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mitt romney

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 6 months ago

'Willard Mitt Romney' (b. March 12, 1947) is the 70th Governor of Massachusetts. He is currently in his first term as Governor, serving until 2007. He has stated he will not seek re-election in 2006.

 

Romney is frequently mentioned as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. He also serves as the chairman of the Republican Governors Association and honorary chairman of The Commonwealth Political Action Committee.

 

Before becoming Governor, Romney rose to prominence in a 1994 campaign against Senator Ted Kennedy and as CEO and organizer of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

 


Biography

 

Mitt Romney was born March 12, 1947 in Detroit, Michigan and is the son of former Michigan governor, presidential candidate, and Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development [George W. Romney]. His mother Lenore Romney ran for the US Senate as a Republican from Michigan. Romney has been married to his wife, Ann Romney, for 36 years.

 

They have five sons (Tagg, Matt, Josh, Ben and Craig) and nine grandchildren. Ann Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998.

 

Education

Romney graduated from the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills (now Cranbrook Kingswood School). He met his future wife, Ann Davies (born in 1949), when she was at the Kingswood School.

 

After attending Stanford University for two quarters, Romney served for two and one-half years as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France. Upon returning from his mission, he transferred universities and subsequently received his B.A. with Highest Honors and as valedictorian from Brigham Young University in 1971. In 1975, Romney was awarded an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and was named a Baker scholar. He also also received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School that same year!

 

Business

 

From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a Vice President of Bain & Company, Inc., a Boston-based management consulting firm. Later, as the company's CEO, he led it through a highly successful turnaround. Today, Bain & Company has 32 offices in 20 countries and over 2400 employees.

 

In 1984, Romney co-founded Bain Capital, one of the nation's most successful venture capital investment companies. Among the first companies it invested in was [Staples, Inc.|Staples], an office-supply store. In 1986 Staples, Inc., had one store. Today it has nearly 1,700. Bain Capital founded, acquired or invested in hundreds of companies including Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy and The Sports Authority.

 

CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee

Romney first obtained national attention when he served as President and CEO of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City. In 1999 the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks. Plans were being made to scale back the games in order to compensate for the fiscal crisis. "There are contingency plans in place already in case we could not meet our revenue goals that we would scale back the budget accordingly and keep these Games on budget," said United States Olympic Committee Executive Director Dick Schultz at the time. The Games were also rocked by scandal as damaging allegations of bribery were made against top officials, including then Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) President and CEO Frank Joklik. Joklick and SLOC vice president Dave Johnson were forced to resign.

 

The 2002 Winter Games were on the verge of becoming a national disaster and a global embarrassment. The event needed new leadership, and the SLOC launched a search for a new Olympic chief. "The candidate I'm looking for," SLOC chairman Bob Garff said at the time, "is the white knight who is universally loved."

 

On February 11, 1999 the committee named Romney the new president and CEO of the Salt Lake City Games. He was charged with restoring faith in the beleaguered event, and rescuing the Olympics from failure. Romney revamped the organization's leadership and policies, reduced budgets and boosted fundraising. He also worked to ensure the saftey of the Games following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 by coordinating a 300 million dollar security budget. Under his leadership, the 2002 Olympic Winter Games turned into a remarkable success. Despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million.

 

"Romney and his group here, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, did one of the great organizing jobs of all time," said NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol. Following the conclusion of the Games, then-US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta congratulated the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, "who under Mitt Romney's leadership, hosted perhaps the best Winter Olympic Games ever." President George Bush also praised Romney's management of the Games. "Mitt, you did a fabulous job," said the President at a White House ceremony recogizing the Salt Lake City Olympics.

 

Romney contributed $1 million to the Olympics, and donated all three years of the salary he earned as President and CEO ($275,000 per year) to charity. He wrote a book about his experience called Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games

 

Political Campaigns

 

1994 Campaign for United States Senate!!

In 1994, Romney was the Massachusetts Republican Party's nominee for after he defeated businessman John Lakian in the primary. The general election between Romney and Senator Ted Kennedy was extremely competitive leading up to election day. The debates between Romney and Kennedy were lively, and the polls showed Romney only slightly behind Kennedy. One poll taken in October 1994, sponsored by the Boston Herald and WCVB-TV, actually showed Romney ahead 44 percent to 42 percent. A few other polls showed Romney within the "margin of error." According to figures in the print version of the 1996 Almanac of American Politics (which are based on official campaign finance reports), Romney spent over $7 million on his race, with Kennedy spending over $10 million, mostly in the last weeks of the campaign. (This was the second-most expensive race of the 1994 election cycle, after the Dianne Feinstein vs. Michael Huffington Senate race in California.)

 

Kennedy would eventually win the election with 58% of the vote to Romney's 41%. The 17% winning margin was the smallest in Kennedy's long career as a Senator.

 

Even though he lost the election, Romney's unexpectedly strong showing in the Senate race established him as a national political figure.

