Romney's Remarks At The MA Citizens For Life Mother's Day Pioneer Valley Dinner (May 10)

MittRomney.com ^ | May 10, 2007

[Clintonfatigued]

It's a honor to be with you and be with people who exemplify the pro-life values throughout their lives.

"I believe it's an honor to receive this award, as you can imagine.

"I recognize that it is awarded for where I am on the issue of life, not for where I've been.

"And I respect the fact that you arrived at this place of principle a long, long time ago.

"And I appreciate the fact that you're inclined to honor someone who arrived here only a few years ago.

"I'm evidence that your work, that your relentless campaign to promote the sanctity of human life, bears fruit.

"And I do follow, as Kevin indicated, a long line of converts - George Herbert Walker Bush, Henry Hyde, Ronald Reagan. Each of them made meaningful contributions to this cause.

"It is instructive to see the double standard at work here. When a pro-life figure changes to pro-choice, it hardly gets a mention. But when someone becomes pro-life, the pundits go into high dudgeon.

[EternalVigilance]

Romney is the only movement Conservative out there .

Thanks. I haven't laughed that loud in a long time.

[fieldmarshaldj]

When did he ever govern ?

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah.

[EternalVigilance]

He is the only one willing to advance the Conservative Reagan philosophy

Ridiculous on its face...on any number of levels.

[fieldmarshaldj]

This stuff just keeps getting sillier. Precious would advance any agenda to get him to the White House. He’d put both an unborn fetus and an abortionist in a blender in front of different audiences to get himself votes. I remember back in ‘94 when he defiantly called himself a Weld Republican. Kind of like proclaiming proudly you have AIDS and intend on screwing every living human being.

[JCEccles]

"As you know, when I first ran for office, I considered whether this should be a personal decision or whether it should be a societal or governmental decision. I concluded, wrongly, that I would support the law as it was in place - effectively, a pro-choice position.

"And I was wrong.

"The Roe v. Wade mentality has so cheapened the value of human life that rational people saw human life as mere research material to be used, and then destroyed. The slippery slope could soon lead to racks and racks of living human embryos, Brave New World-like, awaiting termination.

"What some see as a mere clump of cells is actually a human life. Human life has identity. Human life has the capacity to love and to be loved. Human life has profound dignity, dignity undiminished by age or infirmity.

"And so I publicly acknowledged my error, and joined with you to promote the sanctity of human life.

"And you know that my words were matched with my actions. As you know, every time I faced a decision as the Governor that related to human life, I came down on the side of the sanctity of life.

"I fought to ban cloning.

"I fought to ban embryo farming.

"I fought to define life as beginning at conception rather than at implantation.

"I fought for abstinence education in our schools.

"I vetoed a so-called emergency contraception bill that gave young girls drugs without prescription, drugs that could be abortive and not just contraceptive.

"That's my record as your Governor."

There's eloquence, decency,and dignity on grand display.

So much better than the nasty, mean-spirited, cramped, niggling self-righteouness that fill these threads courtesy of the self-appointed arbiters of all that is holy and good.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Someone who is able to sucessfully articulate the Conservative message and utilize the Coservative philosophy to defeat the Leftist agenda .

[tiger-one]

Agreed

[fieldmarshaldj]

Tell me, do you always take politicians at their word ?

[JCEccles]

"One, of course, was the state was in a fiscal crisis. A meltdown, of sorts. Beacon Hill couldn't get budgets done on time. Another big tax hike looked like it was on the way. And I promised that I would balance the budget without raising taxes. And, as you know, together with the legislature, that's what we did. We eliminated a $3 billion shortfall. And by the time I left, our surpluses had replenished the rainy-day fund to over $2 billion."

He's a good man, that Romney.

Have you ever balanced a state budget, fieldmarshaldj?

[JAKraig]

One thing I notice about Mitt Romney is that he not only makes the statement that he is pro-life, but his level of reasoning in his support is dramatic. I can think of no other person in the political world, who has made such a strong commitment to the sanctity of life. Mr. Romney does not sit on the fence, like most other politicians, even the stated pro-life politicians. He says he was wrong, he has put his money where his mouth is. Mr. Romney comes from the Northeast, where it is wrong to be Republican, unless you are a liberal Republican. I think he shows a great deal of fortitude to swim against the stream.

Mr. Romney is going to anger many pro-choice people. Most politicians by sitting on the fence do not anger anyone. They may make a statement saying they are one way or another but then they never support it or say any more about it. I think it is refreshing that Mr. Romney has come out so strong for those things that many of us believe in, even if he was wrong in the past.

I have not met Mr. Romney, I have not seen him in person, but I have seen videos, and I have read some of his speeches, they are inspiring. I believe that many Democrats would be willing to vote for such a man. I am an old man, a staunch conservative, I do not like what I see in our society in the way that it’s headed. Mr. Romney may not stand for 100% of what I believe in, but I can vote for him. Given the opportunity I will.

[EternalVigilance]

I can think of no other person in the political world, who has made such a strong commitment to the sanctity of life.

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.

This was Mitt Romney before he wanted pro-life votes in a presidential race:

Mitt Romney, three decade-long supporter of abortion on demand, in his own words

[fieldmarshaldj]

“I’m the only candidate in this race who has ever balanced a budget.” — Michael Dukakis, 1988

Looks like Mike is qualified to be the Republican candidate for President, no ?

[EternalVigilance]

And, after all that, he still supports destroying human embryos for experimentation, and is still taking money from those who stand to make fortunes doing it.

[JCEccles]

"[This year's budget] whacked out human services. It decimated the arts. More cuts are going to be needed next year. The only 'discretionary' spending left to target is education. On Tuesday, Speaker Tom Finneran told the State House News Service that he is open to cutting education funding next year, if need be. He also said he’d hate to see additional taxes raised over those hiked this year. Bottom line? Expect massive layoffs in public-school systems across the state. Something like what we saw after Proposition 2-1/2 was passed in 1980. Think Governor Romney’s going to be able to stop Finneran? Think he wants to?"

LOL!

Romney pulled a Reagan on the liberals and left them crying in their granola.

You have to admire a man like that, don't you think EV?

By the way, have you ever balanced a state budget?

Didn't think so.

[EternalVigilance]

heh...

[fieldmarshaldj]

Interesting that he “changed his position” just as he was deciding to run for President. At least Rudy is being intellectually honest about being a pro-abort. Romney’s just saying whatever needs to be said to get the nomination.

[EternalVigilance]

Like I said, folks like Romney end up being hated by both sides.

RINOs never learn that Democrats are never going to love them. They’re Charlie Browns to the liberal Lucys with their football - with much more serious consequences than a perpetually sore butt.

[fabian]

I guess Ronald Reagan shouldn’t have been president then...how many years was he ok with legalized abortions?

[fieldmarshaldj]

But wait ! There's more !

"I'm the only candidate in this race who has ever balanced a budget." -- Howard Dean, 2003

Looks like he's qualified to be the Republican nominee, too ! Dean-Dukakis, a Republican ticket than can win !

YEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!