Mitt Romney has been on every side of every major issue facing America
SEATTLE – GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney will visit Washington State today to bring in more Republican dollars to his campaign. The question is, which Mitt will land in the Evergreen State?
Will it be the pro-choice Mitt or the anti-choice Mitt? On November 9, 2004, Mitt told a Harvard doctor that he had evolved into a pro-life position [Time Magazine, 5/21/07]. But just six months later at a press conference, Mitt claimed he would continue to maintain the status quo on abortion [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxV-QNXoRIc, 5/27/05].
Will Washingtonians welcome the pro-stem cell research Mitt? Or will they see the anti-science Mitt who has appeared on the campaign trail? While Romney's Deputy Campaign Manager has stated that, "…the governor has never been a proponent of expanded federal funding or state funding for embryonic stem cell research," in August of 2004 Governor Romney expressed support for such a policy. Moreover, Romney spoke favorably regarding the Stem Cell Measure eventually vetoed by President Bush [NY Times, 6/15/07].
And finally, will Republicans meet the Mitt who supports benchmark measures in Iraq, or will they meet the Mitt who wants to toe the party line with George Bush? In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Romney stated that the President should publicly outline specific measurements of success in Iraq [ABC News, 6/7/07] – and he said so just two months after saying that any such goals should absolutely not be made public [ABC News, 4/3/07].
"Mitt Romney has been on every side of every major issue facing America," said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz. "Washingtonians deserve a President who will bring conviction to the oval office – not someone who flip-flops to appease the Republican conservative base."
Mitt Romney: On Every Side of Every Issue
Choice, Stem Cells and Iraq aren't the only major Romney flip-flops…
On Guns:- Old Mitt: Supported Gun Control, Bragged That His Views Were "Not Going to Make Me the Hero of the NRA." In 1994 and 2002, Romney supported the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban, even bragging that his positions were "not going to make me the hero of the NRA." As governor, Romney signed a 2004 law making Massachusetts the first state to pass a permanent assault weapons ban. [Boston Globe, 1/14/06]
- New Mitt: I'm After the NRA's Endorsement; Showing Off New NRA Card While Fudging on Gun Ownership. Romney told a Derry, New Hampshire audience, "I'm after the NRA's endorsement. I'm not sure they'll give it to me. I hope they will." Last summer, Romney joined the NRA under the designation "Lifetime" member.[Associated Press, 4/4/07] Romney also told the online The Glenn and Helen Show that "I have a gun of my own." Later, Romney was forced to admit to reporters in Orlando that he in fact did not personally own any guns. [Boston Globe, 1/14/06]
On Gay Marriage:- Old Mitt: Opposed Federal Marriage Amendment, Promised to be Stronger Leader on Gay Rights than Senator Ted Kennedy. Romney once opposed a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage and pledged to provide "more effective leadership" on establishing "full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens" than Senator Ted Kennedy. [Boston Globe, 10/17/94]
- New Mitt: Supports Constitutional Amendment, Even Worked to Block Same-Sex Couples From Adopting. Romney told the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit that he as "was unequivocal" on gay marriage, saying: "I opposed then, and do now, gay marriage and civil unions." [Newyorktimes.com, 1/28/07] Romney also now supports a constitutional amendment on marriage and tried to allow religious agencies to block adoptions to same-sex households. ["Transcript of Romney Address to Liberty Sunday," EvangelicalsforMitt.com, 10/16/06; Boston Globe, 3/16/06]
On Gays in the Military- Old Mitt: Said "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a First Step Toward Full Service. "When [Romney] ran for Senator in 1994, [he] supported the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military as what [he] called a first step that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation's military." [ABC News "This Week," 2/18/07]
- New Mitt: Ten Years Later, No Need For Change. "It's now been in place for well over a decade. We're in the middle of a conflict. Now is not the time for a change in that regard and I don't have a policy posture as to allowing gays in the military to serve there openly." [ABC News "This Week," 2/18/07]
