Jun 7, 2007

School Choice and Charter Schools

School Choice and Charter Schools

School Choice and Charter Schools Press Releases

2003

2004

2005

2006

Mitt Romney believes in school choice.

Reasons to agree:

  1. "That is why Governor Romney and I support the choice that parents have made to give their children a charter school education. Charter schools are an excellent alternative for parents who are seeking more options for their child's education."

Books to Read

  1. De-Schooling Society by Ivan Illitch

Websites

  1. http://fornits.com/gatto/

The legislature passed a one-year moratorium on charter school approval as part of its Fiscal Year 2005 budget. In June 2004, Governor Mitt Romney vetoed the legislation.27 In his veto message, Governor Romney wrote, "I am vetoing this section because charter schools provide meaningful educational choices and should not be limited…. It is fundamentally unfair to penalize hundreds of students already enrolled in the schools named in this section while these issues are being resolved."28 The House of Representatives failed to override the veto on a 77-78 vote. 29

On April 1, 2004, the Federal District Court in Boston ruled for the defendants in Boyette v. Galvin challenging the state's Blaine and Religious Exclusion amendments. The Becket Fund appealed.30 Because of a change in plaintiffs, the case has a new name. Michael Wirzburger, et al., vs. William F. Galvin, Secretary of State, et al. is now in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.31

27 Massachusetts Office of the Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, June 25, 2004, at www.mass.gov/portal/govPR.jsp?gov_pr=gov_pr_040625_signing_05_budget.xml.

28 Massachusetts General Court Website, "Veto Items: Fiscal Year 2005 General Appropriations Act: Attachment B," at www.mass.gov/legis/05budget/govvetoesoutside.htm#312.

29 Kevin Rothstein, "Charter School Moratorium Fails to Survive Gov's Veto," Boston Herald, July 21, 2004, at http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=36496.

30 George Clowes, "Challenge Continues to Mass. Blaine Amendment," School Reform News, November 2004.

31 Phone conversation with Megan Anderson, The Beckett Fund, September 2, 2004.

Romney at Heritage

I wish we could have backed up all the Romney videos before they went away from the Massachusetts website.

Can we e-mail this to as many people as we can? Can we "podcast" it?

http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/ev091405b.cfm

Google e-mails MP3s very well.

~ Mike

Why Ralph Likes Romney

"I worked with Mitt Romney on several projects when I lived in Boston in the late 70s and early 80s. I found him consistent, professional, and disciplined in all aspects of his life. His focus was always on making things work better. His desire for excellence included making himself better too.

He knew well how to balance all the responsibilities in his life and was never an extremist. Respectful of others and open to different points of view, he was always willing to listen and learn from divergent sources. He never forced his faith on anyone, but there was no question that his many strengths came from his strong core values. Central to these values was "doing." He lived the principle that knowledge only has value when used at the right time, in the right place, and for the right reason.

His effective leadership style fostered the learning and development of others, such that others became self-motivated, independent, and productive. He was neither arbitrary nor myopic. Yes, family and faith were central to his life, but always without hypocrisy, self-righteousness, or condescension.

By the way, his zest for learning has been misunderstood. Learning implies change, which means that as more knowledge and information become available, then positions need revision too. This is not "flip flopping," as others sometime accuse. Rather, it demonstrates the ability to find better solutions. Unlike many others, he neither pretends to know everything nor fears change. Frankly, I would fear any politician who was unwilling to learn and to change.

Those who honestly take a closer look at Mitt Romney will find good fruit coming from a good tree. Judge him by that first."

Link

Jun 5, 2007

Questions that don't need to be asked again of Governor Mitt Romney

Actual questions asked from Mitt Romney Interviews, organized by subject. Click on the question for the answer.

This would make a great tool for anyone who is interviewing Mitt. You can see the questions that have already been asked a number of times, and which ones still need to be asked.

 http://myclob.pbwiki.com/Questions

ABC News' Iran Intel Leak

 

  1. Neil Cavuto
    1. What did you make of ABC News' Iran Intel Leak?
    2. You say releasing this info was a risk to human lives ?
    3. Do you believe ABC checked with the CIA before publishing the story ?
    4. Should ABC be punished?

