Posted on 12/14/2007 5:06:25 AM PST by Kaslin
Romney never raised taxes as governor - FACT
Oh yes, I forgot the talking points. Romney didn’t raise taxes, he called them FEES. Fees of course are non-refundable....makes it soooooo much simpler. LOL
Mitt Romney likes to claim that he didn’t raise taxes when he was governor of Massachusetts—but he did impose a number of “fees,” including fee hikes on the blind, the mentally retarded and gun owners.
A survey of states by the National Conference of State Legislatures found Massachusetts led the nation during Romney’s first year, raising fees and fines by $501 million. New York was second with $367 million. Nine other states raised fees and fines by more than $100 million.
During Romney’s tenure, it became more expensive to:
...use an ice skating rink, register a boat, take the bar exam, get a duplicate driver’s license, file a court case, install underground storage tanks, sell cigarettes or alcohol, comply with air quality rules and transport hazardous waste.
And these are just the Democrat talking points. No wonder his own Republican party hated him.
Well, yes and no. We have some candidates who have done some very good things and have built pretty good resumes. We have some candidates who have interesting and engaging personalities. Each of our eight candidates is more qualified to be president than any of the top three Democrats. Our party is fortunate to have men of this caliber running for office, but none of them is individually that impressive as a presidential candidate.
Fred Thompson is an excellent man who is running a refreshingly substantive campaign.
He's a good man running a campaign on good ideas. Unfortunately, he's also a man who has shown no executive skill. Maybe he has it, but maybe he doesn't. Without that skill, he won't be a good president.
John McCain has demonstrated not just personal courage (which is admirable enough) but the courage of his convictions.
John McCain's military service is admirable. His actions as a senator are less admirable. He was caught on the edge of peddling influence for campaign cash. Instead of admitting that this danger will always exist and that the best antidote is more transparency in the system and for voters to be more informed, he embarked on an attack of our First Amendment rights. Maybe he really believes much of what he's advocated, but the positions that he's advocated are still wrong for the party and wrong for the country. He just doesn't represent the party very well.
And Rudy Giuliani achieved a seemingly impossible task in transforming America's largest city.
Rudy Giuliani did well in New York City, but the rest of the country is not New York City. Those of us who live out here don't want our areas to become like New York City. Rudy Giuliani doesn't understand representing average folks in middle America. He's done some good things, but he's not even close to being a great candidate. He certainly doesn't represent the views of most Republicans.
But no one running is more impressive than Mitt Romney.
Maybe, but in this crowd, that's still not such a great endorsement. Undoubtedly, Mr. Romney's business accomplishments are outstanding. He's the best businessman to make a serious run in a long time. Ross Perot showed similar business ability, but Ross Perot was an odd man who didn't bother proving himself in a lower office. He simply used his ego and his money to take a crazy shot at our highest office. Steve Forbes had great ideas, but he inherited much of his position and also failed to start at any lower office.
In spite of the business success, there are troubling issues that keep Mitt Romney from being as impressive as Ms. Charon tries to portray him. I trust his conversion to being pro-life, but I am troubled by how long he took to consider the issue seriously enough to change his mind. In 1994, he generally followed the Republican party line on many issues. Following the party line allowed him to produce that issues card that contrasts him with Ted Kennedy and look like a conservative. However, his position on abortion and his subsequent change seems to show a guy who hadn't spent much of his life thinking about the issues. I don't expect everyone to obsess over issues the way that FReepers do, but I feel a little funny about a guy who goes that far in life and doesn't seem to have developed his views any further. I realize that someone who is pursuing his career goals intensely may not have time to think about politics the way FReepers do, but that inattention doesn't exactly recommend him as a candidate.
In spite of these misgivings, I'll be glad to vote for Mitt Romney if that time comes. I'll likely end up voting for him in the primary as well. I've already ordered a few Mitt Romney buttons and a T-shirt. He's a good man. I just don't see him as being as impressive as Ms. Charon claims.
Bill
Excellent analisys
Raising fees is not the same as raising taxes. Raising fees is a way to make people pay who actually use government services. For everything which you need to obtain a license, their is a commision full of government salaried employees. Instead of spreading this cost around to the general populace, why not pass the cost on tho those responsible?