 

2002 Campaign for Governor

In 2002, Republican Lieutenant Governor Jane Swift, who had served as since the resignation of Republican Governor Paul Cellucci, was expected to run for the corner office. Swift was viewed as an unpopular executive, and her administration was plagued by political missteps and personal scandals. As a result, many Republicans viewed her as a liability who would be unable to win a general election against a Democrat. The state GOP needed a strong candidate to help them retain the corner office, and prominent party activists launched a campaign to persuade Mitt Romney to run for governor. One poll taken at this time showed that Republicans favored Romney over Swift by a margin of more than 50 percentage points. With growing speculation that Romney would challenge Swift in what would be a bruising primary battle, Swift decided not to seek her party's nomination.

 

During the general election Romney ran on a reform platform, as a major issue in the election was a serious state budget crisis. Supporters of Romney hailed his business record, especially his success with the 2002 Olympics, as that of one who would be able to bring in a new era of efficiency into Massachusetts politics.

 

Romney was elected Governor in November 2002 over Democrat Shannon O'Brien, Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein, Libertarian Carla Howell and independent candidate Barbara Johnson (50%, 45%, 4%, 1%, 0.7% respectively).

 

Possible Presidential Run in 2008

 

Governor Romney is frequently mentioned as a potential contender in the 2008 presidential election. Although he has not formally announced his intent to run, he has spent a considerable amount of time giving political speeches in key primary battleground states. While he is not running for reelection as governor, Romney has set up a political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC. He has also signed up well-known political operatives to lay the groundwork for a campaign.

 

On September 22, 2006, Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly said that Romney is his early favorite to win the 2008 presidential election over Senator Hillary Clinton in what he sees now as the likely head-to-head race. "He's photogenic. He's articulate. He's got money. New Hampshire likes him. This guy . . . you watch him," O'Reilly said.

 

Speaking at the Michigan Future Forum, sponsored by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, O'Reilly said potential presidential contender Senator [John McCain] has been damaged by his "soft" positions on the terrorist interrogation and border security issues. O'Reilly also said that he believes that another potential candidate, former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani, is being hurt by his inability to handle the press and his mushy positions on issues.

 

Governorship

 

Romney announced in 2005 that he will not seek re-election for a second term as Governor of the Commonwealth, fueling speculation that he is preparing a run at the White House in 2008. Current Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey has received the republican nomination in the 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.

 

Health Care

On April 12, 2006, Governor Romney signed legislation to provide health insurance to virtually all citizens of Massachusetts without raising taxes. Working with conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation and Democrats in the General Court, Romney developed a plan that stresses personal responsibility in paying for coverage and provides funding for low-income residents. Starting in July 2007, health insurance will be mandatory for all state residents, provided a plan is available to the individual that is deemed affordable according to state standards. Lower income individuals will be eligible for subsidies to purchase health insurance.

 

As of March, 2006 there were approximately 500,000 uninsured citizens in Massachusetts. Those who are uninsured commonly use emergency rooms as a source of primary care because of their lack of health insurance coverage.

 

Massachusetts hospitals are required to provide care even if a patient cannot pay for it. As a result, hospitals have been left with unpaid bills and mounting expenses to care for the uninsured. "People who don't have insurance nonetheless receive health care," said Romney. "And it's expensive."

 

In Massachusetts, a roughly $800 million fund known as the "uncompensated care pool" is used to partially reimburse hospitals for these expenses. The fund's revenue comes from an annual assessment on employers, insurance providers and hospitals, plus contributions of state and federal tax dollars. Governor Romney's plan redirects money from this fund to subsidize health care costs for low-income residents of Massachusetts. The Romney Administration consulted with MIT professor Jonathan Gruber to study the state's population and health care needs. They determined that there was enough money in the "free care pool" to implement the Governor's plans without additional funding or taxes. separate study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts found that universal coverage would require substantial additional state spending.

 

The General Court amended Romney's plan somewhat, adding a Medicaid expansion for children and imposing an assessment on firms with 11 or more workers who do not offer health coverage. The assessment is intended to equalize the contributions to the free care pool from employers that offer and do not offer coverage. The General Court also rejected Romney's provision allowing high-deductible health plans.

 

The new Massachusetts health care legislation establishes a system to provide citizens with private, affordable, market based insurance. The state will work to enroll all residents eligible for Medicaid and subsidize private insurance policies for low income individuals. A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the amount of money a person contributes to their policy. The higher the income, the higher the premium. Individuals who can afford health coverage but chose not to purchase a policy will now be required by law to acquire insurance. Failure to purchase health insurance if an affordable policy is available would result in tax penalties.

 

The legislation also establishes a device developed by the Heritage Foundation known as the "Connector." The Connector allows Massachusetts citizens to "purchase health insurance with pretax dollars, even if their employer makes no contribution. The connector enables pretax payments, simplifies payroll deduction, permits prorated employer contributions for part-time employees, reduces insurer marketing costs, and makes it efficient for policies to be entirely portable. Because small businesses may use the connector, it gives them even greater bargaining power than large companies."

 

Romney vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 dollar per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance. Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. However, the state legislature overrode all of the vetoes.

 

Education

In 2004, Governor Romney established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program to reward the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with a four-year, tuition-free scholarship to Massachusetts state university or colleges. He has also drafted other education reforms, including the recruitment of 1,000 skilled math and science instructors, bonuses of as much as $15,000 a year for top-performing teachers, and new intervention programs for failing schools

 

Additionally, Romney began advocating for a nationwide focus on education through the recruitment of and better pay for math and science teachers, and allowing state governments to take control of underperforming schools after three instead of the six-year period that is now in place.