 

Abortion

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. So do you now believe that abortion is murder?
    2. Should women who have abortions and doctors who perform them be jailed?
    3. If it's killing, why should states have leeway?
    4. What do you believe the punishment should be for an abortion?
  2. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Have you changed your opinion on Abortion?
    2. What is your current position on abortion?
    3. How do you account for your change on abortion ?
  3. 1st Debate
    1. Would it be a good day for America if Roe v Wade was repealed?
    2. Have you always been for life or effectively pro-choice?
    3. When you said that being a pro-life president entails more than just appointing strict constructionist judges, was that directed at Giuliani?
  4. 2nd Debate
    1. What would you say to someone who lost a wife or a daughter to an illegal abortion if you named the Supreme Court justice who tipped the balance and over turned Roe v Wade?
    2. Governor Romney, during this campaign, you have been criticized -- and again tonight you've been criticized -- for changing your position on some issues. You say that it's a part of learning from experience. Can you point to an area in which your learning from experience led you to change to a position that is less popular with the Republican base?
  5. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Were you faking it when you said you were pro-choice ?
  6. Dan Balz, David S Broder and Ruth Marcus
    1. Do you support making abortion illegal?
  7. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. What do you think about the partial-birth abortion ban ?
  8. Mike Allen
    1. What policies would you initiate to show your sincerity?
  9. 3rd Debate
    1. Why should people who oppose abortion believe you are pro-life ?

 

Ahmadinejad

  1. Neil Cavuto
    1. What did you make of Ahmadinejad warning Israel that it may be uprooted?

 

America

  1. 1st Debate
    1. What do you dislike most about America?

 

Asia

  1. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Governor, you recently got back from a trip to Asia. What were you doing there?
    2. Did you have qualms going to China?

 

Background

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. Why did you pick Mitt over Willard?
    2. Where were you born?

 

Books

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. How can you read science fiction?

 

Brain Washing

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. Well, you know, if you ever look at the history of your father and running for president, they all say the same thing, it's all the "brainwashing" comment. Why would that have been the issue? I mean, why would he have been accused of saying something stupid about being brainwashed in Vietnam?

 

Budget

  1. How could you fix the budget?

 

Bush

  1. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Do you have any problems with the president's policy on Iraq?
  2. Chris Wallace
    1. Where do you disagree with Bush on Iraq?
  3. 1st Debate
    1. Should Scooter Libby should be pardoned?

 

Business

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. What does Bain do?
    2. what impact did you have on the creation of Staples ?
    3. how old were you when the Staples thing started?
    4. What other boards have you served on?
    5. Have you had a failure that you can talk about in business?
  2. 3rd Debate
    1. Is there too much of an alliance between big oil companies and Republicans ?

 

Campaign

  1. Tom Bevan
    1. When you decided not to run again for governor, how much did your thought of running for president enter into that discussion?
    2. So how's the campaign going for you so far?
    3. What's the question you get asked most ?
  2. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. How do you turn your money advantage into a win?
    2. How do you stop overconfidence from getting into the system here?

 

Cabinet

  1. 1st Debate
    1. Which current cabinet official would you keep?

 

Character

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. How do you convince voters that some of these changes are sincere, coming from conviction?

 

Conservatives

  1. Robert B Bluey
    1. What are some of the things you would offer conservatives?
    2. Do you regret comments you made about Jesse Helms and Ronald Reagan?
  2. 2nd Debate
    1. Are you a clear and consistent conservative?

 

Competition , Fred Thompson, John McCain, Rudy

  1. Mike Allen
    1. What do you make of all the attention being given to Fred Thompson.
  2. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Do you look forward to his formal announcement?
  3. 3rd Debate
    1. How do you respond to Mccain's accusation that you are pandering on immigration?

 

Debate

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. What are the reactions around Team Romney today?
    2. How many debates between now and 2008 do you think you'll have to go through?
  2. Mike Allen
    1. What is your mission in the debate coming up at the Reagan Library, and what do you think will happen ?

 

Education

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. In you history, it includes Stanford for how long?
    2. You finished first in your class at Brigham Young University in Utah?
    3. Why did you go to Brigham Young ?
    4. How did you -- how were able to get an MBA and a law degree at the same time ?
    5. And clearly it would be why you did well and, as you know, you finished well enough to give the valedictory address -- the question I want to ask you though is why do you think you did well? Other than having a lot of brainpower, did you have an approach to education?

 

Ehud Olmert

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Are you surprised at the reaction to the handling of the Hezbollah war?

