July 29, 2007 Romney's economic record (Hint: It's horrible)

Boston Globe ^ | July 29, 2007 | Andrew Sum and Joseph McLaughlin

[SoConPubbie]

AS MITT ROMNEY pursues his bid for the presidency, his record as Massachusetts governor will come under scrutiny, including how the state's economy performed during his administration. Our analysis reveals a weak comparative economic performance of the state over the Romney years, one of the worst in the country.

On all key labor market measures, the state not only lagged behind the country as a whole, but often ranked at or near the bottom of the state distribution. Formal payroll employment in the state in 2006 was still 16,000 or 0.5 percent below its average level in 2002, the year immediately prior to the start of the Romney administration. Massachusetts ranked third lowest on this key job generation measure and would have ranked second lowest if Hurricane Katrina had not devastated the Louisiana economy. Manufacturing payroll employment throughout the nation declined by nearly 1.1 million or 7 percent between 2002 and 2006, but in Massachusetts it declined by more than 14 percent, the third worst record in the country.

While the number of employed people over age 16 in the United States rose by nearly 8 million, or close to 6 percent, between 2002 and 2006, the number of employed residents in the Commonwealth is estimated to have modestly declined by 8,500. Massachusetts was the only state to have failed to post any gain in its pool of employed residents. The aggregate number of people 16 and older either working or looking for work in Massachusetts fell over the Romney years.

[Lazlo in PA]

It doesn’t take too much digging to see what a fraud and foney Milt is. So much for his argument that he is the guy specially suited to turn the economy around.

[Clara Lou]

I am sick of having no one to vote for.

[Starboard]

Boston Globe. Now there’s a paragon of objective reporting for you. While Romney’s performance as governor left a lot to be desired, the posted “article” conveniently omitted any mention of the 85% Democrat stranglehold over the legislature during Romney’s tenure. Nor did it acknowledge that Massachusetts took a significant employment hit from the burst of the dotcom bubble. There are many other convenient ommissions in this obviously biased piece.

It’s certainly fair to criticise Romney for these and other shortcomings during his tenure but lopsided articles like this from the Boston Globe diminsh its credibility as a serious analysis.

[SoConPubbie]

Boston Globe. Now there’s a paragon of objective reporting for you. While Romney’s performance as governor left a lot to be desired, the posted “article” conveniently omitted any mention of the 85% Democrat stranglehold over the legislature during Romney’s tenure. Nor did it acknowledge that Massachusetts took a significant employment hit from the burst of the dotcom bubble. There are many other convenient ommissions in this obviously biased piece.

It’s certainly fair to criticise Romney for these and other shortcomings during his tenure but lopsided articles like this from the Boston Globe diminsh its credibility as a serious analysis.

Romney's record didn't just leave a lot to be desired, it was absolutely left-wing in nature:

1. Implemented and supported Gay Marriage
2. Supported and forced Gay Adoption
3. Supported the Brady Bill
4. Implemented a state-level "Assault" Weapons Ban AFTER the Federal AWB was allowed to expire.
5. Supported TARP
6. Believes in Man-Made Global Warming.
7. Supported a state level Cap-and-Trade system in MA.
8. Supported Amnesty for Illegal Aliens (pathway to citizenship)
9. Raised taxes/fees by 300% while governor of MA.
10. Implemented a Socialist Health-Care program in MA called RomneyCare with $50 dollar Abortions and an Individual Mandate.

Get back to me when the so-called conservative media finds it's backbone and actually starts reporting about Romney's horrendous Progressive Liberal record as Governor, until then, I'm intelligent enough to read an article and know what's missing.

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Great post. We all know Mittens is NOT the right person for the presidency. Too bad voters are not taking this election as seriously as they should. Our economy is going over the cliff and Romney is a failure in terms of economic leadership. Good grief people. WAKE UP and vote for Newt or kiss our country good bye.

