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Mitt Romney's roots are certainly as deeply founded in the Mormon brand of conservatism as is any Bob Jones University acolyte's in the fundamentalist Baptist context.

His residence in Belmont, MA from the late 1960's - 1970's is particularly coincidental. The John Birch Society, founded by Robert Welch, was at the time based in Belmont, MA.

From 1963 - 1974, every 4th of July holiday, the John Birch Society together with other conservative groups at the time held the equivalent of the "CPAC" of its day at what was then known as The Statler Hilton (now the Park plaza) in Boston. This was called "The New England Rally for God, Family, and Country." (chairman of which was JBS's Col. Lawrence Bunker of Wellesley Hills, MA)

It was an annual gathering of "conservatism in the wilderness" of the post-Kennedy assassination era, and 1964 Goldwater election rout, where one could hear speeches of conservative authors (e.g., Taylor Caldwell, W. Cleon Skousen, George Schuyler) politicians (e.g. John Ashbrook, John Schmitz, etc.), ex-gov't conservatives (e.g., Dan Smoot, ex-FBI),Hollywood actors (e.g. Walter Brennan), musicians, academics, WFBuckley's "Young Americans for Freedom," The Bible-Science Association, and "Liberty Lobby." Featured also were religious schools and institutions (e.g., Bob Jones U, Shelton College), "Christian Crusade" (i.e., Billy James Hargis)and a significant presense of Mormons -- Christian and Mormon "End-timers," predominantly.

The JBS slogan, "Will you be free in '73?" was everywhere.

We evangelical Christians had great fun debating the Mormon Missionaries sent to this event to promote “that book” written by Joseph Smith.

A bumper sticker booth at "The Rally", 1970 (no, that's not a picture of me)

Bible Science Association

American Education Lobby

Liberty Lobby

I mentioned W. Cleon Skousen, author of the exposé-itory conservative tome: The Naked Communist, and a book widely advertised and promoted not only by JBS in their American Opinion and Review of the News publications but also prompted widely by Liberty Lobby and other alternative conservative publications sources.

A little history on Skousen from Wiki: by the way that is Willard Cleon Skousen for all those pointing up that aspect of Mitt's name,

"He was also a prolific popularizer among Latter-day Saints (Mormons) of their theology. A notable anti-communist and supporter of the John Birch Society,[3] Skousen's works involved a wide range of subjects including the Six-Day War, Mormon eschatology, New World Order conspiracies, and parenting.[4] His most popular works are The 5,000 Year Leap and The Naked Communist. A book by Skousen on end times prophecy, The Cleansing of America, was published by Valor Publishing Group in 2010, four years after his death.[5]

"In 1926, Skousen went to the Mormon colony, Colonia Juarez, Mexico for two years to help his seriously ill grandmother. While there, he attended the Juarez Academy. Skousen then returned to California, graduating from high school in 1930. At the age of 17 he traveled to Great Britain as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[7][8]"

Recall Mitt's father, Gov. George Romney. Wiki on George:

"Romney was born to American parents living in the Mormon colonies in Mexico; events during the Mexican Revolution forced his family to flee back to the United States when he was a child. The family lived in several states and ended up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they struggled during the Great Depression. Romney worked in a number of jobs, served as a Mormon missionary in England and Scotland, and attended several colleges in the U.S. but did not graduate from any.

The JBS/Skousen - Romney - Mexico - UK/Scotland Mormon Mission stuff is coincidental in a forensic sense and though short of absolute, definitive connection, one has to wonder what influences and interactions Mitt Romney of Belmont MA had with pre-Reagan conservatism.

Granted, even if there was a Skousen - George Romney connection going back to Mexico Mormonism and UK Mormon Missions, George tended to tack to the "moderate" wing as opposed to the Goldwater wing. He did serve as Nixon's HUD Sec'y for a time.

That said, if someone like me was able to meet W. Cleon Skousen, is there a chance that Mitt Romney actually knew him and not just casually? By many accounts Mitt Romney was a leader in his Mormon faith walk - a church whose faith in many ways (some correct and some incorrect) affirms American supremacy? In many ways he was an active, not a casual participant in promoting what at its core espouses political and social conservatism.

So, I have written all that history not to say that I remember seeing Mitt Romney at the God Family and Country Rallies of the '60's and '70's almost all of which I attended for 11 years, but it is my guess that Mitt Romney should he rise to the US Presidency will be looked at by the American left as one who was a Trojan Horse in their midst.

Let me be very clear again: I am an evangelical Christian and staunch conservative from way back. This is not in any way an endorsement in any way of Mormonism as religion. Where conservatism and American supremacy is the issue we are allied with their conservative positions, though most of us are not aligned with them on religious terms. I knew that 40 years ago.

What I am saying is that if Mitt Romney is given the freedom to tack toward what is his core, and not placed in the position of doing only what he can with a 90% (D) legislature like he had as Governor of Massachusetts, I think we might all be surprised to see how much of a core conservatism might actually reside there.

FReegards!

What I am saying is that if Mitt Romney is given the freedom to tack toward what is his core, and not placed in the position of doing only what he can with a 90% (D) legislature like he had as Governor of Massachusetts, I think we might all be surprised to see how much of a core conservatism might actually reside there.