 

Family

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Is divorse something voters should take into account?
  2. Brian Lamb
    1. Why did your father not give you any of his inheritance?
    2. Did he have a philosophy that he didn't want to pass on a lot of money to his kids .
  3. Brian Lamb
    1. When you father thought of running for president in '64, and then actually ran for a while in '68, how old were you in those years and what did you experience during that time?
    2. You can't be born out of the country and run for president, how did that work?
    3. When did your father George Romney move to Utah?
    4. At some point I noticed you were on the Points of Light Foundation board, but you go back to either your father starting the volunteer organization that merged into Points of Light? Explain that.
  4. Greta Van Susteren:
    1. How are you different from your father?

 

Flip Flops

  1. 1st Debate
    1. Have you always been for life or effectively pro-choice?
  2. 2nd Debate
    1. Why isn't your pledge to not raise taxes a blatant appeal to the party base ?
  3. Robert B Bluey
    1. Are you a flip-flopper?

 

Gay Rights

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Should gays and lesbians be able to serve openly and honestly in the military?
  2. Wolf Blitzer :
    1. Do you want to tell our viewers why you disagree with Mary Cheney ?
  3. Robert B Bluey
    1. Would you accept another endorsement from the Log Cabin Republicans if it was offered to you?
  4. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Have your positions on gay rights changed ?
    2. Do you want to change don't ask don't tell?
  5. 3rd Debate
    1. Do you believe that gays should be able to serve openly in the military?

 

Governorship

  1. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Do you regret at all not running for reelection as governor?

 

Guns

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. When did you join the NRA?

 

Healthcare

  1. Robert B Bluey & George Stephanopoulos
    1. Do you think the country should have a Massachusetts healthcare plan.
  2. Chris Wallace
    1. How did the president miss an opportunity when he created the Medicare prescription drug benefit?
  3. Hugh Hewitt
    1. What are you doing for the half million uninsured in Massachusetts ?
    2. Are garnishing of wages even and tax penalties part of your plan ?
    3. What is the penalty of not having health insurance?
    4. Where is the pushback coming back on this proposal?
  4. Greta Van Susteren
    1. What is your health insurance plan?
  5. 1st Debate
    1. Are you embarrassed of your health care program?
  6. 3rd Debate
    1. What do you say to conservatives who are critical of your health care plan?

 

Iraq

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Do you keep Bush or let him go?
    2. But how do you explain why all that planning wasn't done ?
    3. Yet, you support the president's decision to send more troops right now ?
  2. Are you confident the surge is going to work?
  3. Bill O Reilly
    1. Would you agree that we can't stop the Iraqi from killing each other?
  4. Tom Bevan
    1. What's your impression of the job Rumsfeld did ?
    2. Do you believe it's still fixable at this point?
    3. What happens if Iraq is not successful?
  5. Chris Wallace
    1. Where do you disagree with Bush on Iraq ?
  6. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Do you have a time frame in mind?
  7. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Do you support sending more troops into that country?
  8. Robert B Bluey
    1. Do you think right now the US is losing the war in Iraq?
  9. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. What did you make of the Iraq Study Group?
  10. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. What do you think about Harry Reid saying the war is lost ?
  11. Greta Van Susteren
    1. Would you have gone into Iraq?
    2. Do you think enough questions were asked in March of 2003 ?
  12. 1st Debate
    1. Should we be in Iraq when the American people do not victory is possible?
  13. ''2nd Debate''
    1. Can you foresee any circumstances under which you would pull out of Iraq without leaving behind a stable political and security situation?
  14. 3rd Debate
    1. Was it a mistake for us to invade Iraq?

 

Iran

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Does the president have the authority he needs to take military action against Iran?
  2. Bill O Reilly
    1. Would you go to war if the Iranians say, we're going to develop a nuclear weapon, you can't stop us ?
  3. Tom Bevan
    1. Would Iran acquire nuclear weapons under a Romney administration?
  4. 3rd Debate
    1. Would you use a tactical nuclear weapons to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb ?