On Global Warming:- Old Mitt: Romney's Praised for Plan to Make Massachusetts "A National Leader" on Climate Change. Massachusetts by itself is never going to counteract the country's production of the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming. Still, it is encouraging that Governor Romney has come up with a climate protection plan that, if pursued aggressively, would make the state a national leader in reducing emissions of the principal greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. [Editorial, Boston Globe, 5/17/2004]
- New Mitt: Abandoned Own Climate Protection Plan, Calls Global Warming a "Radical" Idea of "Liberal Left." Romney issued a press release that criticized Republicans for "embracing the radical environmental ideas of the liberal left." According to a report, "Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei couldn't clarify his stance. She said last week that Romney 'thinks it's likely human activity is contributing to the environment, but is not sure how much.' When asked to be more specific about his opinions on climate change, Pompei declined. 'Great bodies of evidence on either side of the debate suggest different answers to the question,' she said." [Concord Monitor, 3/21/07]
On Immigration Reform:- Old Mitt: Supported A "Path to Citizenship" For Undocumented Workers. "Gov. Mitt Romney expressed support yesterday for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship… 'I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country,' Romney said. '[T]hose that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country.'" [Lowell Sun, 3/30/06]
- New Mitt: Opposes Path to Citizenship, Even For People Born Here. At a Phoenix press conference, Romney said, "My view is there should be no advantage for those that are here illegally in pursuing a course of permanent residency." He indicated opposition to a guest-worker program because it would "substantially increase the number of individuals who would come through on a temporary worker basis and open a path for citizenship for them, as well." Romney indicated a willingness to change U.S. policy of granting citizenship to babies born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants. [Boston Globe, 3/16/07]
On Campaign Finance Reform:- Old Mitt: Supported Campaign Finance Reform. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Romney "proposed taxing political contributions to finance publicly funded campaigns," while during his 1994 Senate campaign Romney "publicly advocated placing spending limits on congressional campaigns and abolishing political action committees (PACs)." [The Hill, 2/8/07]
- New Mitt: Opposes Campaign Finance Reform, Calls It "One Of The Worst Things In My Lifetime." Referring to the McCain-Feingold law on campaign finance reform, Romney called it "one of the worst things in my lifetime." [The Hill, 2/8/07] Romney pledge to "fight to repeal McCain-Feingold." [Remarks to Conservative Political Action Conference, 3/2/07]
On His Own Health Care Plan:- Old Mitt: Championed State Wide Health Care Plan as "Conservative Victory." The plan was once considered "the centerpiece of Romney's administration" and "a key part of his presidential resume." [Boston Globe, 2/3/07] Romney even championed the plan "as a conservative victory that leads residents to take responsibility for their own health insurance." [Business Week, 4/4/06]
- New Mitt: "Distancing Himself" From Plan after Conservative Backlash. Romney "has begun to distance himself" from the plan in the face of conservative skepticism of the plan, skyrocketing costs for consumers, and new reports that the plan will force some 200,000 Bay Staters who already have health insurance to buy more. [Boston Globe, 2/3/07] "Many conservatives view the concept of requiring individuals to purchase health insurance -- and penalizing some businesses that don't offer it -- as anathema to their principles." [Boston Globe, 2/3/07]
On Social Security:- Old Mitt: Supported Social Security. "I don't think you go back and rewrite the contract the government has with people who've retired." [Bloomberg, 2/7/2007]
- New Mitt: Weighing Deep Cuts to Social Security. "[Romney] is weighing… deep cuts in automatic-benefit programs such as Medicare and Social Security. [Bloomberg, 2/7/2007]
On the Minimum Wage:- Old Mitt: Supported Minimum Wage Hike. "I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation… I think the minimum wage is a good thing." [Boston Globe, 10/17/94]
- New Mitt: Opposed Minimum Wage Hike. Romney vetoed a Massachusetts minimum wage hike, a veto state legislators overrode. [Associated Press, 8/1/06]
On His Own Conservative Credentials:- Old Mitt: "I'm not the most conservative candidate on every issue."[NewsMax.com, 2/9/07]
- New Mitt: Media Attacking Me Because I'm the Conservative. "I think it proves that the media has determined who the conservative candidate is, because they're going after me with hammer and tong and that's the way you would expect to go after the conservative candidate." [Boston Globe, 3/2/07]
6/20/07 ###
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