What you are saying is that he has no principles whatsoever.

Mitt Romney, his father and his mother, all were liberals (even pro-abortion) at their core, patriotism as we see it is not part of their make-up, they don’t even like us, the Romneys were and are anti-middle America, anti-Christian, anti-conservative, anti-serving in the military, anti-Reagan.

Nixon wanted George to run for that Senate seat to get him out of his administration.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights, dear Agamemnon!

Let me be very clear again: I am an evangelical Christian and staunch conservative from way back. This is not in any way an endorsement in any way of Mormonism as religion. Where conservatism and American supremacy is the issue we are allied with their conservative positions, though most of us are not aligned with them on religious terms. I knew that 40 years ago.

What I am saying is that if Mitt Romney is given the freedom to tack toward what is his core, and not placed in the position of doing only what he can with a 90% (D) legislature like he had as Governor of Massachusetts, I think we might all be surprised to see how much of a core conservatism might actually reside there.

Indeed. I wouldn't rule that out of the realm of possibility. Evidently, based on his public statements today on Fox News, neither does Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. He said that although there are profound, irreconcilable theological differences as between Evangelicals and Mormons, they share core values that are inherently politically conservative: Liberty, devotion to the Constitution, preeminence in international relations and national defense, commitment to the capitalist system, family and life values.

While Romney was not my "pick" as the GOP presidential candidate, it looks like he's on-track to win the nomination. Of course, this would be a horrific disaster for our nation — IF the caricature of the man I've been reading around here is at all a truthful description of the man. My problem is the caricature is so overblown and distorted that I do not recognize it as any kind of accurate picture of Mitt Romney in terms of who he is as a public (or private) man.

Of course, all I want to do is to remove the on-going criminal conspiracy from the White House. I figure the normal way to do that is at the ballot box. But it appears that some folks around here want to do it the hard way: To effectively concede the election to Obama (by giving support to a third-party candidate without a snowball's chance in Hell of being elected president), and then — assuming that we can elect a sufficient number of Tea Party-type conservatives to the House and to retake the Senate — try to (1) Impeach him, and (2) remove him from office. Part (1) looks relatively easy — assuming a GOP majority in the House. But (2) would require an enormous amount of political courage in the Senate — for the President would instantly produce the Race Card....

In this way, we will let the current dysfunctional GOP establishment know that we political conservatives are sick and tired of being taken for granted by a Party that, if anything, is embarrassed by us; that we're "mad as Hell and just not gonna take it anymore."

Well, it's a plan.... Can it work? I have no idea.

In an earlier post, I made a comment about "my fellow twits" that caused much pain among some of my correspondents. I had "stooped so very low," you see. But please note the deliberately considered language I used: I included myself in the group of twits ("my fellow...."). This is a simple acknowledgement that, as far as I am concerned at least, I have never seen a more unsettled state of affairs political in this nation in my lifetime, nor have felt so helpless about "fixing it." I have never seen a time where abject, calculated lies are accepted by the populace without demur, when the very language is being traduced (e.g., the very definition of "marriage" must be changed for "social justice" reasons, etc.), when class warfare is being assiduously cultivated by the Swindler in Chief, etc., etc. There is so much deliberately propagated chaos, some days it's hard to tell what's going on.... I'm suffocating in the Kultursmog....

And I blame Obama for all of this. Which is why I believe it is so very urgent to give him "the bum's rush" as soon as possible. I honestly do not believe that the America we know and love can survive four more years of this man.

Thus I consider myself a hapless "twit" with respect to present matters. I can think of no precedent that gives any guiding principle, yet I venture to give an opinion anyway. But I freely apologize to any person who was offended by my remark. Perhaps they really are wiser than I am....

In an earlier post, P-Marlowe flatly said that Romney does not have a prayer of winning in Massachusetts (or in California) on November 6th. I'm sure he's right about California. But I'm not so sure about Massachusetts.

Fenway Park enjoyed its 100th anniversary, coinciding with Opening Day, a few weeks back. So President Obama recorded a video address congratulating Red Sox fans on this milestone, which was put up on the Jumbotron for all to enjoy.

I was amazed at what happened next: the President was roundly, loudly BOOED by the fans. This happened in BOSTON of all places. I would never have expected it — but there it was. Evidently Red Sox fans are a different breed of cat than the elites that populate Cambridge, whose standard-bearer this year (after Obama) is the millionaire progressive "squaw," Elizabeth Warren.... I sure do hope the fans turn out to vote on election day.

I don't know what the outcome will be. Whatever it is, it seems there isn't much that I can do about it.

And so at this point, I am simply going to leave it all up to God.

All is in His Hands anyway.

May he continue to bless the United States of America — and my fellow correspondents. (I shall now retire the "twit" word....)

Thank you so very much, Agamemnon, for your insightful and highly informative essay/post!

P.S.:
BTW, an article in the May 2012 edition of the Smithsonian magazine corroborates the Romney family's background in the very place you have connected Skousen to: the 100+ year-old Mormon colony, Colonia Juarez, in Mexico. In the same edition, there was an eye-opening piece on Obama's background in Kenya....)