Same thing with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He thought it wouldn't work. Turns out it did. Why do you find fault with someone who revises his views based on reality?
As to his desire not to "return to Reagan," I don't see why you find that so objectionable. Reagan was a great president, but I don't think politicians today should be Reagan clones. Apparently you don't like the fact that he wants to be his own man.
As to the so-called American Thinker article, I suggest you get your information from sources other than anti-Romney propaganda.
Also, it seems to me that a statesman's record of accomplishments and current positions matter a lot more that things he said 13 years ago.
Mitt Romney flip flops on Abortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFMdK0TWtks
That was 13 years ago in 1994. It can hardly be called flip flopping
Mitt Romney flip flops on Abortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFMdK0TWtks
That 5 years ago and I would not call this flip flopping either
Romney does not support 2nd Amendment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzYTdM9b5F4
Like I said changing your mind to what you believed 5 or 13 years ago is not a flip flop. Changing it from week to week like Kerry did in the 2004 election, or like Hillary does however is
Romney does not want to return to Reagan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pVqZzHm3Z4&feature=related
As great a president Ronald Reagan was, it is time to face reality and recognize that there will never be anyone that can replace R.R
It looks to me like that some here think that changing their mind from what someone felt 5 or 13 years ago is the same as saying something one week and then the exact opposite a week later
And how many notches did you raise Romney for all the other conservative endorsements he received?
Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona...Mona.. *sigh* These elites are just soooo out of touch.
Mitt Romney Flip-Flops on hunting, abortion and iraq and dog.
Romney has the highest unappealing ratings of any Republican.
Southern and western governors and Vice Presidents get elected. Truman, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush.
Senators and congressman and northern governors don’t. Dewey, Stevenson, Goldwater, Humphrey, McCarthy, Ford, Mondale, Dukakis, Dole, Gore, Kerry.
Romney is not a viable candidate.
Heh, an endorsement by Pat Buchanan of Romney would be the death knell for his campaign. ;-)
My daughter lives in Phoenix, and as I was praising Sheriff Joe to her she said, "He is an absolute power-mad LOONYTUNES!"
I’m just chuckling at the thought of an Obama/Romney race...I’m sure Mitt is going to pick up the Blacks, the Evangelicals, the liberals, the union members and the moveon.org crowd. Bring popcorn.
Mona Charen bump!
One by one, they’re starting to come onboard. I think as more and more Americans get to know Mitt Romney, they are going to be impressed. Some of the MSM are getting hysterical about Romney and that shows how dangerous they think he is.
He is the perfect shill for the Democrats; beloved even by Carville (because he has NO (zero, zed, nada) chance.
James Carville: "It's a feel-good story, this Romney thing. Romney is an ascendant guy."
If the GOP choses the flipflopper chameleion, then it deserves what it gets.
“It is difficult to find any significant weakness in Romney. He is refreshingly articulate, exceedingly well prepared and self-disciplined, clearly an excellent manager with both private and government experience, happily married with a large, supportive family, and well within the mainstream of conservatism on every major issue.”
WHAT A PUFF PIECE!
“No significant weakness”: Established a process to pick judges
that ignored their political beliefs and elevated their
gender and minority status! One went on to free a murderer.
Allowed his campaign employees to pose as policemen - even
flashing fake badges. It took getting caught in 2 separate
states before they (supposedly) quit.
Put the legislation in place to force people to buy health
insurance and put many on the public dole.
Gay marriage on his watch.
$50 abortions on his watch.
Joined NRA as life member as soon as he thought it would
help his campaign (checked that one off)
Became pro-life as soon as he thought it would help his
campaign (checked that one off)
“refreshingly articulate” - when he speaks, it is all corporate
speak. Nuanced, parsed words. No authenticity.
“an excellent manager” - managers are people leaders hire.
That is the last thing we want for a POTUS.
“well within the mainstream of conservatism on every major issue”
- running on a platform that his conservative consultant
gave him to appear as a conservative. That is different
than being a conservative (checked those off)
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