 

Speaking of the education provided to minority students, Romney said, "I really believe that the failure of our urban schools and, in some cases our suburban schools, to help minority students achieve the levels that are necessary for success in the workplace is the civil rights issue of our time." [Image:nn_romney.jpgleftthumb200pxGovernor Romney with Nicholas Negroponte unveiling the $100 laptop.]

One Laptop Per Child Initiative: Duplicating a successful program in nearby Maine, in September 2005, Romney submitted a bill to the legislature to deliver $100 laptops to all children in Massachusetts. This project would cost $54 million.

 

In 1994 Romney, as a candidate for U.S. Senate, pledged to vote to establish a means-tested school voucher program to allow students to attend the public or private school of their choice. He also supported abolishing the federal Department of Education and favored keeping control of educational reform at the lowest level, closest to parents, teachers, and the community (Boston Globe review of 1994 campaign issues Mar 21, 2002).

 

Romney believes that superintendents and principals should be given the authority to hire teachers and fire underperforming educators. He believes that teacher performance and not tenure should determine job security, saying that "Seniority cannot trump the needs of our children."

 

Romney also favors standardized testing as a graduation requirement and alternative education options for parents and students. He supports Charter schools, school vouchers and home schooling.

 

As Governor, Romney has proposed mandatory parental preparation courses. He also supports English immersion classes for students that cannot speak English.[http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20060409-101256-6627r.htm]

 

Budget Balancing

[Image:Romney signing.jpgthumb300px|Governor Romney signs legislation preventing retroactive taxation on financial transactions.]Upon entering office, Romney faced a $3 billion deficit. Facing an immediate fiscal crisis, the Governor asked the state legislature for emergency powers to make "9C" cuts to the fiscal year 2003 budget. Refusing to raise taxes, Romney cut spending and restructured state government.[http://www.umass.edu/chronicle/archives/03/01-24/romney.htm]. An unexpected windfall in capital gains taxes reduced the deficit by $1.3 billion, and Romney raised an extra $500 million in revenue by increasing hundreds of fees (such as driver's license and marriage license fees) and by closing tax "loopholes."Greenberger, Scott S. "Romney often casts himself as budget hero; But speeches omit some important detail," Boston Globe, October 24, 2005.[http://www.massbudget.org/article.php?id=376] The state also cut spending by $1.6 billion, including $700 million in reductions in state aid to cities and towns.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/18/property_taxes_still_on_rise_in_mass/?page=full] In response, cities and towns became more reliant on local revenue to pay for municipal services and schools.

 

Massachusetts finished 2004 with a $700 million surplus and 2005 with a $500 million surplus.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/04/16/romney_hits_patrick_on_tax_rollback/] [http://www.umass.edu/usa/newsgrams/2005/unionvoiceoct05/index_files/Page915.htm].

 

With the help of a reviving economy, Romney was able to balance the state budget and replenish the states' "rainy day fund" through government consolidation and reform. As a result of the fiscal turnaround, Romney has repeatedly pushed the state legislature to roll back the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% (Massachusetts has a flat income tax).

 

Same-Sex Marriage

Romney has strongly opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions. He has continually stressed the need to protect the institution of marriage while denouncing discrimination against gays and lesbians. "Like me, the great majority of Americans wish both to preserve the traditional definition of marriage and to oppose bias and intolerance directed towards gays and lesbians," said Romney in a 2004 interview.[http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/gallagher200406250924.asp]

 

On June 2, 2006, Romney sent a letter to each member of the U.S. Senate urging them to vote in favor of the Marriage Protection Amendment (entire letter can be viewed at this link [http://www.mass.gov/Agov2/docs/20060602_Marriage_Letter.pdf]). In the letter, Romney stated that the debate over same-sex unions is not a discussion about "tolerance," but rather a "debate about the purpose of the institution of marriage." Romney wrote that "Attaching the word marriage to the association of same-sex individuals mistakenly presumes that marriage is principally a matter of adult benefits and adult rights. In fact, marriage is principally about the nurturing and development of children. And the successful development of children is critical to the preservation and success of our nation."

 

Romney's letter was his second attempt to persuade the U.S. Senate to pass the Marriage Protection Amendment. On June 22, 2004 he testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, urging its members to protect the traditional definition of marriage. "Marriage is not an evolving paradigm," said Romney, "but is a fundamental and universal social institution that bears a real and substantial relation to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of all of the people of Massachusetts."[http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=1234&wit_id=3608]

 

Romney was heavily involved in attempts to block implementation of the [Goodridge v. Department of Public Health|decision] of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that legalized same-sex marriage in 2003. Romney criticized the decision as harming the rights of children:

"They viewed marriage as an institution principally designed for adults. Adults are who they saw. Adults stood before them in the courtroom. And so they thought of adult rights, equal rights for adults ... Marriage is also for children. In fact, marriage is principally for the nurturing and development of children. The children of America have the right to have a father and a mother."[http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/gallagher200406250924.asp]

 

In 2004, the Massachusetts General Court attempted to address the issue of gay marriage before the implementation of the Goodridge decision. During a constitutional convention, the heavily Democratic legislature approved an amendment that would have banned gay marriage, but established civil unions. An initial amendment offered by House Speaker Thomas Finnernan that would have simply banned gay marriage without a provision for civil unions was narrowly defeated [http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/articles/2004/02/12/romney_tried_to_play_role_in_debate/].The compromise amendment needed to be approved in a second constitutional convention to be held a year later before it would have appeared on a state election ballot. The amendment was voted down in the subsequent convention and never made it before the voters of Massachusetts.