[SoConPubbie]

Nor did it acknowledge that Massachusetts took a significant employment hit from the burst of the dotcom bubble.

So did the rest of the country, however, MA was almost dead last with respect to the rest of the states with Romney at the helm.

[SoConPubbie]

Now there’s a paragon of objective reporting for you. While Romney’s performance as governor left a lot to be desired, the posted “article” conveniently omitted any mention of the 85% Democrat stranglehold over the legislature during Romney’s tenure.

Sorry, but Romney is still bragging about his record as Governor, whether the democrats were in charge or not in the legislature.

[Starboard]

“I’m intelligent enough to read an article and know what’s missing.”

Then please do your best to point that out for us, especially in the case of a highly dubious source like the Boston Globe which has precious little in the way of credibility. It might be one step above the New York Times, but that’s debatable.

[wagglebee]

So did the rest of the country, however, MA was almost dead last with respect to the rest of the states with Romney at the helm.

And Myth's numbers are being compared to 2002 which is AFTER the dot.com bubble burst. Employment skyrocketed EVERYWHERE in the country from 2002 to 2007 and this includes plenty of other Democrat strongholds.

Myth was far more interested in pushing leftist social programs than economic growth.

[SoConPubbie]

Then please do your best to point that out for us, especially in the case of a highly dubious source like the Boston Globe which has precious little in the way of credibility. It might be one step above the New York Times, but that’s debatable.

Just because an article comes from the NY Times or the Boston Globe does not mean it automatically is all lies.

There are plenty of articles on the Boston Globe detailing the failures of Mitt Romney that do nothing but post the facts, furthermore, either YOU have the intelligence necessary to discern the facts from the propaganda or you don't.

But there are facts buried in this article, and like most of Romney's Progressive Liberal record, they aren't flattering to Romney.

[Starboard]

“Just because an article comes from the NY Times or the Boston Globe does not mean it automatically is all lies.”

Maybe not all lies, but they too often engage in very selective use of supportive facts, half-truths and convenient omissions to spin their liberal views and manipulate readers. I do think that many on Free Republic do recognize propaganda like this when they see it and know what the agenda is.

[Howindependent]

I’m from MA and I read the Globe daily. I can stand and state that the Globe often distorts facts and confuses news with opinions. Romney could have been a great governor if he didn’t have to deal with the very liberal Democrat legislature whose previous 4 House Speakers have been indicted. Yes, he did drop the ball several times. But he is the only Republican who can possible beat Obama.

BTW, Romneycare, as proposed, was okay. It was the MA legislature that turned it into the model for Obamacare.

[SoConPubbie]

BTW, Romneycare, as proposed, was okay. It was the MA legislature that turned it into the model for Obamacare.

So the individual mandate is OK with you?

Mitt editorilized in 2009 to Obama that his healthcare program needed to include the Individual Mandate.

Are you for real?

On a conservative website no less!

[SoConPubbie]

Yes, he did drop the ball several times. But he is the only Republican who can possible beat Obama.

Actually you are absolutely incorrect on both points.

He consistently dropped the ball, it was rare when he got it right. His record is full of Progressive Liberal actions and it is that record, and how it will be used against him by the MSM and Obama, that makes him the only candidate that guarantees Obama a sure-fired landslide victory.

If Romney is the nominee, Obama and his minions in the MSM will utterly destroy him by beating him over the head with his own record and words.

His record:

1. Implemented and supported Gay Marriage
2. Supported and forced Gay Adoption
3. Supported the Brady Bill
4. Implemented a state-level "Assault" Weapons Ban AFTER the Federal AWB was allowed to expire.
5. Supported TARP
6. Believes in Man-Made Global Warming.
7. Supported a state level Cap-and-Trade system in MA.
8. Supported Amnesty for Illegal Aliens (pathway to citizenship)
9. Raised taxes/fees by 300% while governor of MA.
10. Implemented a Socialist Health-Care program in MA called RomneyCare with $50 dollar Abortions and an Individual Mandate.