Business
After graduation from Harvard Business School, Romney went to work
for the
Boston Consulting Group, where he had been a summer intern in 1974.
At BCG Romney worked with recent
MIT graduate
and future Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu.[5]
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[6].
Today, Bain & Company has 33 offices in 21 countries and 2,400
consultants[7]
In 1984, Romney co-founded
Bain Capital, one of the nation's most successful private equity
investment firms. Among the first companies it invested in was
Staples, an office-supply store. Under Romney's leadership, Bain
Capital founded, acquired or invested in hundreds of companies including
Bright Horizons Family Solutions,
Brookstone,
Domino's,
Sealy and
The Sports Authority[8]
CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee
Romney first gained 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.
Joklik and SLOC vice president Dave Johnson were forced to resign.[9]
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."[10]
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.[10]
Romney revamped the organization's leadership and policies, reduced
budgets and boosted fundraising. He also worked to ensure the safety of
the Games following the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001 by coordinating a $300 million security budget.[11]
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.[12]
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."[13]
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 recognizing the Salt Lake City Olympics.[14]
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.[15]
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 won the Massachusetts Republican Party's nomination
for
U.S. Senate after defeating businessman John Lakian in the primary.[16]
Some polls showed Romney only slightly behind Senator
Ted Kennedy. One
Boston Herald/WCVB-TV
poll taken after the
September 20,
1994
primary showed Romney ahead 44 percent to 42 percent, within the poll's
sampling
margin of error.[17]
According to figures in the 1996
Almanac of American Politics,[citation needed]
which relies on official campaign finance reports, Romney spent over $7
million, 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 won the election decisively with 58 percent of
the vote to Romney's 41 percent. The 17-percentage point winning margin
was the smallest in Kennedy's long career as Senator.[18]
2002 campaign for Governor
-
In 2002, Republican Lieutenant Governor
Jane Swift was expected to campaign for the governor's office. Swift
had served as
acting governor after Republican Governor
Paul Cellucci resigned upon being appointed U.S. Ambassador to
Canada. Swift was viewed as an unpopular executive, and her
administration was plagued by political missteps and personal scandals.[19]
Many Republicans viewed her as a liability and considered her unable to
win a general election against a Democrat.[20]
Prominent GOP activists campaigned to persuade Romney to run for
governor.[21]
One poll taken at this time showed that Republicans favored Romney over
Swift by more than 50 percentage points.[22]
With growing speculation that Romney would challenge Swift in a bruising
primary battle, Swift decided not to seek her party's nomination.
Massachusetts Democratic Party officals claimed that Romney was
ineligible to run for governor, citing residency issues. The
Massachusetts Constitution requires seven consecutive years of
residency prior to a run for office. Romney claimed residency in Utah
from 1999 to 2002, during his time as president of the Salt Lake City
Olympic Committee. In 1999 he listed himself as a part-time
Massachusetts resident.[23]
The
Massachusetts Democratic Party filed a complaint with the
Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission, which eventually ruled that
Romney was eligible to run for office. The Party decided not to
challenge the ruling in court.[24]
During the general election Romney ran on a reform platform; a major
issue in the election was a 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.[25]
Romney contributed $6.3 million to his own campaign during the election,
at the time a state record.
[26] Romney was elected Governor in
November 2002 with 50 percent of the vote over Democratic candidate
Shannon O'Brien, who received 45 percent.[27]
[edit]
Possible presidential run in 2008
Since 2004, Romney has been discussed as a potential 2008
presidential candidate.[28]
Romney has said that he will announce his intent to run in January 2007
after he leaves the governor's office on January 4. He has spent a
considerable amount of time giving political speeches in key primary
battleground states. While he did not run for reelection as governor,
Romney set up a federal
political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC,[29]
which has raised over $9 million. He has also signed up well-known
political operatives to lay the groundwork for a campaign.[30].
Governorship
Romney was sworn in as the 70th governor of Massachusetts on January
2, 2003, along with Lieutenant Governor
Kerry Healey. In 2005, Romney was selected to head the
Republican Governors Association.
Romney announced in 2005 that he will not seek re-election for a
second term as governor, fueling speculation about a run for the White
House in 2008.[1]
Healey became the Republican nominee for the 2006 Massachusetts
gubernatorial race; Healey subsequently lost to
Democrat
Deval Patrick.