 

Romney reluctantly backed the compromise amendment, viewing it as the only feasible way to ban gay marriage in Massachusetts. "If the question is, 'Do you support gay marriage or civil unions?' I'd say neither," Romney said of the amendment. "If they said you have to have one or the other, that Massachusetts is going to have one or the other, then I'd rather have civil unions than gay marriage. But I'd rather have neither."[http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/wireStory?id=854810]

 

In September 2005, Romney abandoned his support for the compromise amendment, claiming that the amendment confused voters who oppose both gay marriage and civil unions. The amendment was defeated in the General Court in 2005 when both supporters of same-sex marriage and opponents of civil unions voted against it. In June 2005, Romney endorsed a petition effort by the Coalition for Marriage & Family that would ban gay marriage and make no provisions for civil unions. [http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/06182005/south_of/48340.htm]

 

The Romney Administration resurrected the "1913 law," which prohibits non-residents from marrying in Massachusetts if the marriage would be void in their home state; the law had not been enforced for several decades. Some legal experts have argued that the original purpose of the legislation was to block interracial marriages and have noted that the law was enacted at the height of public scandal over black heavyweight boxer Jack Johnson's interracial marriages[http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/articles/2004/05/21/history_suggests_race_was_the_basis/][http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/10/07/sjc_hears_challenge_to_marriage_law/], while Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly has stated that the law had nothing to do with race.[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/13/national/main629401.shtml] In March of 2006 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declared the statute legal under the state's constitution.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/03/30/mass_high_court_says_nonresident_gays_cannot_marry_in_mass/] Romney applauded the decision, saying that the "ruling is an important victory for traditional marriage." He also stated that "It would have been wrong for the Supreme Judicial Court to impose its mistaken view of marriage on the rest of the country. The continuing threat of the judicial redefinition of marriage, here and in several other states, is why I believe that the best and most reliable way to preserve the institution of marriage is to pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution." [http://baywindows.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=80354FA6376441B4873F9696A073ADFD]

 

When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney declared his opposition to both same-sex marriage and civil unions.[http://www.dailycollegian.com/media/paper874/news/2002/10/16/News/Shannon.Obrien.Supports.Gay.Marriage-1551350.shtml?norewrite200603272221&sourcedomain=www.dailycollegian.com] He also voiced support for basic domestic partnership benefits for gay couples. Romney told the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts (a Republican gay-rights group) that he did not support same-sex marriage, but would fight discrimination against gays and lesbians. He also opposed an amendment, then before the General Court, that would have banned same-sex marriage and outlawed all domestic partnership benefits for gay couples. As a result, the Log Cabin Club endorsed Romney in the gubernatorial election. [http://online.logcabin.org/news_views/articles/news_03112004.html]. When campaigning in 2002, Romney's stated position was that "all citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation" and that "homosexuals should have the right to a domestic partnership status that affords them the potential for health benefits and rights of survivorship." [http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/]

 

During his 1994 campaign against Senator Edward Kennedy, Romney said that same-sex marriage "is not appropriate at this time"Lehigh, Scot. "Kennedy, Romney battle for the middle." Boston Globe, October 10, 1994. but supported Federal legislation that would prohibit discrimination in the workplace against homosexuals.Rimer, Sara. "Perfect Anti-Kennedy' Opposes the Senator." The New York Times, October 25, 1994.

{{further|Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts}}

 

Death Penalty

[Image:Mitt Romney State Police.jpgthumb400px|Governor Mitt Romney attends a Massachusetts State Police graduation ceremony.]In December 2004, Romney announced plans to file a death penalty bill in early 2005.

The bill, filed April 28, 2005, sought to reinstate the death penalty in cases that include terrorism, the assassination of law enforcement officials and multiple killings. Romney's legislation required the presence of scientific evidence such as DNA to sentence someone to death and a tougher standard of "no doubt" of guilt for juries to sentence defendants. This differs from the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard used in traditional criminal cases. The legislation called for a pool of certified capital case lawyers to ensure proper representation for the accused and allowed jurors who do not personally support the death penalty to serve in the guilt phase of the trial. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/04/29/romney_files_death_penalty_bill/]

 

The Massachusetts House of Representatives, which is controlled by a Democratic party supermajority, defeated the bill 99-53.

