. Similar to McCain, one of their darlings.
That is the same position that John Kerry holds. Romney is fooling no one with his dual position on abortion. Also, Romney endorsed legalization of RU-486, the morning after abortion pill.
"I view him as a moderate Republican," said Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's deputy campaign manager. "He's fiscally conservative, of course, but he's pro-gay rights, pro-choice and he supports the assault-weapon ban."
Quick summation from his political advisor.
In December 2005, Human Events voted Mitt Romney #8 on their list of Top Ten RINOs. Nuff said, for now.
Great post.
Romney ain't gonna cut it.
Thanks.
For the record. From America's preeminent political conservative magazine: Human Events on Mitt Romney, June 17, 2005. Confusing to say the least.
Taxes
No New Taxes
"'I'm absolutely committed to not raising taxes,' Romney said."
—Boston Globe, Nov. 6, 1994
No Forbes Flat Tax
"Mitt Romney today is running a series of full-page newspaper ads attacking the 17% flat tax proposed by candidate Steve Forbes. … 'The problem with the Forbes flat tax is that it isn't flat at all—it's a zero tax on the wealthy and a 17% tax on working Americans,' Romney said yesterday. 'I'm hoping that by running these ads voters will realize the Forbes flat tax is a gimmick, a phony, and not what it pretends to be.'"
—Boston Globe, Jan. 21, 1996
Fees, Not Taxes
"[Massachusetts] had to deal with a $3 billion deficit. . . . 'You don't create economic prosperity by raising taxes,' [Romney] says. He cut some programs, combined others, and looked for savings everywhere he could. In the end, he was forced to boost fees for a variety of government services by more than $200 million. 'I know it's kind of hard to distinguish between taxes and fees,' he says, 'but we stayed away from broad-based fee increases such as driver's-license registrations.' He says that balancing the budget without a tax hike has been his most significant accomplishment as governor."
—National Review, June 20, 2005
Life Issues
For Roe v. Wade
Boston Globe reporter Sally Jacobs: "Mr. Romney, you personally oppose abortion and as a church leader have advised women not to have an abortion. Given that, how could you in good conscience support a law that enables women to have an abortion, and even lets the government pay for it? If abortion is morally wrong, aren't you responsible for discouraging it?"
Romney: "One of the great things about our nation, Sally, is that we're each entitled to have strong personal beliefs, and we encourage other people to do the same. But as a nation we recognize the right of all people to believe as they want, and not to impose our beliefs on other people. I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country; I have since the time that my mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a U.S. Senate candidate.
"I believe that Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years, that we should sustain and support it, and I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice. And my personal beliefs, like the personal beliefs of other people, should not be brought into a political campaign."
—Senate campaign debate with Sen. Ted Kennedy.
New York Times, Oct. 26, 1994
For RU-486
"'I don't really understand how it works or when it works but my understanding is it's an effective morning-after pill, and I think it would be a positive thing to have women have the choice of taking the morning-after pill,' Romney said. 'I would favor having it available.'"
—Boston Herald, May 19, 1994
Not a Pro-Choice Flip-Flopper
"Citing a 1971 letter written by Kennedy, [Romney political consultant Charles] Manning responded, 'I think the reason they don't trust Ted Kennedy is that he flip-flopped on abortion. He was pro-life before Roe v. Wade and now he's changed. Mitt has always been consistent in his pro-choice position and that's why the group respects him.'"
—Boston Globe, Sept. 8, 1994
Don't Label 'Pro-Choice'
"'I do not wish to be labeled pro-choice,' Romney wrote this week in a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune. 'I have never felt comfortable with the labels associated with the abortion issue.'"
—Salt Lake Tribune, July 11, 2001
Pledged to Maintain 'Pro-Choice Status Quo'
"As governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government's."
—Romney campaign statement.
Deseret News, Sept. 1, 2002
Philosophically Pro-Life
"My political philosophy is pro-life."
—National Review, June 20, 2005
'Faking It'?
"He's been a pro-life Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly."
—Romney political consultant Michael Murphy.
National Review, June 20, 2005
"'The quote in the National Review article was not what I meant to communicate,' [Michael Murphy] wrote on the letterhead of his Washington-based firm yesterday. 'I was discussing a characterization the governor's critics use. I regret the quote and any confusion it might have caused.'"
—Boston Herald, June 3, 2005
Won't Confuse Massachusetts
"'Understand over time one's perspective changes somewhat,' [Romney] said. 'I'm in a different place than I was probably in 1994, when I ran against Ted Kennedy, in my own views on that.' … What are Romney's views now? The governor said he was 'personally pro-life' but declined to say more. 'I choose not to elaborate on those because I don't want to be confusing to people in my state,' he said."
—USA Today, May 23, 2005
Marriage and Partnerships
For Domestic Partnerships, Against Gay Marriage and Civil Unions
"Of course I do want to see equal opportunity in employment, and provide also benefits such as hospital visitation rights for domestic partnerships. But I made very clear in my campaign throughout the entire campaign that I do not support gay marriage or civil unions, Vermont-style civil unions, as I called them at the time. Haven't changed my view at all. Now, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court came out with a decision, which made that an issue that came front and center. I made it clear time and again I do not support gay marriage nor civil unions."
—CNN's "Inside Politics," March 1, 2005
Guns
For "Assault Weapons" Ban
"Mitt Romney supports the strict enforcement of gun laws. He is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban. Mitt also believes in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms."
—Romney campaign statement.
Deseret News, Sept. 1, 2002
Immigration
Against Illegal Alien Amnesty
"Last year, the governor threatened to veto a bill that would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses, but the legislation never made it to his desk. He actually did veto a bill that would have given illegal aliens the right to in-state tuition at public universities. He hasn't taken a formal position on any of the federal immigration plans. 'I'm against an amnesty and against anything that provides an incentive for people to come here illegally.'"
—National Review, June 20, 2005
Mitt Romney running for president? Why not just hand Hilary the keys to the White House right now?
Human Events is the single most reliable news source in the last 50 years. If they say Romney is a RINO, that's the end of the argument.
An unknown will never win against a superstar name.
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