 

Immigration

  1. Greta Van Sustern
    1. Are you in favor of a fence?
  2. 1st Debate
    1. Do you support a tamper-proof work status ID card?
  3. ''2nd Debate''
    1. Governor Romney, you have also called Senator McCain's immigration plan amnesty. Are you prepared to say that sharing the stage with him tonight? And how do you explain your statement to the Lowell Sun last year in which you said, quote, 'Those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process toward application for citizenship as they would from their home country.' Why isn't that amnesty as well, sir?
  4. Neil Cavuto
    1. How big of a wedge issue will immigration be among the Republican presidential candidates?
    2. Will your stance against the Mccain-Kennedy immigration bill hurt you?
  5. Ed Morrissey
    1. What is you immigration plan?
  6. 3rd Debate
    1. What would you do with the 12 million illegal immigrants who are in this country ?
    2. Why are you airing ads in spanish if you think English should be the official language ?

 

Internet

  1. Robert B Bluey
    1. Why do you think it is important to dedicate resources to the internet?

 

Islam

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Which branch of Islam do you think is more of a threat?

 

Khatami visit to Harvard

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Can you explain to the audience your reaction to the visa issued to the Ayatollah?
    2. What does Massachusetts typically extend to Harvard in terms of assistance when such a dignitary arrives?

 

Law

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. What do you think of the Supreme Court's decision on eminent domain?
  2. Sean Hannity
    1. Would you appoint judges like Scalia, Thomas, and Alito .

 

Massachusetts

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. Why did you pick Massachusetts as a place to stay after school?
    2. How did you get elected governor of the state of Massachusetts?

 

Media

  1. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Does the mainstream media have double standards for Republicans?
  2. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. What was your worst moments with the MSM?
  3. Governor Mitt Romney
    1. Are the Republican candidates going to insist on more mainstream journalism?

 

Miscellaneous

  1. 1st Debate
    1. Should we change our Constitution to allow foreign born citizens to become president?
  2. Brian Lamb
    1. You are 47 now?
  3. what are the big issues?
  4. Now you describe yourself as a Reagan Republican Describe the journey .

 

Mitt and Ann Romney's Relationship

  1. Greta Van Sustern
    1. Do you remember the first time you saw the governor?
    2. Why did you marry Ann?
    3. How many children do you have?

 

Money

  1. Mike Allen
    1. As someone who has enjoyed privilege throughout your life, how can you relate to the aspirations of a lot of Americans who don't enjoy similar circumstances?

 

Obama

  1. Hugh Hewitt
    1. What did you make of Obama's response to what he would do if two American cities were attacked?

 

Osama

  1. 1st Debate
    1. Is it worth moving heaven and earth and spending billions of dollars to get Osama?

 

North Korea

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Is the president nuclear deal with North Korea a good one.

 

Personal

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. What's a normal day like?
    2. What time do you get up?
  2. George Stephanopoulos
    1. What's the toughest personal crisis you've ever had to face ?
    2. Are you worried that the stress of the campaign may inflame the MS ?
  3. Tom Bevan
    1. Tell me something about yourself that only people who know you well know?
    2. Who is your favorite President ?
    3. Do you like any Democratic presidents?
  4. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. How tech savvy are you?

 

Personality

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. What type of leader are you?
    2. What would you copy from what Bush has done, if anything ?
    3. Why is Dwight Eisenhower one of your favorite presidents ?

 

Politics

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. How did you get elected governor of the state of Massachusetts?
  2. Robert B Bluey
    1. Are you a flip-flopper?
  3. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Your response to the fight between Rove, Hillary, Durbin, and Pataki ?
    2. What do you think of Massachusetts politics?
  4. For people who don't know much about you, where do you stand on the political spectrum?
  5. How do you beat Republicans who are so much better known than you are?
  6. Are you really running for vice president?

 

Presidency

  1. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Why would you like to be president?

 

