Posted on 03/30/2009 9:37:53 AM PDT by Lesforlife
Romney has said he's now pro-life and ran on a pro-life Reagan platform, which he will do when he runs again in the future. Furthermore, the legislation he enacted in Mass. was pro-life. _____________________________________________________________________________________
Governor Romney: "I will be a pro-life President. I will appoint and fight for justices who follow the law and the Constitution, who understand judicial restraint and who won't legislate from the bench. But being a pro-life president also means promoting policies that reflect our respect for the sanctity of life. I will oppose taxpayer funding of abortion, oppose partial birth abortion, oppose abortion in military clinics, oppose funding abortion in international aid programs, and I will work to ban embryonic cloning. I will work to increase adoptions by making the adoption tax credit permanent and raising awareness about embryonic adoption, or snowflake babies." (Governor Mitt Romney, "Address to the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit," Washington, D.C., October 19, 2007)
Governor Romney was presented with legislation concerning life issues on several occasions from the 85% majority Democrat Legislature in Massachusetts. In every instance he took the pro-life position by vetoing bills or lobbying for the pro-life approach, including the following actions:
He vetoed the bill providing state funding for human embryonic stem cell research (Theo Emery, "Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Vetoes Stem Cell Bill," The Associated Press, 5/27/2005)
He vetoed a bill that provided for the "morning after pill" without a prescription because it is an abortifacient and would have been available to minors without parental notification and consent (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Why I Vetoed Contraception Bill," The Boston Globe, 7/26/2005)
He pledged to veto any bill that would expand access to RU-486, the abortion pill (Hugh Hewitt, "Interview with Governor Romney," The Hugh Hewitt Show, 7/27/2005)
He vetoed legislation which would have redefined Massachusetts longstanding definition of the beginning of human life from fertilization to implantation (Governor Mitt Romney, Letter To The Massachusetts State Senate And House Of Representatives, 5/12/2005)
He supported parental notification laws and opposed efforts to weaken parental involvement (John McElhenny, "O'Brien And Romney Spar In Last Debate Before Election," The Associated Press, 10/29/2002)
He fought to promote abstinence education in public school classrooms with a program offered by faith-based Boston group Healthy Futures to middle school students. Gov. Romney's administration was the first in Massachusetts to use federal abstinence education funds for classroom programs. (Office of Gov. Mitt Romney, "Romney Announces Award of Abstinence Education Contract," Press Release, 4/20/2006)
Governor Romney: "Times of decision are moments of great clarity. Before I was Governor, the life issue was just that, an issue. But when responsibility for life or ending life was placed in my hands, I made the right decision. I chose life." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The National Right To Life Convention Forum, Kansas City, MO, 6/15/2007) Eight prominent leaders of pro-life and pro-family groups in Massachusetts wrote an open letter on January 11, 2007 praising Gov. Romney for his leadership and accomplishments in these important issues and attesting to his commitment to the pro-life and pro-family causes. (This letter is a MUST READ)
Excerpt:
"Since well before 2003, we have been laboring in the trenches of Massachusetts, fighting for the family values you and we share. It is difficult work indeed – not for the faint of heart. In this challenging environment, Governor Romney has proven that he shares our values, as well as our determination to protect them.
"For four years, Governor Romney has been right there beside us, providing leadership on key issues – whether it was politically expedient to do so or not. He has stood on principle, and we have benefited greatly from having him with us.
"It is clear that Governor Romney has learned much since 1994 – to the benefit of our movement and our Commonwealth. In fact, the entire nation has benefited from his socially conservative, pro-family actions in office. As we explained earlier, his leadership on the marriage issue helped prevent our nation from being plunged into even worse legal turmoil following the court decision that forced “gay marriage” upon our Commonwealth.
"For that our country ought to be thankful. We certainly are.
Massachusetts Citizens for Life gave Governor Romney their 2007 Mullins Award for Outstanding Political Leadership recognizing him for consistently seeking to advance the pro-life cause while in office. The award was presented at the MCFL Mother's Day Pioneer Valley Dinner where Gov. Romney delivered the keynote speech. Ann Romney serves as co-chairman of the Massachusetts Citizens for Life capital campaign.