 

Drunk Driving: Melanie's Bill

In May of 2005 Governor Romney presented a proposal to the Massachusetts General Court to crack down on repeat drunk drivers. Massachusetts had some of the weakest drunk driving laws of any state in the country.[http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/drunkendriving/update042904.shtml] The state was losing $9 million annually from its highway budget because existing laws were not in compliance with federal standards.[http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/drunkendriving/update042904.shtml] Romney dubbed the legislation "Melanie's Bill" in honor of 13-year-old Melanie Powell. Melanie was killed in 2003 by a repeat drunk driver while walking to the beach with friends. The bill included provisions that gave prosecutors greater power to go after repeat offenders with stiffer penalties. It also increased license suspensions, raised sentencing guidelines and required repeat drunk drivers to install ignition-interlock devices in their vehicles. Governor Romney urged Massachusetts residents to contact their representatives and ask them to adopt the tough new laws. The state House Judiciary Committee stripped many of the tough new provisions of Melanie's Law and sent a watered-down version to an eventual conference committee.[http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/drunkendriving/update092805.shtml] Five of the six members of this conference committee were themselves trial lawyers who defended drunk drivers.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/23/romneys_big_chance/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News] The scaled back version of the legislation that reached the Governor's desk bore little resemblance to Romney's original plan. In response, the Governor filed amendments to restore some of the key provisions that had been omitted by the legislature. Appearing with families of drunk driving victims at State House press conferences, Romney rallied public support for Melanie's Bill.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/10/21/romney_seeks_restoration_of_tougher_provisions/?page=full] A massive outcry in favor of the Governor's plan forced the state legislature to consider Romney's amendments.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/23/romneys_big_chance/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News] Pressured by angry constituents and negative media coverage, the House and the Senate restored many of the tough provisions included in the original legislation. In October of 2005 Romney signed Melanie's Bill into law, creating the toughest drunk driving regulations in Massachusetts history.[http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/drunkendriving/update102905.shtml]

 

Abortion

Romney has identified himself as a pro-life politician. He does not support abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is threatened.[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/26/why_i_vetoed_contraception_bill/] Romney has been a vocal opponent of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, criticizing the "one size fits all" statute created by the ruling.[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/26/why_i_vetoed_contraception_bill/] The Governor believes each state should have the right to determine its own abortion laws, voicing support for efforts in states such as South Dakota to regulate abortion within its borders.[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=1678933]

 

Prior to his run for governor, Romney told a newspaper in Salt Lake City, Utah that he did not want to be classified as a "pro-choice" politician.[http://www.issues2000.org/Governor/Mitt_Romney_Abortion.htm]

 

During the 2002 governor's race, Romney voiced his personal opposition to abortion, but promised to maintain the Massachusetts abortion laws if elected. Romney's platform stated, "As Governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government's."[http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/] Although he told voters that he was personally opposed to abortion, Romney said that he would respect the will of the pro-choice majority in Massachusetts. Referencing the established abortion laws in Massachusetts, Romney said that he would "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose...I will not change any provisions in Massachusetts' pro-choice laws."[http://www-tech.mit.edu/V122/N52/52debate.52n.html]

 

Romney has said that his views on abortion have "evolved" and "changed" since 2002 such that he now considers himself a "pro-life governor" who wishes "the laws of our nation could reflect that view." [http://newsbusters.org/node/4190][http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/07/26/romney_vetoes_law_on_pill_takes_aim_at_roe_v_wade/]

 

In 1994, Romney also said that he was personally opposed to abortion. He also said that he became committed to legalized abortion after the death of a family friend in an illegal abortion made him see "that regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal."

 

"Many years ago, I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion," Romney said in a televised debate opposite Senator Edward Kennedy. "It is since that time my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter. And you will not see me wavering on that." The person Romney was referring to was a teenage girl engaged to marry a member of Romney's extended family. Romney's sister Jane has said that the girl's death changed the family's perspective on the legality of abortion. "With my mom, that was a personal thing because we had a tragedy close to us -- not in our immediate family, but a young girl who actually was engaged and had an illegal abortion and died." "She was a beautiful, talented young gal we all loved. And it pretty much ruined the parents -- their only daughter. You would do anything not to repeat that." [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/03/clarity_sought_on_romneys_abortion_stance/?page=2]

 

Romney has said he has kept his campaign promises. Romney vetoed an emergency contraception bill in July 2005, claiming that allowing it to pass into law would violate his "moratorium" on changes to the abortion laws.[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/26/why_i_vetoed_contraception_bill/].

 

Stem Cell Research

Although Romney has stated that he supports the use of surplus embryos from fertility clinics for stem-cell research, he vetoed a Massachusetts bill to fund stem-cell research because the legislation allowed the cloning of human embryos. "I am not in favor of creating new human embryos through cloning," said Romney, calling the practice "a matter of profound moral and ethical consequence." Romney also opposed the legislation because of its assertion that life does not begin until an embryo is implanted in a uterus. "It is very conceivable that scientific advances will allow an embryo to be grown for a substantial period of time outside the uterus," Romney said in an interview with the Boston Globe. "To say that it is not life at one month or two months or four months or full term, just because it had never been in a uterus, would be absurd." [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/05/12/romney_urges_changes_to_stem_cell_bill/][http://www.nationalreview.com/lopez/lopez200502110936.asp] The state legislature overrode Romney's veto, with many legislators feeling that stem-cell research will be important in the future to the state's biotech industry.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/04/02/romney_concedes_defeat_on_stem_cell_research/].