Religion

  1. 1st Debate
    1. What do you say to bishops who deny Communion to elected officials who support abortion rights?
    2. Do you accept Huckabee's statement that he wasn't talking about you?
  2. Mike Allen
    1. Why are key tenets of your faith still misunderstood ?
  3. How is your church so successful in getting its young people to follow its teachings ?
  4. Brian Lamb
    1. Who was Brigham Young?
    2. Well, if you go back -- and I found the name Pratt in your background who was some circuitous route related to Joseph Smith who was one of the founders of Mormonism.
    3. Are you prepared to deal with attacks on your religion ?
    4. Do you have an evangelical problem?
    5. Has there been a mood change in the country about the importance of talking about religion?
    6. One place that I found that you almost died (His Mission)
  5. Wolf Blitzer
    1. How do you deal with the fact that you are a Mormon?
  6. Robert B Bluey
    1. Are you prepared to deal with what is bound to be attacks from the media and opponents about your religious faith?
  7. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Will evangelicals support a Mormon?
  8. Hugh Hewitt
    1. Does the country know enough about radical islam?
    2. Do you stand by your use of the word Islamic-facism ?
    3. How many times are you going to have to ask and answer these questions ?
  9. Jay Leno
    1. Is their enough diversity within the Mormon Church?
  10. Katherine Jean Lopez
    1. Will an exposé on Mormon Christmas celebrations hurt you in the primaries ?
  11. George Stephanopoulos
    1. How does your faith inform your politics?
  12. Chris Wallace
    1. Are you a cultist?
  13. 3rd Debate
    1. What would you like to say to the voters about your faith?

 

Republican Party

  1. 3rd Debate
    1. What would you do to include moderate Republicans and independents?

 

Romney administration

  1. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. What would be the role of bloggers in a Romney administration?

 

Security

  1. Chris Wallace
    1. How has the Bush administration handled this whole ports deal?

 

Sports

  1. Brian Lamb
    1. What do you think of what happened to Bode Miller and his attitude?

 

Stem Cells

  1. Wolf Blitzer
    1. Do you oppose embryonic stem cell research?
  2. 1st Debate
    1. Will you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?

 

Taxes

  1. George Stephanopoulos
    1. Why did you sign a pledge ruling out any tax increases?
  2. 1st Debate
  3. What tax would you like to cut?
  4. ''2nd Debate''
    1. Why isn't your pledge to not raise taxes a blatant appeal to the party base?

 

Terrorism

  1. ''2nd Debate''
    1. If three shopping centers near major U.S. cities have been hit by suicide bombers. Hundreds are dead, thousands injured. A fourth attack has been averted when the attackers were captured off the Florida coast and taken to Guantanamo Bay, where they are being questioned. U.S. intelligence believes that another larger attack is planned and could come at any time. How aggressively would you interrogate those being held at Guantanamo Bay for information about where the next attack might be? ''2nd Debate''

 

Va Tech tragedy

  1. Mary Katharine Ham
    1. Should NBC have shown the Cho video?
    2. What security changes that need to happen on college campuses ?
    3. What changes should we make to our gun control laws ?
    4. What would your stance be on a federal assault weapons ban in light of Va Tech?

Jun 3, 2007

SOB for POTUS?

Taken from a Tim McNabb article and modified for Mitt Romney

One of the chronic with the Bush Administration is that the President is insufficiently vindictive to deal with the enemies of this republic, both foreign and domestic. President Bush is often nicer to his enemies than he is to his friends.

Mitt Romney, however, strikes me as a guy who can be a really mean SOB, a man not to be crossed.

I am a social conservative, and I try to be a good practitioner of Christianity (with varying degrees of success; please don't blame Jesus for my failures). Admiring vindictive SOBs may strike the casual observer as a contradiction, but as it says in Ecclesiastes, there is a time for peace, and a time for war. Spite for the sake of spite is a vice, but if an opponent has proven itself to be unwilling to accept the carrot, a stick is necessary. Failure to apply the stick in that situation is no virtue. Spare the rod, spoil the liberal, to misuse holy writ.

Romney may be just the SOB to be president.

I offer the following pre-written speech from which he is welcome to crib without attribution.

It is no secret that the Governor of Massachusetts will have social sensibilities that do not mesh with those of other great cities. Every region has an organic nature where like minded folk gather, live and work. If you like the economic, social, and cultural opportunities which Massachusetts provides you can live their even if you are a conservative. You have heard me say before that "Being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention." But I like the place. We've lived here now 35 years, raised all five of our sons here, and paid a mountain of taxes here. If you prefer a different pace, a different proclivity, our great nation is filled with hometowns, each with its own sense of community, each unique in its own way.

But don't judge me by my state or my religion. Massachusetts and Mormon conjure up images of Harvard educated sissies, or effiminent Ken Jennings or Donny Osmand types. In fact some people think that Rudy Giuliani is the only SOB in this race. He is not. Just ask Willie Bulger and Matthew Amorello.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorship_of_Mitt_Romney#Other_issues

Or go hear for some cold hearted decisions that I made for the greater good.

http://myclob.pbwiki.com/consolidation

I am tough enough to make the difficult decision, even when it is not popular. Like standing up against the protest in Massachusetts, and standing up for the rights of children to have a mother and a father. Taking Massachusetts from 3 highway departments down to 2, 2 parks departments down to 1, and eliminating hundreds of state jobs.