Massachusetts Citizens For Life Executive Director Marie Sturgis: "Having Governor Romney in the corner office for the last four years has been one of the strongest assets the pro-life movement has had in Massachusetts." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "An Early Massachusetts Primary," National Review Online, 1/10/2007)
Massachusetts Citizens For Life Pioneer Valley Chapter Chairman Kevin Jourdain: "Mitt Romney was a great Governor, who served with honor and distinction. But most importantly, he was a pro-life Governor. He vetoed a number of pro-abortion pieces of legislation and made many pro-life appointments. He was always there for us." (Kevin Jourdain, Remarks at Massachusetts Citizens for Life Mother's Day Pioneer Valley Dinner, Agawam, MA, 5/10/2007)
Governor Romney has received the important endorsement of James Bopp, Jr., a nationally-known constitutional lawyer, leading advocate for the pro-life movement, and author of the Human Life Amendment for the Republican Party Platform. James Bopp reviewed Romney's record as Governor and questioned him personally before giving Romney his endorsement. Bopp later joined the Romney Presidential campaign as a special adviser on life issues, an unpaid position.
James Bopp Jr. wrote about the record of Governor Romney:
"These actions as governor have lead leaders of the most important social conservative groups in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Massachusetts Family Institute, and the Knights of Columbus, to observe that, while previous comments by Romney “are, taken by themselves, obviously worrisome to social conservatives including ourselves, they do not dovetail with the actions of Governor Romney from 2003 until now — and those actions positively and demonstrably impacted the social climate of Massachusetts.” They conclude that Romney “demonstrat[ed] [his] solid social conservative credentials by undertaking” these actions, and has therefore “proven that he shares our values, as well as our determination to protect them.” (James Bopp Jr., "The Best Choice Is Also a Good Choice - Why social conservatives should support Mitt Romney for president," National Review Online, 2/21/2007) Governor Romney believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned as a first step, allowing the States to set abortion policy, as a goal that can be achieved more quickly. For a longer range goal after overturning Roe v. Wade, he supports a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution and endorses legislation to make it clear that the 14th Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. Romney believes that controversial abortion policy should be decided through the democratic process by citizens in the several states and their elected representatives rather than by federal judicial mandate.
Governor Romney: "I understand that my views on laws governing abortion set me in the minority in our Commonwealth. I am prolife. 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." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Why I vetoed contraception bill," The Boston Globe, 7/26/2005)
Gov. Romney Praised The U.S. Supreme Court Decision Upholding A Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. "Today, our nation's highest court reaffirmed the value of life in America by upholding a ban on a practice that offends basic human decency. This decision represents a step forward in protecting the weakest and most innocent among us." (Romney for President, "Statement On Supreme Court's Partial Birth Abortion Ruling," Press Release, 4/18/2007)
Statement from Romney Communications Director Matt Rhoades: "Governor Romney does not believe that abortion legislation should punish women who have abortions. Governor Romney recognizes that we must be sensitive to both lives involved in these situations, the unborn child and the mother. The people who should be held accountable for violations of this nature are the people who perform an illegal abortion, the penalties of which could include anything from disciplinary action to incarceration." (Terence P. Jeffrey, "Romney Open to Incarcerating Abortionists," CNSNews.com, 11/21/2007)
View video of a portion of a speech delivered by Mitt Romney at the National Review Institute Conservative Summit in which he describes a pivotal event in his life while learning about stem cell research and embryo farming from Harvard research scientists. From a researcher's comment explaining that there wasn't a moral issue at stake in the embryo farming process because the embryos are destroyed after 14 days, Romney was hit hard by the harsh realization that, in his words, "We have so cheapened the value and sanctity of human life in our society that someone could think there is not a moral issue because we kill human embryos at 14 days." Gov. Romney publicly affirmed his pro-life position thereafter.
