PRESS RELEASE from the Democratic National Committee

For Immediate Release
January 3, 2007

Contact: Stacie Paxton/Mark Paustenbach

Mitt Romney: The Multiple-Choice Candidate

Washington, DC – Today, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announced his decision to establish a Presidential exploratory committee. Romney joins the long list of Republican presidential hopefuls, carrying with him a thin record and a history of routinely switching positions for political gain.

“While Mitt Romney says he’s not a ‘multiple-choice candidate,’ his record shows that he has routinely changed his position on everything from abortion to taxes, making it difficult to know where he stands,” said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. “The only thing that distinguished his career as governor is that he raised taxes. Clearly voters will look at all of Romney's record of indecision and choose ‘none of the above’ at the voting booth."

See below for a new document from DNC Research:

Multiple-Choice Mitt: “All Of The Above”

Mitt Romney: “On the idea of multiple-choice, I have to respond. I have my own beliefs and those beliefs are very dear to me…And you will not see my wavering on that or be a multiple choice [candidate].” [Romney Kennedy Debate Transcript, 10/1994]

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW: MITT ROMNEY TRIES TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

Romney’s Position On A Woman’s Right To Choose Is:

A. Abortion Should Be Safe And Legal. “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country… I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years that we should sustain and support it. And I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice.” [Romney Kennedy Debate Transcript, 10/1994]

B. Not Pro-Choice Or Pro Life. “I've never used either title, pro-life or pro-choice, in the past. I said I don't favor abortion.” [Fox News, 2/26/06]

C. Firmly Pro-Life. “I recognized that we had so cheapened the value of human life, through the Roe v. Wade mentality, that I could no longer stand on the sidelines, if you will. I had to take sides. And I call myself firmly pro-life.” [CNN, 10/17/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Position On A Constitutional Amendment To Ban Same-Sex Marriage:

A. Full Equality for Gays and Lesbians. “As we seek to establish full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent [Ted Kennedy].” [Boston Globe, 10/17/94]

B. Against Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage in Massachusetts. In 2002, Romney condemned a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban both gay marriage and domestic-partner benefits in Massachusetts, despite the fact that his wife and son supported it. [Boston Globe, 3/22/02]

C. For Federal Constitutional Amendment To Ban Gay Marriage. “Massachusetts is the front line on marriage, but unless we adopt a federal amendment to protect marriage, what is happening here will unquestionably enter every other state.” [“Transcript of Romney Address to Liberty Sunday,” EvangelicalsforMitt.com, 10/16/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Position On Adoption By Same-Sex Couples:

A. Won’t Take Action Allowing Catholic Agencies to Ban Gay Parents Seeking to Adopt Children. Romney said that he could not allow the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts to seek permission from the state to exclude gay and lesbian parents from adopting children through its social service agencies. [Boston Herald, 2/17/06; Boston Herald, 10/16/02]

B. Tried to Exempt Catholic Adoption Agencies From Requirement to Consider Gay Parents. Romney introduced a bill that “would exempt religious social services agencies from being required to place some adoptive children in same-sex households.” [Boston Globe, 3/16/06]
 

C. Will Not Change Ability of Gays and Lesbians to Adopt Children. Asked, “Do you believe that gays and lesbians should be able to adopt children?” Romney responded, “Well, they are able to adopt children… And I'm not going to change that.” [CNN, 10/17/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Position On The Bush Tax Cut:

A. Refuses to Publicly Endorse Bush Tax Cuts. Romney refused to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program in 2003. Romney’s spokesperson said that it’s “just not a state matter.” [Boston Globe, 4/11/03]

B. Brags About Support for Bush Tax Cuts. During a November 13, 2006 press conference held in Arizona, Romney outlined differences between himself and McCain. Romney said “he was quicker than McCain to endorse President Bush's tax cuts.” [East Valley Sun, 11/14/06]

C. All of the above.

MULTIPLE REASONS FOR ROMNEY’S FAILED LEADERSHIP

Romney Will Not Get Into Specifics Of His Health Insurance Plan During The GOP Primary Because:

A. Romney’s Health Plan Will Lead to Higher Taxes, Says Wall Street Journal. “[Romney’s health insurance] law is far from the market-based approach the Governor claimed… the state is forcing people to buy insurance many will need subsidies to afford, which is a recipe for higher taxes and more government intervention down the road.” [Editorial, Wall Street Journal, 4/12/06]