Refusing to play games, when democrats act like children:

http://myclob.pbwiki.com/07-23-2004

"I'm proud to be from Massachusetts where John Kerry will be the junior senator until 2008. You see, I don't believe Senator Kerry is the leader our country needs. I respect his four months under enemy fire in Vietnam. It's John Kerry's record in his nearly 40 years since Vietnam that's the question. Study that record.

If you want someone who voted for tax hikes 98 times, send in John Kerry. If you think trial lawyers need more money, our economy needs more law suits, and malpractice costs should go even higher, then send in John Edwards with him.

And if you think that during the great national policy debate of the 1980's, Ronald Reagan was wrong and Ted Kennedy was right, then by all means send in John Kerry.

ROMNEY: Senator Kerry now tells us he has a clear position on the war on terror. He voted no on Desert Storm in 1991 and yes on Desert Shield today. Then he voted no on troop funding, just after he'd voted yes. He's campaigned against the war all year, but says he'd vote yes today.

This nation can't afford presidential leadership that comes in 57 varieties."

Gov. Romney on Sen. Clinton's Iran Strategy

I'll come back to this more later...

Jun 2, 2007

Bill Keller on Mitt Romney


In the 1990s he served two years in federal prison.

On May 11th he sent an e-mail to 2.4 million e-mail subscribers that said, "If you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!"

Matt. 7: 16-20
  1.   16 Ye shall aknow them by their b fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
      17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth agood b fruit; but a c corrupt tree bringeth forth devil fruit.
      18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
      19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good a fruit is bhewn down, and cast into the fire.
      20 Wherefore by their afruits ye shall know them.
Christ said to judge people by their fruits. Who is better the guy who spent two years in the federal prison or Mitt Romney?

I don't know much about Bill Keller, but I assume that he does not agree with the Jewish Religion. Is a vote for a Jew, also a vote for the devil?

American values are at the heart of America's historic rise to world leadership. These include, among others, respect for hard work, sacrifice, civility, love of family, respect for life, education and love of freedom. To remain a superpower in the world we must continuously and vigorously reaffirm these key components that have led to America's greatness as a country.

Governor Romney: "America cannot continue to lead the family of nations around the world if we suffer the collapse of the family here at home."
(UPI, February 26, 2005)

Governor Romney: "What is the culture of this country, what are our underpinnings? We respect hard work ... We are self reliant, we respect human life, we are a religious people... We are a purpose-driven people founded on the family unit. I think every child deserves to have a mother and a father."
(Union Leader, March 19, 2006)

Governor Romney: "Last year the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court struck a blow against the family, as I'm sure you know. The court forgot that marriage is first and foremost about nurturing and developing children. Its ruling meant that our society is supposed to be indifferent about whether children have a mother and a father."
(Boston Globe, March 2, 2005)

Governor Romney: "What is it about America's culture and values that makes us such a successful nation and society? Part of that is we love liberty, we love our country, we're patriotic," Romney said. "I believe it's also because we are a people who love God and look for a purpose greater than ourselves in life."
(Boston Globe, May 18, 2006)

Governor Romney: "I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate."
(Boston Globe, Op-Ed, July 26, 2005)

Governor Mitt Romney and Values

Major Speeches

  • 09-22-2006; Values Voter Summit 2006, Washington, DC, Democracy in action transcript
  • 10-05-2006; Governor (MA) Mitt Romney: Liberty Sunday Address

Quotes from Governor Mitt Romney on values.

"America is under attack from almost every direction. We have been attacked by murderous terrorists here in this great city. Our employers and jobs are threatened by low-cost, highly skilled labor from abroad. American values are under attack from within."