Health care
On
April 12,
2006, Governor Romney signed legislation to provide health insurance
to virtually all citizens of Massachusetts without raising taxes.[31]
Working with conservative groups, such as the
Heritage Foundation, as well as Democrats in the
Massachusetts legislature, 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.[2]
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."[3]
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.[4]
A separate study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of
Massachusetts found that universal coverage would require substantial
additional state spending.
[5]
The legislature amended Romney's plan, 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[6].
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.[7]
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."[8]
Romney vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation,
including a $295 per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more
that do not provide health insurance.[9][10]
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.[11][12]
However, the state legislature overrode all of the vetoes.[13]
- Further information:
Chapter 58
Education initiatives
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 the state's public universities 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.[14]
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 years instead of the six-year period
that is now in place.[15]
Romney has also address the achievement gap in public education
saying, "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."[16]
In an effort to duplicate 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. During his 2006 State of the Commonwealth address
Romney said; "I want every middle and high school student to have a
laptop computer. Our kids won’t keep pace with the world of tomorrow if
they learn with the technology of yesterday."[17]
During Romney's tenure as Governor, Massachusetts per capita funding
for public higher education has decreased from $158 to $137, although in
national rank, per capita state expenditures changed from 48th to 47th.[18][19]
In July 2005, Romney proposed $200 million in funding for
University of Massachusetts capital projects. The Governor's capital
budget included $50 million earmarked to repair the crumbling parking
garage and foundation of the
UMass Boston campus.[20]
The
Massachusetts legislature ignored Romney's plan and declined to vote
on the bond bill needed to fund the projects.[21][22]
Governor Romney also vetoed a retroactive pay raise for unionized
employees of state and community colleges. Romney has voiced his
opposition to retroactive pay increases for public employees although
the raises had previously been agreed to, and then vetoed by his
predecessor.[23][24]
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 high school 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 and opposes
bilingual education.[25]
Fiscal policy
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.[26].
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."[32]
The state also cut spending by $1.6 billion, including $700 million in
reductions in state aid to cities and towns.[27]
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.[28]
[29].
With the help of a reviving economy, Romney and the state legislature
were able to balance the state budget and replenish the state's "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).
In 2006, the Massachusetts legislature approved a budget that
required spending $450 million from the rainy day fund. Even though the
state had collected a record-breaking amount of tax revenue in the
fiscal year, the funds were needed to cover the increased spending.
[30] Romney vetoed the transfer of funds from the contingency
account and used his emergency “9C” cuts to balance the state budget.
"One of the primary responsibilities of government is keeping the books
balanced," said Romney "The problem here is not revenues; the problem is
overspending. The level of spending which we're looking at would put us
on the same road to financial crisis and ruin that our commonwealth has
been down before."[31]
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.[32]
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
[33]) 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."[34]
Romney was heavily involved in attempts to block implementation of
the
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."[35]
|
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
[36].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.
[37]
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."[38]
In June 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.
[39]
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. While 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[40][41],
Massachusetts Attorney General
Thomas Reilly has stated that the law had nothing to do with
race.[42]
In March of 2006 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
declared the statute legal under the state's constitution.[43]
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."
[44]
When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney declared his
opposition to both same-sex marriage and civil unions.[45]
"Call me old fashioned, but I don't support gay marriage nor do
I support civil union," said Romney in an October 2002
gubernatorial debate. 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 or civil
unions, but would fight discrimination against gays and
lesbians.[46]
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.
[47]. 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."
[48]
During his 1994 campaign against Senator
Edward Kennedy, Romney said that same-sex marriage "is not
appropriate at this time"[33]
but supported Federal legislation that would prohibit
discrimination in the workplace against homosexuals.[34]
Death penalty
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.