Governor Romney: "I don't believe that somatic cell nuclear transfer or cloning and embryo farming are appropriate and would not pursue federal funding of those forms of stem cell research." (David A. Lieb, "Romney Wraps Self In Reagan Lingo," The Associated Press, 2/11/2007)
In August 2006, Gov. Romney imposed a limit on stem cell research, saying that scientists could not use stem cell lines developed in states with less restrictive laws than Massachusetts, which barred the production of embryos for the expressed purpose of scientific exploration. Public health regulators appointed by Romney's successor, Democrat Gov. Deval Patrick, reversed that limit in October, 2007. (Stephen Smith, "Health Council repeals Romney limit on stem cell research," The Boston Globe, 10/11/2007)
Governor Romney Believes We Can Support Techniques That "Produce The Equivalent Of Embryonic Stem Cells But Without Cloning, Creating, Harming, Or Destroying Developing Human Lives." Governor Romney: "I studied the issue for many months, and entered into conversation with experts from across the nation who were looking for consensus solutions, like Stanford's Dr. William Hurlbut. In the end, I became persuaded that the stem-cell debate was grounded in a false premise, and that the way through it was around it: by the use of scientific techniques that could produce the equivalent of embryonic stem cells but without cloning, creating, harming, or destroying developing human lives." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "A Stem-Cell Solution," National Review Online, 6/15/2007)
Important Stem-Cell Research Update: "Ever since the debate of embryo-destructive stem-cell research began in earnest in 1998 when researchers at the University of Wisconsin first isolated human embryonic stem cells, we’ve known that the best overall answer to the ethical impasse would be a solution that both allows the search for stem-cell related cures to go foreword, while doing so without harming or destroying embryonic human life in the process. "We now have that solution.
"Two major scientific papers published today in Science and Cell offer proof of principle research to show that it is possible to generate patient-matched pluripotent stem cells without human cloning and its attendant moral pitfalls: the need to harvest and use human eggs from female donors and the subsequent destruction of cloned human embryos. Both studies used reprogramming of adult human cells to generate stem cells known as “induced pluripotent state cells” (iPSCs) that have all the properties of human embryonic stem cells.
... "In the highly contentious political battle over federal funding for stem-cell research, one cannot help but note that of all the current presidential candidates, only Governor Mitt Romney embraced an unambiguous and principled stance on the alternatives, incorporating them into his proposed domestic policy." (Father Thomas Berg, "The Future Is Now — Stem-cell debate changes," National Review Online, 11/20/2007)
Governor Romney On Stem-Cell Research Announcement: "New developments confirm that cutting edge science and ethical principles are not opposed to one another. Scientists have provided a means for producing new cells functionally identical to embryonic stem cells without creating or destroying embryos and without the need to exploit women for their eggs. This is a result the whole public can celebrate. The scientists deserve credit for their genius, but equally, the voices insisting on ethical science and respect for human life provided the incentive for this revolutionary research." (Romney for President, "Governor Romney On Stem-Cell Research Announcement," Press Release, 11/21/2007)
Read more about the contrasts in policy in a Research Briefing: Promoting A Culture Of Life: The Romney Vision Vs. The Democrat Vision
The influence of family members and events in Mitt Romney's life on matters of abortion are worth considering. They illuminate obstacles he surmounted to adopt pro-life beliefs in his private life. Mitt Romney’s mother, Lenore Romney, advocated a pro-choice position in her unsuccessful 1970 run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, writing in her campaign platform, "I support and recognize the need for more liberal abortion rights while reaffirming the legal and medical measures needed to protect the unborn and pregnant woman [sic]." Mitt Romney revealed in 1994 that his brother-in-law's sister, a close family friend, died after a botched illegal abortion in the 1960s when Mitt would have been in his teens and early 20s. (Stephanie Ebbert, "Romney releases mother's statement on abortion issue," The Boston Globe, 6/28/2005)
In a February 14, 2007 appearance on ABC's Good Morning America TV show, Ann Romney talked about her personal struggle with multiple sclerosis and offered her perspective on embryonic stem cell research with a powerful, inspiring message opposing medical experimentation that could conceivably relieve her own suffering. Read a thought-provoking commentary by Alliance Defense Fund constitutional lawyer David French on Ann Romney's strength of character in opposing embryonic stem cell research as seen in the ABC Good Morning America segment.