 

In-State Tuition Bill

Romney vetoed a bill in 2004 that would have allowed illegal immigrants to obtain in-state tuition rates at state colleges if they graduated from a Massachusetts high school after attending it for at least three years and signed an affidavit affirming that they intended to seek citizenship. Romney vowed to veto the bill again if it ever made it to his desk, arguing that the bill would cost the state government $15 million and that the state should not reward illegal immigration. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/01/11/house_defeats_in_state_tuition_bill_for_undocumented_immigrants/?p1=MEWell_Pos5][http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/01/06/tax_lobby_sees_gain_in_tuition_proposal/] In 2005, the bill was reintroduced to the House, backed by Representative [Marie St. Fleur]. The in-state immigrant tuition bill was brought to another vote on January 11, 2006 and was overwhelmingly defeated by a total of 96-57 [http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/01/12/immigrant_tuition_bill_defeated/]. Romney applauded the decision.

 

Environment

Romney supports regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through voluntary measures[http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=15250] He issued a 72-point Climate Protection Plan. His staffers spent more than $500,000 negotiating the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI--pronounced "Reggie"), which Romney praised in November 2005, saying "I'm convinced it is good business."Amanda Griscom Little. Mitt Romney's mistake: Bowing to big business, the GOP governor and presidential hopeful flip-flops on clean air for New England. Salon.com. Jan. 28, 2006 [http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/01/28/muckraker/index_np.html]Beth Daley, States to move on cutting emissions: reluctant Mass may be left behind. Boston Globe, December 2, 2005.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/02/states_to_move_on_cutting_emissions/?page=2] As plan details were being worked out, Romney pushed for a cap on fees charged to businesses who exceed emission limits citing concerns of increased consumer energy costs. He stated: "New England has the highest energy rates in the country, and RGGI would cost us more." This ongoing disagreement eventually led Romney, in December, 2005, to pull out of RGGI and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri quickly followed suit. Scott S. Greenberger, 7 states sign emissions pact: Mass. legislators urge compliance, Boston Globe, December 21, 2005.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/12/21/7_states_sign_emissions_pact/]

 

In 2003, Romney appointed environmental advocate [Douglas I. Foy] (former president of the Conservation Law Foundation) to head the state development office.[http://www.growingsensibly.org/news/printable.asp?objectID=1233]. Foy resigned in February of 2006. With Romney not running for reelection, Foy said it was time he too looked for new opportunities.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/22/foy_quits_states_development_post/]

 

Romney opposes the controversial Cape Wind offshore wind farm proposal because of its visual detriment to Nantucket, saying that Nantucket "is a critical location for the state, and placing wind turbines there would be detrimental."[http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/3083]

 

Governor Mitt Romney supports the expansion of domestic oil production, and is in favor of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the outer continental shelf.[http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/OPINION01/607110364/1056/NEWS09]

 

