Conservatives slam Mitt Romney for going weak-kneed in war on public employees

Washington Post ^ | October 25, 2011 | Greg Sargent - The Plum Line

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Today, Mitt Romney refused to take a position on the big battle in Ohio over the ballot initiative to repeal Governor John Kasich’s law rolling back the collective bargaining rights of public employees. The fight is a hugely important one to conservatives, with right wing money flowing into the state, and conservative bloggers erupted in fury at Romney, asking how it is that he can be running for president when he isn’t willing to take a firm stand against the scourge of public employees.

[snip]

Governors who are willing to risk serious unpopularity in order to roll back the bargaining rights of public employees — like John Kasich and Scott Walker — have become full fledged national conservative heroes. The sense that Romney is unwilling to fully embrace this crusade in a crucial swing state — on the same day that polling shows that labor may defeat conservatives on this one — will seriously deepen already serious doubts on the right about Romney’s conservative mettle.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A large group of union supporters gather on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse to rally against Senate Bill 5 in Columbus, Ohio, March 1, 2011.

............""Anything is possible in politics, but with such across-the-board support for repealing SB 5, the governor and his team can't be optimistic about the fate of their law," Brown said. The poll surveyed 1,668 registered voters.

At a weekend rally to get out the vote in a Cincinnati suburb, Kasich said the law will give local governments the tools they need to control costs. He said that some voters have misconceptions about what's in the bill.

"If they know what's in the bill, they'll vote for it," he said. "Most people who are against it really don't understand the consequences of a 'no' vote."

While Wisconsin's public sector union fight featured mass protests at the state capital and gained more national attention, Ohio is more important to unions.

Ohio has the sixth largest number of public sector union members among all U.S. states, twice the number of Wisconsin. Wisconsin's law restricting collective bargaining exempts police and firefighters, but Ohio's includes them."..... Source

[Cincinatus' Wife]

"As a true conservative, I stand with Gov. Kasich in promoting S.B.5 for fiscal responsibility and job creation in Ohio," Perry said in a statement to CNN. "Gov. Kasich and the Republican leadership of Ohio are to be commended for their efforts."

Added Perry, "My record as a pro-jobs governor is clear and you don't have to wonder where I stand."

Earlier in the day, Romney visited a Cincinnati-area phone bank run by the state Republican Party and rallied volunteers who have been urging Ohioans to vote yes on Issue 2, a ballot measure that would ratify S.B.5.

But Romney would not say specifically if he supports S.B.5, which Ohio voters oppose by a 57-32 margin, according to a Quinnipiac poll out Tuesday

Instead, he issued only generic support for GOP efforts to control spending in Columbus.

"I am not speaking about the particular ballot issues," Romney said, after being pressed by reporters. "Those are up to the people of Ohio. But I certainly support the efforts of the governor to reign in the scale of government. I am not terribly familiar with the two ballot initiatives. But I am certainly supportive of the Republican Party's efforts here."...............Perry takes sides in Ohio union fight after Romney dodges issue

[iowamark]

war on public employees

No bias there!

[HiTech RedNeck]

That’s pretty mushy even for Mitt.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Oh good grief. Not even Mitt flip flops that quick. I think a more likely explanation is that he is being careful about what forums he makes certain assertions in.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

AFL-CIO — Aug 2011:

“We haven’t checked the national polls lately to see how Texas Gov. Rick Perry is doing in his I’m-more-right-wing-conservative-than-thou race to capture the Republican presidential nomination. But it looks like he’s closing in on the lead in another important election—the Transport Workers’ (TWU‘s) Worst Governor Ever summer special election.

In a new video for this humorous look at some seriously bad governors when it comes to working families—such as Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, Ohio’s John Kasich, New Jersey’s Chris Christie and others—we find Florida’s Rick Scott basking in the glow of an early lead in the race for the title.

But wait—Perry just may pull ahead of Scott after touting his wildly unpopular voter ID bill and rampant teacher layoffs, as qualifications for the dubious crown.

