Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Truth About Romney's Conservatism

Many conservative bloggers, commentators, speakers, journalists, politicians as well as television and talk radio show hosts claim that Mitt Romney is not a conservative. These claims are false. Let's review the truth about Mitt Romney's conservatism: 
1. Traditional Marriage: Mitt Romney has been a fierce supporter of traditional marriage. Maggie Gallagher, founder of the National Organization for Marriage, has penned an excellent article defending Mitt Romney's record on gay marriage. A group of citizens of Massachusetts publicly released a letter defending Romney's record on traditional marriage. Furthermore, he signed the a pledge from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) supporting marriage between a woman and man. As a result, Mitt Romney has been the strongest and consistent supporter of traditional marriage. That is clear from the facts and from those who served with Mitt Romney in Massachusetts. Moreover, Mitt Romney's marriage is another example of his support for traditional marriage since he's been a strong family man since he's been married once to the same woman for 42 years. No sexual harassment charges against him. No accusations of adultery. Romney has been able to create the ideal family: stable marriage, stable family, stable job, great home and lots of grandchildren.
2. 2nd Amendment Rights: Romney has been accused of supporting gun control and expanding the Assault Weapons ban in Massachusetts. The reality is every year he was governor he worked with the NRA on legislation making small reforms to Massachusetts’ existing draconian gun control laws, considered a step forward for gunowners by the NRA. In 2005, he issued a proclamation declaring May 7 “Right to Bear Arms Day.” Gun Owners Action League, the Massachusetts gun organization, issued these statements about Romney’s record, “During the Romney Administration, no anti-second amendment or anti-sportsmen legislation made its way to the Governor’s desk. Governor Romney did sign five pro-second amendment/pro-sportsmen bills into law.”
3. Defender of Religion: Mitt Romney has a very long history of defending religious liberty while working as governor of Massachusetts  a strong defender of religion. For example, in 2005, Romney actually vetoed a bill that would have forced Massachusetts hospitals to offer abortive contraception. He also defended Catholic Charities in Massachusetts who being forced to compromise their religions principles in matters of adoptions by filling a bill to protect religious liberty called the An Act Protecting Religious Freedom. As a result of his defense of religious liberty in Massachusetts,  the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty awarded him its prestigious Canterbury Medal in 2008. 
4. Capitalism: Mitt Romney's economic record as a conservative cannot be impeached. He has only spent four years as a politician by being the Govenor of Massachusetts. The rest of his life has been in the private sector.
5. Foreign policy: Mitt Romney has been strong on issues of national security, terrorism, and supports our military.  I strongly recommend everyone read Mitt Romney's foreign policy speech at The Citadel. 
6. Law: Mitt Romney's positions and record on matters that are important to legal conservatives is also unimpeachable. He has a strong record of defending the Constitution, state's rights and appointing judges that do not legislate from the bench.
7. Health Care: Mitt Romney's record on health care is clearly conservative. Before the 2012 election, RomneyCare wasn't a problem for conservatives. It wasn't a problem for conservatives when he proposed his health care plan.The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation liked it and published a report titled the "Massachusetts Health Reform: The Myth of Uncontrollable Costs."  There are several fan over at the Heritage Institute such as Robert Moffit, Ph.D., and Edmund Haislmaier. In fact, the Heritage Foundation advised Mitt Romney in the creation of RomneyCare before they flipped their support for RomneyCare when it became politically unpopular to support it.  Many conservatives endorsed RomneyCare. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have supported RomneyCare. For conservatives worried about the constitutionality of RomneyCare, his health care plan is constitutional whereas ObamaCare isn't.  
8. 2008 Election: During the 2008 Presidential primary, Mitt Romney was hailed as the "true conservative alternative" to John McCain. All the major conservative bloggers, politicians, talk show hots, columnists were strongly endorsing and encouraging conservative voters to support Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney won the conservative vote in many of the state primaries and caucuses. Yet, in one of the strangest reversals in conservative history, Mitt Romney is somehow painted as not a true conservative in this 2012 election.   
9. 2010 Election:  Mitt tirelessly campaigned on behalf of conservatives and Tea party candidates in 2008 and the 2010 elections. He demonstrated his character by working to help the McCain/Palin team defeat Obama. During the 2010 election, he went on a whirlwind tour supporting conservative candidates across the country and provided millions of dollars in donations to local, state and Congressional candidates win. Mitt Romney was an powerful force in helping the Conservative tsunami happen. 
10. 2012 Election: Many people say that Mitt Romney isn't getting the support of conservatives in the primary election. However, if you look at the facts, its clear that Mitt Romney has been receiving strong support from solid conservative voters in the primary elections so far.
People keep insisting that Mitt Romney is not a conservative. Yet, the record clearly shows that he's been consistently conservative ever since he entered into politics. What more evidence do conservatives need to prove his conservative credentials? The fact is that Mitt Romney has always been a conservative. If you want to get more details about Mitt Romeny's conservative record, check out Mitt Romney Central, WhyRomney.com, AboutMittRomney.com and Mitt Romney Encyclopedia.  
In conclusion, let me leave you with the words of a conservative candidate who strongly endorsed Mitt Romney: 
"In a few short days, Republicans from across this country will decide more than their party's nominee. They will decide the very future of our party and the conservative coalition that Ronald Reagan built.Conservatives can no longer afford to stand on the sidelines in this election, and Governor Romney is the candidate who will stand up for the conservative principles that we hold dear," Senator Rick Santorum (Feb 1, 2008)
This article was cross posted from Conservative Samizdat

