Mitt Romney won't let democrats get away with playing games

This is an actual Press Release that Mitt Romney released. We are letting the democrats get away, and no one confronts them. Romney would change this.

~ Myclob

July 23, 2004

ROMNEY, DECRYING POLITICS, VETOES SENATE VACANCY BILL

Says Democrats are putting interests of party ahead of the people

Governor Mitt Romney today vetoed a bill that would leave empty the office of U.S. Senator for as much as five months while a special election is carried out in the event of a vacancy.

Romney's veto comes after the Legislature rejected a proposed amendment by the Governor that would have allowed the Senate President and House Speaker a consultative role in an interim appointment.

"The bill deprives the people of Massachusetts from continuous representation in Congress," said Romney. "This would put Massachusetts at a disadvantage relative to every other state and would deny our citizens an equal voice on important issues that affect the Commonwealth and the nation."

Currently, if a vacancy occurs due to a senator's death, resignation or expulsion, state law empowers the Governor to appoint a replacement to hold office until a special election can take place. This is the prevailing practice across the United States.

If the veto is overridden and a vacancy occurs, Massachusetts would be under-represented in the highest lawmaking body in the land for almost half the year, with no ability to participate in votes to declare war, appoint federal judges or decide tax policy.

Romney, a Republican, blamed politics, saying the overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature has put the interests of their party ahead of the people.

"This is partisanship pure and simple," Romney said. "The Democrats would rather not have someone fighting for transportation money, for pollution regulations, to prevent base closures in our state if it means a Republican governor is going to make an appointment."

Since the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, which provided for the direct election of senators, 174 people have been temporarily appointed by Governors to unexpired Senate terms. Of those, 55 went on to win election; 55 tried but failed to win nomination or election; and 64 people chose not to seek election at all.