Other Issues

  • 'The "Big Dig":' During his campaign for governor, Romney proposed merging the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, the government agency that manages the Big Dig, with the Massachusetts Highway Department[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/01/13/romney_set_to_propose_break_on_tolls/]. Under Massachusetts law the Turnpike Authority is an independent agency that does not report to the governor [http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/11/romney_takes_steps_to_remove_turnpike_authority_chairman/]. After being elected Governor, Romney called for the merger in 2003 and 2004 [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/02/03/merger_for_pike_authority_is_pressed/]. The Massachusetts legislature rejected Romney's call for consolidation. Following the discovery of leaks in the I-93 tunnel the Governor called for the resignation of Matthew Amorello, the Chairman and CEO of the Turnpike Authority [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/06/28/amorello_tries_to_preserve_his_power/]. Amorello refused to resign and in June of 2005, Romney asked the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to grant him the authority to fire Amorello. Romney was once again rebuffed as the court declined to hear his case[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/06/30/romney_retreats_on_turnpike_ouster?mode=PF]. In July of 2006 a woman was killed when a section of the I-90 roof collapsed on her car. Citing continued mismanagement of the project, Romney once again called for Amorello's dismissal and initiated legal proceedings to oust the embattled chairman. Despite calls from Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, Senate President Robert Travaglini, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, the chairman of both the house and senate transportation committees and the editorial boards of the Boston Globe and Herald, Amorello once again refused to step aside[http://www.boston.com/news/traffic/bigdig/articles/2006/07/14/turnpike_chief_resisting_pressure_to_step_down/][http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_193063924]. The Governor responded by filing emergency legislation to wrestle control of the inspection of the Big Dig tunnel system from the Turnpike Authority [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/13/us/13cnd-tunnel.html?hp&ex=1152849600&en=77ebb49b5c46ed9c&ei=5094&partner=homepage]. The Massachusetts State Legislature overwhelmingly approved the legislation, which Romney signed on July 14 [http://cbs4boston.com/local/local_story_195063246.html]. Romney's Department of Transportation began immediate inspections of the I-90 tunnel and pleged a "stem to stern" review of the entire Big Dig Tunnel System. Meanwhile, Romney continued his effort to fire Amorello. He scheduled a termination hearing for the Chairman for July 27th, 2006. Facing increasing pressuse from associates and colleagues, Amorello resigned, effective August 16, 2006, 1 1/2 hours before the hearing was to take place. "A new era of reform and accountability at the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has begun," said Romney after receiving the resignation. "Patronage will be replaced by professionalism, and secrecy will be replaced by openness." The Governor has plegeded a "nationwide" search for a replacement to lead the Turnpike Authority and the Big Dig.
  • 'Khatami Controversy': On September 5, 2006 Governor Romney denounced Harvard University of Cambridge, Massachusetts for inviting former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami to speak at the school. Khatami has been accused of being responsible for the torture of political dissidents, the continuation of the development of Iran's nuclear program and the sponsoring of Hezbollah. Romney ordered all state agencies to boycott the visit by refusing to provide state police escorts and other service typically given to former heads of state. "State taxpayers should not be providing special treatment to an individual who supports violent jihad and the destruction of Israel," said Romney. Khatami was invited to speak about "Ethics of Tolerance in the Age of Violence" on September 10 - one day before the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.[http://www.nysun.com/article/38903] "The U.S. State Department listed Khatami's Iran as the number one state sponsor of terrorism. Within his own country, Khatami oversaw the torture and murder of dissidents who spoke out for freedom and democracy. For him to lecture Americans about tolerance and violence is propaganda, pure and simple," said Romney, "It's very important to engage with moderate, modern Muslims, but former President Khatami is a wolf in sheep's clothing," he said.[http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1157797309283260.xml&coll=9][http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDVjNWY4NGU0MDQzZDc2MWVkYjNkNjc2Y2Q0ZDUwN2E=] While speaking in America, Khatami struck a moderate tone, denouncing suicide bombers and stating his belief that Isreal has a right to exist. However these views sharply contrasted to comments made during his tenure as President. "In the Qur'an, God commanded to kill the wicked and those who do not see the rights of the oppressed," said Khatami in a 2000 interview on Iranian TV, "If we abide by human laws, we should mobilize the whole Islamic World for a sharp confrontation with the Zionist regime. If we abide by the Qur'an, all of use should mobilize to kill." [http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2I5YTA0ZjAwMmZmY2FhNTJmNzQwZWQxZGY2N2E3M2U=]
  • 'Gun Control:' According to his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Romney "is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban. Mitt also believes in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms."[http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/] July 1st, 2002 Mitt Romney signed a permanent ban on Assault Weapons. "Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts," Romney said, at a bill signing ceremony with legislators, sportsmen's groups and gun safety advocates. "These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people."
  • 'Minimum Wage:' As a candidate for governor in 2002, Romney proposed indexing the minimum wage to inflation and raising the hourly pay for the state's lowest-paid workers from $6.75 an hour to $6.96 an hour starting January 2004, saying, "I do not believe that indexing the minimum wage will cost us jobs. I believe it will help us retain jobs." [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/05/26/senate_oks_minimum_wage_hike/] In July 2006, the legislature passed a bill increasing the minimum wage to $8.00/hour, and he vetoed it. "I have spent hours reading a wide array of reviews on the minimum wage and its impact on the economy, and there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs, and the loss of jobs is at the entry level," said Romney when he vetoed the bill. He proposed an increase to $7.00/hour (which represented a 25 cents/hour increase over the existing rate.) The legislature finally voted unanimously on July 31, 2006 to override his veto.
  • 'William Bulger': Romney successfully pressured William Bulger to resign as President of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) on September 1, 2003. Bulger said that his resignation was the result of "a calculated political assault" on him, largely by the governor. [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/07/national/07BULG.html?ex=1375588800&en=c98c829a0f79e851&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND] William Bulger came under pressure from Romney and others to resign after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify when he was subpoenaed by a Congressional committee to testify about his brother, [James J. Bulger], aka Whitey Bulger, one of the FBI's ten most wanted fugitives. Romney, who had called for Bulger's resignation and the elimination of the UMass presidency as a cost-cutting move, denied that he had been personally targeting the former state senate president. "The decision was not a political calculation or a personal one," Romney said in February 2003, after unveiling his plan to eliminate the president's job.[http://www.boston.com/news/traffic/bigdig/articles/2006/07/13/romney_turns_up_heat_on_former_ally_amorello/?page=2] The Governor's aides stressed that he had not been personally targeting Bulger, saying such interpretations of Romney's actions were cynical. "I think everybody should be taken at their word," spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said. Healy, Patrick and Lewis, Raphael. Globe Staff. "Governor Wants `Open' UMASS Hunt - Critics Say His Interest Shows He Was Out To Get Bulger" Boston Globe Aug 8, 2003,

Metro/Region: page A1.