Gov. Romney made a $15,000 contribution in 2006 to the pro-life group Massachusetts Citizens for Life from the Tyler Charitable Foundation, a joint family trust of Mitt and Ann Romney. They also donated $10,000 to the Massachusetts Family Institute during the same time period.
The Tyler Charitable Foundation has donated more than $2.9 million to more than 40 health care groups, schools, and other charitable organizations since 1999.
Meanwhile, comparatively, at the same time, never-divorced Romney remained in a faithful marriage by all accounts, to his wife Ann, raising their five sons, now all in faithful marriages raising their children.
Fred, never got his candidacy off the ground. He enter red the race too late, and with all the high expectations, was as dull and flat a candidate as they come. I expect and fervently hope, we've seen the last of him.
Very well said! : )
Novak: "Fred Thompson drop-out rumors traced to Romney campaign"
"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"
"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"
"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"
President Reagan on Mr. Romney's socialized medicine, other fascist, socialist ideas, and Romney's GOP-backstabbing.
You have got to be kidding!!!!!
It was Romney who was backstabbed, but keep posting your Romney lies on every thread.
Reagan would have liked and supported Romney as his son Michael Reagan did! : )
Before Mitt came along abortions were free in MA. Romney even with 85% Dem. opposition forced the issue in the right direction.
Abortions were/are paid for in some form in every single state we had candidates from, NY, AZ, AR, CA. Even AK pays for abortion pills, i.e. Even the best of the best Pro-life Governor from a conservative state has to deal with the same reality Mitt faced. It's time to stop shooting our own and take the fight to the DEM in power who very soon is going to appoint pro-abortionist judges to the Supreme Court
Brian Camenker, organizer of Mass Resistance and co-protestor with Rev. Phelps.
“I voted for John Anderson for president and Michael Dukakis for governor." Brian Camenker
Camenker is guilty of the very thing he (falsely) claims Mitt has done. “Methinks thou doth protest too much.” aptly applies. Camenker can't pass his own test. His slander of Romney says more about him than it does Romney.
Unmarked Package’s homepage addresses him more extensively.
http://www.freerepublic.com/~unmarkedpackage/index
Jay Sekulow discusses Camenker’s pattern of lying about Romney.
Well since Mr. Sekulow is on the list of compromised
Christian leaders who endorsed Romney, his opinion
doesn’t hold much sway.
Uh, why aren’t they going after Democrats and Obama?
From www.anncoulterapology.com:
“THE PLANK - Why we expose false leaders:
Why are we exposing ‘conservative’ leaders when there are so many evil liberals destroying our nation? Jesus said, “remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” It’s foolish to even attempt to change the country through ‘conservative’ politicians if we allow Christian leaders to lie and cover up the liberal and cruel anti-marriage pro-abortion agenda of favored Republican candidates.”
Explain how the RNC can do an end run and get the nominee they want.
You do know who won Iowa, don’t you?
Yea! Mike Huckabee! Do you remember what he was running on?
I was not a Huck supporter as he is not conservative enough for me on other issues. I was Thompson.
For me personally, I was disappointed at Huckabee's showing. I know he has a huge following but like I said, he was strong on family issues but after that, he left a lot to be desired.
I felt with Thompson, I could have a pro-life candidate who was also strong on most other issues.
The lesson to me over the years is that I have had to see my favorites lose and I have had to see friends support candidates who are not my favorites. I get over it as they are still my friends and we are all on the same team.
I want to stop RATS!!!
1 Kings 3
24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
27 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
Romney never would have won against Obama.
As for McCain, he gave the election to Obama, and dissed Sarah after she brought him millions of votes.
The GOP is dead, long live the GOP.
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