Please check us out on Facebook and If you like what you see, please "Like" us. You can find us here.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice job J. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Home run! Romney rules.

Machtyn said...

Excellent, J. Even though Romney has been "vetted" since 2005, some people still don't know anything about him, except the lies they get from his detractors. Very nice and concise.

Ohio JOE said...

"some people still don't know anything about him," Unfortunately for him, we know too much. Yes he is a defender of Life and of religious liberty which is all good. However, we need a balanced Conservative. His private sector experience has failed him when it comes to Health care and banking. What is more, when push comes to shove, he is more Pro-TARP than he is Pro-Life.

Teemu said...

Well, Santorum voted in 2001 for airline bailout, and you could say that total collapse of financial sector is at least as unacceptable as the total collapse of airlines.

The risk of systematic collapse should be discouraged beforehand, and not encouraged by implementing silly bubble feeding policies like the housing policies. Maybe TARP wasn't implemented in the best way, but at least there wasn't total collapse of financial sector.

Terrye said...

Ohio Joe:

No, he is not more pro Tarp than he is pro life and besides, Sarah Palin herself supported TARP...she can try to weazel out of it later, but that is the fact of the matter.

The truth is Romney has a far better record as a fiscal conservative than Rich Santorum does and he can piss and moan about TARP all he wants, but he would have supported it too..

Besides, the money that was loaned out in TARP is being paid back at a profit. The Treasury will net a profit off of TARP...the real spending problem is not TARP,it is combination of that big fat stimulus program put out by Obama and entitlement reform...and given Rick's past support of big programs I don't know if he is really the man to deal with that.

Ohio JOE said...

"besides, Sarah Palin herself supported TARP." At least she admittd it was a mistake. In fact, it was among the very worst mistakes she ever made and it might have been one of the reasons she decided not to run.

Stimulus, TARP and entitlements are all bad and consumer confidence is thus rather low.

Machtyn said...

The thing is, if the Republicans and Democrats hadn't spent and policied ourselves into oblivion, TARP would not have been necessary. I think I am going to have to trust a Harvard Law and Business graduate who's spent most of his life in the private sector saving companies, entities, and a state when he says TARP was necessary.

Was it mishandled? Of course, it was Bush implemented and Obama run. It gave the green light for Obama to use the completely unnecessary stimulus plan. Elections have consequences. TARP did turn a profit for the government, though. The banks didn't want to remain under the heavy hand of government, so they paid that money bank pretty quickly, with interest.

What I do know, if Romney becomes President, you are guaranteed to have ObamaCare repealed and none of this funny business with bailouts. The spending and policies of the past will discontinue. You can't say that of Santorum, among many of his money grabs, he voted to raise the debt ceiling 5 times. Sure, that's what has always been done... isn't the TEA Party about changing this money grab and for smaller government? Newt *might* do it. But I can't trust him to go run off with some crazy spending program with a VA hospital in NH, a widened port and a moon colony program in FL, and something else in NV.

Ron Paul would be good in this area, but I don't think he'd be able to get it done. He would be mostly ineffective in the areas where we need him to be most effective.

Romney knows how to bring antagonistic parties together for the greater good and benefit of a single entity. It's what he spent his life on.

Anonymous said...

:His private sector experience has failed him when it comes to Health care and banking"

What the H does that even mean, OJ?

"What is more, when push comes to shove, he is more Pro-TARP than he is Pro-Life."

What the H again!

You don't know what you are talking about, OJ. Honestly, that is a bunch of nonsense.

You have a personal dislike for Romney, we get it. But some of the things you write to justify your distaste for the man, is just bizarre.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

I'll tell what is freaking bizarre, Mr. Romney did not want to back a Pro-Lifer over a Pro-TARPer among other things in NY-23 because he could not stand against the Pro-TARP wing of his camp. Unfortunately, that wing of his camp appears to be larger than his Pro-Life wing, but hey.

Anonymous said...

OJ, you just proved my point.

Absolute nonsense.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

Yes, I did prove that you have a non-sense wing of your camp.

Jed M. Merrill said...

"Mitt Romney would be more conservative in practice than Rick Santorum, who wouldn't know how to cut a budget with a chainsaw." ~ ConservativeRepublicans.com