Posted on 08/21/2007 1:15:02 PM PDT by Plutarch
Club for Growth Releases Fifth Presidential White Paper
Romney's Record: Promise and Puzzlement
Washington - Today, the Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (see PDF or HTML). The fifth in a series of white papers on the pro-growth records of presidential candidates, the attached report provides an extensive summary of Mitt Romney’s economic record from his unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate to his single term as governor of Massachusetts.
"Governor Romney's economic record contains a mixture of pro-growth accomplishments and some troublesome positions that beg to be explained," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "While his record on taxes, spending, and entitlement reform is flawed, it is, on balance, encouraging, especially given the liberal Massachusetts Legislature. His record on trade, school choice, regulations and tort reform all indicate a strong respect for the power of market solutions. At the same time, Governor Romney's history is marked by statements at odds with his gubernatorial record and his campaign rhetoric."
Romney's strident opposition to the flat tax; his refusal to endorse the Bush tax cuts in 2003; his support for various minor tax hikes; and his once-radically bad views on campaign finance reform all cast some doubts on the extent and durability of his commitment to limited-government, pro-growth policies. His landmark steps in the healthcare arena also exhibit a mixture of desirable pro-free market efforts combined with a regrettable willingness to accept, if not embrace, a massive new regulatory regime.
"While Governor Romney still needs to explain some of his past positions," Mr. Toomey continued, "given his overall record as governor and the strong pro-growth positions he has taken on the campaign trail, we are reasonably optimistic that, as President, Mitt Romney would generally advocate a pro-growth agenda."
I wonder if Mitt would carry Massachusetts in the general election?
Uh....no. The 2004 result was:
Bush 1,071,109 ... Kerry 1,803,800
Romney could probably do better than Bush, but 730,000 votes is a lot to make up.
The meaning of these statements, reads like trying to catch a moth in a dark room.
He was opposed to the Presidents 2003 tax cuts? woooo, that does it for me......no support here.
The most obvious trouble for Mitt Romney is explaining what is called, RomneyCare. RomneyCare is big liberal government-forced healthcare insurance system, that includes mandates for individuals & employers, minimum coverage requirements, subsidized insurance for the poor & government enforced fines for noncompliance. RomneyCare is reliant on federal funds. Estimate of $150-million in cost overruns expected for 2007. There is no real reform in RomneyCare. It even allows for taxpayer funded abortions. Imposes criminal sanctions on individuals and obligations on businesses. This results in government guaranteeing healthcare as a virtual right. In the end RomneyCare will not only be expensive but a perscription for more government spending and more government intrusion.
That’s so strange...good enough to be governor, but not president? That just shows how state and local governments aren’t as valued as the federal government.
Wow - how soon people forget.
Let me reprise: Massachusetts politician = northeast, lefty, gun-grabbin, lying, tax-raising, baby-killing, criminal coddling scumbag.
Mass used to be a great place to live. That ended about the time The Hero Of Chappaquiddick first got elected to the senate.
Hey, I’m not bitter...
Yet another Romney flip-flop. Today Romney bashes McCain and Thompson for supporting McCain-Feingold years ago, but at the time Mitt was pushing an even more anti-free speech, anti-Constitutional plan for campaign finance.
Probably the only person who could beat Kerry in MA would be Teddy K. Hillary won’t do that well and Romney would likely do better than Bush as well. However 730,000 is indeed a lot to overcome.
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