B. Romney’s Health Plan Called Frankenstein’s Monster By Washington Times. Romney’s health insurance plan “is a Frankenstein's monster of tax penalties, expanded government-insurance programs and unfunded mandates.” [Editorial, Washington Times, 4/6/06]

C. Romney Admits Health Plan Not National Model. Romney admitted, “I don’t think we’re ready as a nation to adopt a Massachusetts plan for the entire nation.” [Human Events, 12/28/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Governorship Was A Failure Because:

A. Goals Unmet. “Romney himself admits that a number of his goals remain unmet. His inability to lower the nation's highest unemployment insurance rate, to secure merit pay for teachers, and to reinvigorate the Republican Party were among the frustrations he listed.” [Editorial, Boston Globe, 12/26/06]

B. Highest Property Taxes in 25 Years. Romney’s cuts to local aid forced Massachusetts property taxes to their highest level in 25 years. [Quincy Patriot Ledger, 12/16/05]

C. 3,000 Jobs Lost. Romney oversaw a net decrease of more than 3,000 jobs in Massachusetts. [BLS, Seasonally Adjusted Employment Statistics, 12/2002 – 10/2004]

D. All of the above.

The Cato Institute Said, “Romney's tenure is clearly not a triumph of small-government activism,” Because: [“Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors: 2006,” Cato, 10/24/06]

A. Romney Raised Taxes and Fees Repeatedly. “In [Romney’s] first year in office, the state increased hundreds of fees, making it more expensive to get a driver's license, marry, or buy a house.” In 2003, Romney signed off on more tax and fee hikes than any other governor. [Boston Globe, 10/24/05; Congress Daily, 8/28/03]

B. Massachusetts Taxes Increased by 5 Percent. During the Romney’s administration, Bay Staters saw their taxes burden increase by 5.1 percent in real terms. [Massachusetts State-Local Tax Burden Compared to National Average (1970-20060, The Tax Foundation]

C. Romney Raised Taxes on Businesses. “Governor Romney has taken great pride in forcing businesses to pay a more equitable share of state taxes over the past two years. Last January he filed a bill to tighten the tax code for the third time.” [Editorial, Boston Globe, 5/6/05]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Claims About Turning A $3 billion Budget Deficit Into A Surplus Are Inaccurate Because:

A. There Wasn’t A $3 Billion Gap to Begin With. “The $3 billion budget gap Romney cites never materialized.” [Boston Globe, 10/24/05]

B. Romney Balanced the Budget Through Accounting Tricks. Romney’s “balanced” budgets relied on accounting tricks, improper use of special funds like state’s tobacco settlement monies and Health Care Security Trust, and failed to contribute to the state’s Rainy Day Fund as required by law. [Moynihan, Telegram & Gazette, 3/19/03; Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 2/1/06; Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, 2/10/06]

C. Experts Say Reforms Didn’t Really Save Any Money Anyway. According to Michael J. Widmer, of the conservative Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, “No Romney reform has saved any meaningful money. It's all on the margins. The have no connection to the closing of the gap.” [Boston Globe, 10/24/05]

D. All of the above.

On December 26, 2006, The Boston Globe Published An Editorial Stating, “as [Romney] departs for the national campaign trail, many have an unsettling feeling of having been used by Romney's fling with Massachusetts,” Because:

A. Romney Gone for 219 out of 365 Days in 2006. Romney was away from Massachusetts all or part of 219 days in 2006. “The overwhelming majority of Romney's trips were purely political.” Romney’s travel cost the state more than $130,000. [Boston Globe, 12/24/06; 6/21/06]

B. Romney On Political Travel During Devastating Floods in Massachusetts. “Romney’s dizzying travel schedule continued, even as floods took out four of five bridges in Ipswich, devastating local businesses and leaving the town nearly cut off from the rest of the state.” [Boston Globe, 6/11/06]

C. Romney Continued Vacationing During Big Dig Crisis. Two days after a fatal collapse in Boston’s Big Dig, “Romney retreat[ed] to his 12-acre waterfront compound in New Hampshire as state and federal officials work[ed] around the clock.” [Boston Herald, 7/13/06]

D. All of the above.
 
 

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