WhichMitt.com is a hilarious website put out by the DNC. Take the quiz! Mitt Romney's constantly changing opinions make him a really easy target. This highlights his contradictions on abortion, the need for an economic stimulus plan during the current recession, health care, and more. Romney's penchant for flip-flopping makes John Kerry look like an anchor of resolve.
Here are a few of the infamous Romney quotes:
On economic stimulus:
“I think there is need for economic stimulus. Americans have lost about $11 trillion in net worth … And government can help make that up in a very difficult time.” [CNN, Late Edition, 1/4/09]
“I have never supported the President's Recovery Act... No time, no where, no how have I supported the President's stimulus.” [Romney Town Hall, Goffstown NH, 9/28/11]
On the need for a national health care plan:
In Massachusetts, “[I] was able to put in place a plan that helped get health insurance premiums down, and gets all of our citizens insured. If we can do that nationally, we help ... the entire nation.” [CNN, 1/14/08]
“One thing I’d never do is impose a state’s plan on the entire nation, that makes no sense. I’ll repeal Obamacare.” [Romney Q&A, Andover NH, 7/4/11]
10 comments:
I haven't really been following any of this stuff, but wow... he sounds like a doofus.
OMG! A politician that cant be trusted for what he says. Mitt Romney is definitely in that club. Unfortunately for your subscribers you completely failed to address anything of substance regarding these issues. It seams to me that too many people are caught up in "gotcha politics" and ignore the important principles that affect our freedom. This is another case of that. You should spend some energy defending those principles that you think will increase our freedom. I see too many people who flip sides on these issues as fast as the politicians. If a Dem is in power than war is great. If a Rep is in power than war is evil. Be consistent! At least a little bit more than the politicians.
Steve- I sincerely thank you for reading my blog and for commenting. I sense from your comment about seeking to increase our freedom that you are Ron Paul supporter. Am I wrong? Anyway, I think that is a good topic for a post and hope to do one on it soon. I've actually been thinking of it for some time, but a post like that would be quite lengthy and less likely to be read. The point of this post wasn't to provide a comprehensive critique of the Romney candidacy, which could take many pages. Romney's changes on these issues are not simple course corrections about minor things. These are the very issues that form the core of the GOP's argument against Obama's Presidency!! How can the GOP claim that it seeks to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act if the GOP frontrunner is the architect of a plan that is almost identical to the one Obama signed into law?? How can it claim that the economic stimulus act has destroyed our economy when the GOP frontrunner supported the notion of economic stimulus in the form of government spending in 2008 at the height of the recession?? This is not "gotcha politics" and any Republican who supports a politician like Romney but attacks Obama for these signature pieces of legislation is guilty of immense intellectual honesty.
Speaking of "gotcha" politics and caricatures of the other party, here's one: "If a Dem is in power than war is great. If a Rep is in power than war is evil"
Who ever said that about war or anything close to it? I know I haven't. One of Obama's most consistent positions throughout his career as a politician have been those on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and he deserves TREMENDOUS credit for it. Candidate Obama said he wanted to end the war in Iraq and he has fulfilled that promise. All combat troops are home and by the end of this year, ALL troops will be out. Candidate Obama also said he would refocus on the war in al-Qa'ida in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As President, he ordered a surge in Afghanistan and has drastically increased counterterrorism operations in Pakistan and elsewhere, leading to the demise of an unprecedented number of senior al-Qa'ida leaders, including of course, Osama bin Laden. Please show some intellectual integrity on the war issue. Obama has shown plenty.
Jaime- thank you for reading and commenting!
Hi Aaron - Brittany Higgs mom here.
OK I have to say that I am no way super well versed on politics but I do read and, Yes, I am a Romney supporter.
I need to study some of this further but I think words are twisted sometimes, or maybe it is just meanings. For instance I, in no way, shape or form endorse Obama's healthcare plan which, if fully enforced, definately would require (force) all Americans to participate in that plan - whether they want healthcare or not.
However, I do think that the way health insurance is handled needs to be overhauled and I would like to see insurance premiums down. I would also like to see all citizens insured (who want to be insured) - just not forced to do so by the government - after all, this is the U.S. - and we should have choices.
I believe that is what Mitt's point was.
In general people are not against good healthcare or everyone having healthcare but it needs to be affordable and it needs to be a choice and not totally run by the government in a forced way.
Obama also talked about giving free healthcare (government mandated healthcare) to illegal aliens and I am sorry but "No Bueno!"
As for the other issues in the post I will study them further as I said.
I also do not have a problem with someone changing their mind - we all change our minds about things.
Maybe Mitt did something or said something 3 or 4 years ago and now after several years more experience realizes what he said before needs to be reformed.
Nothing wrong with that.
So just out of curiosity - Didn't you grow up in Boston? Did you know the Romneys at all?
A friend in our ward grew up with the Romney's in Boston. Mitt was his Bishop, his scout leader, and he grew up with his boys.
Maybe I'm a member of the "Good 'ol Mormon boys club". But I trust the man more than I trust any of the others. I know his values, I think he has a good plan and more than that I believe he is led by the spirit in his life.