"American values are at the heart of America's historic rise to world leadership. These include, among others, respect for hard work, sacrifice, civility, love of family, respect for life, education and love of freedom." - Mitt Romney

2006

  • "Well, I think people in this country want a person of faith to lead them as their governor, as their senator, as their president. I don't think most people care what brand of faith they have. And I don't believe that that's been an issue for me in my race for governor. It wasn't an issue, I believe, serious, for John Kennedy when he ran for president. People said oh, gosh, Ronald Reagan, he's been an actor who's been divorced, you can't elect him. Those things, I think, get swept away as people get to know the individual, understand their character, their vision, their values, and I think that's true regardless of a person's faith if they are a faithful person."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, 02-27-2006 Interview with CHRIS WALLACE on FNS
  • "Now some people say wait, when you talk about culture, Governor, that's not of the same order of magnitude as the things you just mentioned: jihadists and the emergence of Asia, spending too much money, using too much oil. And I disagree. There was a book written some years ago by a fellow named David Landis; he's a Harvard professor. The book was given to me. It's called The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. The jacket cover included an endorsement by John Kenneth Galbraith. I said, oh boy, this is going to be some liberal diatribe. I read through it and found it pretty scholarly. And after about 500 pages, he concludes with roughly these words: If anything can be learned from the history of economic development in the world, it is this--culture makes all the difference."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, Values Voter Summit 2006, Washington, DC, 09-22-2006
  • "Now when I say foundation--we use those words frequently--when I say foundation I want to underscore the fact that a foundation is essential for something to stand. Our society stands on the basis of the family unit."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, Values Voter Summit 2006, Washington, DC, 09-22-2006
  • "But today there are some people who are trying to establish one religion: the religion of secularism. They not only reject traditional values, they reject the values of our founders and they cast aside the wisdom of the ages."
    • Governor (MA) Mitt Romney: Liberty Sunday Address, 10-05-2006
  • "Massachusetts is on the frontline of marriage, but unless we adopt a federal amendment to protect marriage, what's happening here will unquestionably enter every other state. This spreading secular religion -- and its substitute values -- cannot be allowed to weaken the foundation of the family, or the faith of our fathers who "more than life, their country loved."
    • Governor (MA) Mitt Romney: Liberty Sunday Address, 10-05-2006

2005

  • "And I thought about what is it that brings the culture of the United States in such relief that it lifts America. Well we're a people that's used to hard work. We're a people who believe in a Creator or if not we believe in a purpose greater than ourselves, in purpose-driven lives as Rick Warren has pointed out. We're a people who are self-reliant and independent. We're a people who take care of those who are truely in need. We're a people also who fundamentally respect the value of human life. and at the foundation of our society is of course the familiy. The familiy has always been the structure from which we pass along our values and ideals to the next generation."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, 06-03-2005 NH Federation of Republican Women's Lilac Dinner
  • "It's an honor to be here with you, to fight together for the things we believe in, to fight for Republican values. Let's do it again and again and again. Thank you so much."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, 06-03-2005 NH Federation of Republican Women's Lilac Dinner
  • "We've got a liberal activist court . . . and I have now seen firsthand the perils of a court that decides to substitute its values for that of the founders."

2004

There's one more thing I've seen in the people who swim in the deep waters of life. They don't fashion their values and principles to suit their self-interest; they live instead by enduring principles that are fundamental to society and to successful, great lives. I learned important lessons about those principles from some of the Olympians I saw in Salt Lake City, like bobsledder Vonetta Flowers.

Vonetta was brakeman on USA sled two. All the attention, however, was on sled one, the sled that had taken the World Cup and was a lock for the Olympic Gold. But just before the Olympics, the pilot of sled one dropped her partner and invited Vonetta Flowers to join her.

Vonetta had a tough decision. On sled one, she'd get a gold medal for sure – the first Olympic gold to be won by an African American in the Olympic Winter Games. Those of us rooting for US metals hoped she would jump to sled one. She didn't. She decided that friendship and loyalty to her longtime teammate on sled two was more important than winning the gold.

Of course, sled one did well. But when sled two beat them all, coming in first, the crowd went nuts. And tears dripped off Vonetta's cheeks. Friendship and loyalty above gold.

