Ex Governor Mitt Romney is preparing to run for the Republican presidential nomination. Mr. Romney has been in politics his entire life following his successful father into politics (George Romney Gov of Mass). It is hard to find exactly what Mr. Romney's polictial views are. As he becomes more and more a part of the Republican mainstream his views have moved more to the right. His views on abortion have changed as his political career has blossomed. Prior to his 2008 presidential run Mr. Romney's abortion view was pro-choice. In 1994 in his senatorial race against Ted Kennedy he campaigned with Nicki Nichols Gamble, former president of the Massachusetts branch of Planned Parenthood. Mr. Romney's wife gave $150 donation to Planned Parenthood that year. In 2005 he signed an agreement with Planned Parenthood to support increased access to the "morning after" pill. Then he refused to sign the bill when it came to his desk. Then later in the year another bill came to desk that granted a federal waiver to expand the number of Massachusetts citizens eligible for family planning services, including the "morning after" pill, this bill he signed. He has supported several "liberal" policies like stem cell research: “It is time to move beyond typical Washington politics, and offer support for stem-cell research techniques that bring science and ethics together to promote life, protect life, and save lives.” He was one of the few Republicans who voted for TARP, he created, passed and implemented Romenycare (smaller version of Obamacare, and requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face escalating tax penalties such as the loss of their personal income tax exemption), he Instituted the John & Abigail Adams award in Massachusetts, which gives top 25% of high school students FREE tuition to any public in-state college (now that's a Liberal thing to do). As Gov his administration raised various fees by more than $300 million, including those for driver's licenses, marriage licenses, and gun licenses. Romney increased the state gasoline fee by 2 cents per gallon. He has supported domestic partnership benefits, but does believe marriage is reserved only for a man and woman. Gov Romney even removed several corporate tax loopholes. To go way back in Mr. Romney's political life in the 1992 Democratic Party presidential primaries he voted for the former democratic senator from the state, Paul Tsongas. Currently he has been quoted as saying "I support military action in Libya. I support our troops there and the mission that they’ve been given." Until recently (2008) Mr Romney has had a pretty left leaning agenda.
As Gov, Mr Romney did try and find his conservative side. His efforts to bring in spending was right down the conservative play book. His budget had $140 million reduction in state funding for higher education, which led state-run colleges and universities to increase tuition by 63 percent over four years.(trickle down economics that Reganites forget to tell you). He did inherit a terrible Mass economy. In his four years as governor Romney took a record deficit and turned it into a surplus! He is proud to say that he did this without raising taxes, however in balancing the budget he did add 33 new fees, and 57 existing fees were increased. At least Mr. Romney understands that just cutting taxes and services will not balance a budget. He cut state spending by $1.6 billion, but those cuts to state services put pressure on local governments that still needed to supply those services to raise private property taxes to 5%. Then in 2005 he allowed local commercial property taxes to be raised.
I believe the Mitt Romney we shall see on the campaign trail will be a very fiscal and social conservative, I just hope if Mr. Romney is elected that we shall see the Mitt Romney prior to 2008.
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