Hi Cherie- thanks again for reading and commenting!
I can certainly understand why some people would be concerned about a mandate to purchase health insurance. But it is critical to know that the core components of President Obama's health care plan mirror those of the plan Mitt Romney developed and implemented in Massachusetts, and that includes the health insurance mandate. Romney supported a mandate requiring every citizen of his state to buy health insurance. By all accounts, the Obama Administration and Congress looked to the Romney health care plan as a model when they crafted their legislation.
Interestingly enough, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo (a Mormon) once co-sponsored health care legislation that included a mandate to purchase health insurance. Orrin Hatch of Utah did as well. I posted about this a while ago here: http://mormonprogressive.blogspot.com/2011/01/they-were-for-it-before-they-were.html
Romney refuses to renounce the health care plan he signed into law as Governor, yet he continually attacks the nearly identical health care plan that President Obama signed. I believe that is very hypocritical of Mitt Romney and it weakens the central tenant of the Republican Party's argument against Obama. Romney and the GOP argue that the government, under Obama, has recklessly overreached and they cite Obama's health care reform as the prime example. At best, that is gross intellectual dishonesty.
It is important to point out that Obama's health care law specifically excluded illegal aliens from coverage of the health insurance premium subsidies, so contrary to what may be popular belief, the new health care law does not cover illegals. I'm not sure what statement you are referring to, but if you do have a link to an article or news clip where Obama specifically says he is in favor of providing free health care to illegals, I would definitely be interested in seeing it. I recall that right-wing talk show hosts were circulating the rumor, but it is not true.
Here is a link to an article from July 2009, 8 months before the law was passed, where Obama specifically said there would be no free health care for illegals: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5178652-503544.html
And here is a link to an article that highlights the main points of the new law. At the bottom, it states that illegals will not be allowed to by health insurance in the new exchanges, even if they pay for a plan completely on their own, so there will definitely be no free or subsidized health care for illegals under the new plan: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000846-503544.html
I believe that we need a health care system in our country where everyone who is sick can get the treatment they need, regardless of their financial status. All other developed countries in the world have such a system, and they all spend less money as a % of GDP on health care than we do. They also on average have significantly better health outcomes than we do. If you're interested, I wrote about the health care crisis in the U.S. and the need for a national system here: http://mormonprogressive.blogspot.com/2011/01/morality-and-health-care-crisis-in.html
It is true that the viewpoints and political positions of most politicians evolve over time. And perhaps sometimes they do complete 180 degree turns on certain issues. However, Romney has changed his views on an incredibly large number of key issues- and the timing of his position changes has typically coincided with his political aspirations, meaning, he "became" more liberal when he ran for office in Massachusetts, then "became" more conservative when he decided to run for president. The number of issues he's done a 180 on is astounding to me: abortion, stem cell research, economic stimulus, health care reform, Iraq, immigration, campaign finance reform, taxes, and more! I cannot think of any other prominent politician who has given near opposite positions on so many issues, ever, let alone in a short time span of a few years from when he was governor to when he first ran for president.
I'm not from MA, so I have never had the opportunity to meet the Romneys. (Since my blog is open and can be viewed by anyone, I don't want to reveal too much personal information online so I don't want to say where I'm from here.) I have no doubt that Mitt Romney is a kind man. I'm sure he served diligently in his callings as bishop and stake president and has been true to his faith. I don't have any reason to doubt that he is a faithful and upstanding member of the Church.
I certainly can respect your perspective- that you want to vote for someone whom you feel is led by the Spirit and is a faithful priesthood holder. Those are definitely good attributes for a candidate. And if you agree with his policy positions, that must make him an even more appealing candidate to you.
As we all know the Church counsels members to study the issues prayerfully and be as informed as we can when we make our votes. It also advises that we vote for men and women who have strong moral character. For me, while Romney may have a strong moral character, he is wrong on most of the issues I care deeply about and the policy prescriptions he gives for our country's challenges are not supported by the facts, as far as I understand them. Even if he has the capability to be an effective leader, in considering his management and executive experience as well as his faithfulness and devotion exhibited while he served in the Church, if the direction he wants to take our country in is the wrong one in my view, then I cannot support him.
On a related note, I'm wary of candidates who claim that they were directed by God to run for President. (For the record, I'm not aware Romney has ever said this). Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Michelle Bachman have all alluded to this. George W. Bush thought the same thing of himself. I think there are some folks in our country who prefer to believe that their candidate is God's choice or is directed by God, and therefore should get their vote, and then use that as an excuse for not studying the issues as diligently as they should. I'm definitely not implying that's what you were saying or doing. However, for me, it is vital that a candidate espouse viewpoints supported by data and by relevant experts, where possible.
I also believe that Barack Obama is a good and moral man-- one (like Romney) who has been a good husband and father and has worked hard in trying to do the things he believes are best for our country. Unfortunately, since 2008, our country has suffered economic troubles that are far more severe than anything we've encountered since the Great Depression. President Obama came into office as our economy was spiraling out of control and headed towards depression. While we are still in rough shape today and have a ways to go in our recovery, I believe that the core elements of policies he has implemented have and will continue to make things better.
Post a Comment