    • Governor Mitt Romney, 05-23-2004, COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS TO THE STUDENTS OF SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY

2003

  • "With the help of the council members, my Administration will work hard to foster a culture of inclusion that values diversity. We want Massachusetts to be recognized as a great place for people from all backgrounds to work and raise a family."
  • "In his more than 30 years of service to the Commonwealth both by leadership and by example, Judge Daher has compiled a track record of unblemished integrity and unflinching dedication to the values of honest and ethical government,"
  • "With the help of the council members, my Administration will work hard to foster a culture of inclusion that values diversity. We want Massachusetts to be recognized as a great place for people from all backgrounds to work and raise a family."
  • "I know as well that what you are doing here has impact well beyond my parochial interests in Massachusetts. I think we can all appreciate the broader context of what's involved. On a global basis, I'm convinced that you are seeing - as some have indicated in some recent journals and books -- the civilizations of the world weighing the values, which will be followed by their civilizations and by their peoples. On the one hand, we have the model of the US and other nations of the west -- which is model based upon individual entrepreneurship and individual decision-making and democracy. Everything related to the individual and the innovation and creativity of the individual, and saying the individual given full freedoms and incentives and opportunities for innovation, will create enormous innovation and potential for other people to live and grow from, and that this is the best way for building a civilization and an economy. There are other civilizations in our word that are convinced, that no, that's not the right model. That in fact you are much better under a more authoritarian structure where collectivity of purpose is defined as the objective and that this idea of individuality and innovation by individuals is actually quite counterproductive. And there is a debate between these differing views in the civilizations of the world today."

2002

  • "My dad is someone who I've subconsciously patterned my life after. He was someone who had a very strong sense of public service, which is something that, as I've gotten a little older, seems to have sprung up in me as well."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, Quoted in Harvard Law Bulletin, Spring/02 Mar 1, 2002

Quotes from other's on Governor Mitt Romney's Values:

  • "I was particularly impressed that when the Governor called me he did not ask for political affiliation or suggest an agenda to pursue with regard to the University. He just said he wanted an established academic on the board that would follow the values and ideals that are consistent with the reputation of UMass."

2001

  • "With 15 years of venture capital under my belt, I'm a convert to the power of persistence, ambition, hard work, and foresight. But I'm also convinced that when it comes to making money or earning fame, more than a fair amount of serendipity is at play. There is, however, a brighter way. If you give yourself for great things, you will not be subject to serendipity. Giving your life for great things generates as much satisfaction in the effort as it does in the achievement."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, Commencement Speech, Westminster College, UT Jun 2, 2001

 

  • "Giving yourself to great things is the only sure path for successful living. I have spoken of some of those choices. To them I might add family and children, faith, scholarship, exploration, healing, teaching, athletics, and creation."
    • Governor Mitt Romney, Commencement Speech, Westminster College, UT Jun 2, 2001

Quotes from Governor Mitt Romney on other's Values:

  • "In his more than 30 years of service to the Commonwealth both by leadership and by example, Judge Daher has compiled a track record of unblemished integrity and unflinching dedication to the values of honest and ethical government. Judge Daher's courage, his willingness to stand up and speak out about injustice, to cross the political power structure and to take on the insiders make him the best possible choice for this important position."

Schools can teach family values, not religion or prayer. (Aug 1994)

Other

Three years ago, with the 2002 Winter Olympics mired in controversy and facing serious financial crisis, Mitt was asked to become President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Although the challenge seemed daunting, he was compelled to assume the task by both the urgings of his wife, Ann, and by the memory of his father, George Romney, who had been a successful businessman, four-term Michigan Governor and tireless advocate of volunteerism.

In his three years in Salt Lake, Mitt erased a $360 million operating deficit, organized 23,000 volunteers, galvanized community spirit, oversaw an unprecedented security mobilization to ensure public safety and led one of the most successful Olympics in our country's history.

Source: Campaign web site, Romney2002.org Mar 20, 2002

http://reason4romney.blogspot.com/search/label/Values


 

Guest host Judy Woodruff: …Religion really played a role sense JFK, do you think it would play a role if you ran?

 

Mitt Romney: Oh, I think initially. Some people would say, Gosh, I don't know much about your faith, tell me about it. And I'd probably outline the fundamentals. I'm a religious person. I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior. But then as you get into the details of doctrines I'd probably say look time out, let's focus on the values that we share. And fundamentally the values of my faith are very much like the values of other Judeo-Christian tradition values. And I think Americans want to have a leader who is a person of faith, but their not going to get terribly involved in the differences of doctrine, as long as the values we share are common.


American values are at the heart of America's historic rise to world leadership. These include, among others, respect for hard work, sacrifice, civility, love of family respect for life, education and love of freedom. To remain a superpower in the world we must continuously and vigorously reaffirm these key components that have led to America's greatness as a country.


America's values have change.

Romney in the Value News