The contest is part of the union’s Workers’ Rights Are Human Rights campaign and will help expose the extreme agenda of reactionary governors and let Americans send a message to the governor of their choosing that he or she is the worst governor ever.

Along with Perry, Walker, Scott, Kasich and Christie, there are other pretty rotten governors to choose from—Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania, Rick Snyder of Michigan, Paul LePage of Maine and Jan Brewer of Arizona.

Click here to cast your vote and then let he or she know what you think by sharing your vote with the governor through e-mail and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.”

http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/08/24/perry-closing-gap-on-scott-in-twus-worst-governor-contest/

[Utmost Certainty]

Cool. More Perry vs. Romney. May the best RINO win, I guess.

[HiTech RedNeck]

AFL-CIO = a bunch of screaming lefties.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Somebody’s got to play second fiddle, I suppose. Go Cain Go.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Rick Perry: Chairman of RGA [Republican Gov. Association set up site for supporters to contact Scott Walker during his Wisconsin battle]

VIDEO [1:00 mark] Perry: [Walker] principled individual who stands up and says, "This is what I believe in."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Oh good grief. Not even Mitt flip flops that quick. I think a more likely explanation is that he is being careful about what forums he makes certain assertions in.

That's -- I'm running for office, for Pete's sake, I can't have illegals. [video clip] -- Mitt Romney, GOP presidential debate - October 18, 2011 - Las Vegas, NV

Rudy Giuliani asked Mitt Romney the same question in the 2008 CNN debate that Rick Perry asked him during the CNN 2011 debate -- Mitt lost it both times.

Nov 28, 2008 CNN-YouTube Debate: Sound familiar? [LOOK who interrupts whom!!]

Funny Accent Mitt Romney, discussing reports illegal immigrants did landscaping at his home: It would "not be American" to check workers' papers simply because they have a "funny accent." [acknowledges need for giving health care and education to illegals]

Sound familiar? Mike Huckabee, replying to Romney's criticism of providing college scholarships to children of illegal immigrants: "In all due respect, we are a better country than to punish children for what their parents did."

At the same debate: John McCain: "We must recognize these are God's children as well. ... I will enforce the borders first. But we won't demagogue it."

[montag813]

Wisconsin's law restricting collective bargaining exempts police and firefighters, but Ohio's includes them

Wisconsin made a mistake. They should ALWAYS be included. The beatification of police and firemen after 9/11 was ridiculous. They are just public workers, not untouchable saints. And I have been royally pissed off seeing NYC police and firefighters appearing with Ed Shultz on broadcasts covering recall efforts of Wisonsin Republicans, yelling for their "share".

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Now that Gov.Walker has shown that what he did SAVES union jobs and keeps cities and towns from going bankrupt, it will be easier to move that ball down the road.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Romney should go back to Massachusetts AND STAY THERE!

[Jacquerie]

Our country cannot withstand another placeholder, go along to get along rino President. No Romney, no way.

I posted Cain bumper sticker to my car yesterday. Our republic requires bold measures.

[Erik Latranyi]

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!

Romney’s numbers should continue to decline after this.

[Lady4Liberty]

Romney’s numbers should continue to decline after this.

Praying that they do after this show of spinelessness.

[Syncro]

The sense that Romney is unwilling to fully embrace this crusade in a crucial swing state — on the same day that polling shows that labor may defeat conservatives on this one — will seriously deepen already serious doubts on the right about Romney’s conservative mettle.

There's yer reason right there.

Like most liberals, Romney doesn't want to lose the Union Thug vote.

[newzjunkey]

Hey, you’re not supposed to notice when their bias is showing!

[Lady4Liberty]

Romney actually supported it this summer, but because he's scared sh*tless of the building mob of union thugs against sb5, he is backing down and will probably do a full flip flop if asked again. This man stands for absolutely nothing. He'd throw all conservative values under the bus if it meant a chance at the White House. "I'm running for office for pete sakes!"