  • 'May 2006 Flooding': In May 2006, heavy rains produced flooding in Massachusetts.Brian MacQuarrie and John R. Ellement, Misery Follows Flood's Havoc, Boston Globe, May 17, 2006. Romney declared a state of emergency[http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=139252], mobilized the Massachusetts National Guard,[http://www.pentagon.mil/news/May2006/20060515_5133.html], called for volunteers and charitable donations to help residents,[http://www.boston.com/news/weather/articles/2006/05/18/for_flooded_a_fearful_cost/] and asked [George W. Bush|President Bush] to declare the flooded area a major disaster area.[http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/local_story_137171730.html]. Romney was criticized by local politicians when he vetoed $5.7 million in state funding for flood control in Peabody six months after the town was flooded April 2004.[http://www.fredberry.com/articles/salem92004.html][http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/09-04/09-23-04/a13sr545.htm] After Peabody again suffered flooding in May of 2006, Romney announced that he now supports spending $2 million of state money on flood control for the town.[http://www.ecnnews.com/cgi-bin/05/snstory.pl?-sec-Pageone+1k589g0+fn-vetofolo-20060518-+page_0]
  • 'Tar Baby:' On 29 July 2006, while addressing a crowd in Iowa, Romney referred to the political risk involved with his efforts to oversee the "Big Dig" as a "tar baby." Romney was answering an audience question about whether his new responsibility for the project's safety following the death of a woman in the I-90 tunnel carried political risk. "The best thing politically would be to stay as far away from that tar baby as I can," said Romney, "But I got elected as governor of Massachusetts. It's part of my job to do what I think is the right thing." [http://www.boston.com/news/traffic/bigdig/articles/2006/07/30/romney_touts_his_big_dig_efforts/] "I'll get the blame for anything that goes wrong," he said. "But I'm sure tired of people who are nothing but talk. I'm willing to take action." [http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/31/massachusetts_governor_apologizes_for_calling_big_dig_tar_baby/] "Tar baby," a term derived from an Uncle Remus story by Joel Chandler Harris, is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "something from which it is nearly impossible to extricate oneself."[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/tar%20baby] The term has also been used as a derogatory term for a black person. Black leaders were offended by the governor's word choice. Romney's spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, said the governor was describing "a sticky situation." "He was unaware that some people find the term objectionable and he's sorry if anyone's offended," Fehrnstrom said.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/31/massachusetts_governor_apologizes_for_calling_big_dig_tar_baby/][http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/31/romney.racialremark.ap/index.html]

 

Cabinet!!

{| class=wikitable

|-

Office !! Official

|-

| Governor of Massachusetts

| Mitt Romney

|-

| Secretary of Commonwealth Development

| Andrew Gottlieb

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation*

| John Cogliano

|-

| Director of the Department of Housing & Community Development*

| Jane Wallis Gumble

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs*

| Robert W. Golledge, Jr.

|-

| Secretary of Economic Development

| Ranch C. Kimball

|-

| Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

| Janice S. Tatarka

|-

| Director of the Department of Business & Technology

| Deborah Shufrin

|-

| Director of the Department of Labor

| John S. Ziemba

|-

| Director of the Department of Workforce Development

| Jane C. Edmonds

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services

| Timothy R. Murphy

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs

| Jennifer Davis Carey

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety & Homeland Security

| Robert Haas

|-

| Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration & Finance

| Thomas Trimarco

|-

| Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Services

| Thomas G. Kelley

|}

* reports to Commonwealth Development

** reports to Economic Development

Source: www.mass.gov

 

Electoral history!!

*'2002 Race for Governor, Massachusetts'

Mitt Romney (R), 50%

Shannon O'Brien (D), 45%

Jill Stein (J), 3%

Carla Howell (L), 1.%

**Barbara Johnson (U), 1%

*'1994 Race for U.S. Senate, Massachusetts'

Edward Kennedy (D) (inc.), 58%

Mitt Romney (R), 41%

Lauraleigh Dozier (L), 0.7%

William Ferguson (Larouche was Right), 0.2%

 

Notes!!

 

External links!!

{{Sisterlinks|Mitt Romney}}

{{wikiquote}}

{{wikinews|Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney not seeking second term}}

 

'Official'

*Official Massachusetts Website

*Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC

*The Republican Governors Association

*Official Massachusetts Press Releases

 

'Speeches: Multimedia and transcripts'

*Massachusetts Videos

* C-Span Archives--Speeches in S.C., N.H., & Mich (RealPlayer required)

*Interview with C-Span Q&A Program (click "watch" on upper right of page)

*MIT Keynote Address

*Healthcare Reform Speech at the Heritage Foundation (click "view event" at top)

*Governor Romney Speaks To Spartanburg SC Event Sound Quality is not the greatest, adjust your volume.

 

'Interviews'

*Charlie Rose Interview Guest Host Judy Woodruff

*The Almost Untold Story of Gov. Mitt Romney

*March 19, 2006 Edition of C-Span's Q&A Click under Program Details for the Video and the Transcript

 

'Articles about Mitt Romney'

*Mighty Mitt Romney The American Spectator, March 2006

 

*Yepsen: So far, Romney's been most impressive Republican Des Moines Register July 11, 2006

*Mitt Romney's Evangelical Problem

 

'Financial Information'

*

Campaign Contributions Made by Mitt Romney At newsmeat.com

 

'Romney Sites - National'

*Elect Romney in 2008

*Americans for Mitt

*Run Mitt Run

*Romney by Topic

 

'Romney Sites - By State'

*Iowans for Romney

*Massachusetts for Mitt

*Ohioans for Mitt

*Oregonians for Mitt

*Texans for Mitt

*Utahns for Mitt

 

'Romney Sites - By Organization'

*Catholics for Romney

*Evangelicals for Mitt

 

'Miscellaneous'

 

*About.com's Pros & Cons of Massachusetts' Mandatory Health Insurance Program

 

'Romney-Related Links'

*Bain Capital

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