[49]
The
Massachusetts House of Representatives 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.[50]
The state was losing $9 million annually from its highway budget
because existing laws were not in compliance with federal
standards.[51]
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.[52]
Five of the six members of this conference committee were
themselves trial lawyers who defended drunk drivers.[53]
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.[54]
A massive outcry in favor of the Governor's plan forced the
state legislature to consider Romney's amendments.[55]
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.[56]
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.[57]
The Governor 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.[58]
Romney has indicated that if he were governor of South Dakota he
would sign a bill recently passed in the state that would outlaw
abortion. He also stated that he would make sure the legislation
would include exceptions for cases of rape, incest and when the
life of the mother is at risk (the South Dakota bill only
included an omission for life of the mother).[59]
According to Romney's spokesperson, "If Gov. Romney were the
Governor of South Dakota he would sign it. The Governor believes
that states should have the right to be pro-life if that is the
will of the people."[60]
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.[61]
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."[62]
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."[63]
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."[64][65]
Romney says that his views on abortion were drastically
altered after discussing stem cell research with a pair of
experts from
Harvard University. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute was
planning research that would have involved therapeutic cloning.[66]
The Governor was appalled when one of the scientists declared
that the research "is not a moral issue because we kill the
embryos at 14 days."
"I looked over at Beth Myers, my chief of staff, and we both
had exactly the same reaction, which is it just hit us hard,"
recalled Romney "And as they walked out, I said, ‘Beth, we have
cheapened the sanctity of life by virtue of the Roe v. Wade
mentality.’"[67]
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.[68]
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.[69].
In 2005, Romney's top political strategist, Michael Murphy,
told the
National Review that the Governor had "been a pro-life
Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly."[70]
Murphy later explained that he "was discussing a
characterization the governor's critics use."[71]
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."
[72][73]
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.[74].
Military and Veterans benefits
On September 23 2004, Governor Romney signed legislation
prohibiting
employment discrimination against members of the
military, including those serving in the
National Guard and
Reserve. The bill also created a “Commission on Veterans’
Employment Opportunities”
[35].
In October of 2005, Romney filed legislation to increase
benefits for Massachusetts National Guardsman.[75]
Working with the state legislature, Romney developed the
“Welcome Home Bill” which provides guardsman with reduced
life-insurance premiums and free tuition and fees at
Massachusetts universities and community colleges. The bill also
increases daily state active-duty pay rate from $75 to $100, and
increases the death benefit paid to families of Guard members
killed in the line of duty from $5,000 to $100,000.[76]
Additionally, the “Welcome Home Bill” creates a $1,000 bonus for
Guardsman called to active duty in
Iraq
and
Afghanistan since
Sept. 11, 2001 and a $500 bonus for those who were activated
for duty elsewhere. The legislation provides a $2,000 benefit
for Gold Star spouses and increases the Gold Star parents’
benefit from $1,500 to $2,000. High school diplomas will also be
granted to veterans who dropped out to enlist in
World War II, Korea or Vietnam wars. Romney signed the bill
into law on Veterans Day 2005.
[77]
In November, 2006 the account that funds the insurance
benefits created in the “Welcome Home Bill” faced a deficit. The
Massachusetts Legislature was out of session at the time of the
shortfall and did not provide sufficient funds to maintain the
reimbursements. Romney transferred money from his own governor’s
office budget to replenish the fund.
[78]
Working with the legislature, Romney developed legislation to
provide tax exemptions to disabled veterans and benefits to
families of fallen and missing soldiers. The Governor signed The
Massachusetts Military Enhanced Relief Individual Tax (MERIT)
Plan into law on August 14, 2006. The bill increases property
tax exemptions for disabled veterans and grants spouses of
veterans killed or missing in action since September 11, 2001
full property tax exemptions for five years. After 5 years the
spouses receive an annual $2,500 exemption under the
legislation.[79]
Romney was also the first governor in Massachusetts history
to appoint a secretary of veteran’s affairs to his cabinet.
[36].
Governor Romney’s efforts to assist Massachusetts servicemen
were recognized by the Employer Support for the Guard and
Reserve, which presented him with the Pro Patria Award[80]
and the 2006 Secretary of Defense Employer Freedom Award.
[81]
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[82]
despite a finding by the Massachusetts Taxpayer Association that
forecast a net gain of over $5 million to the state if the bill
passed.[83]
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
[84]. Romney applauded the decision.[85]
Environment
Romney supports regulation of greenhouse gas emissions,
primarily through voluntary measures[86]
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."[37][38]
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 the RGGI.
[39]
In 2003, Romney appointed environmental advocate Douglas I.
Foy (former president of the
Conservation Law Foundation) to head the state development
office.[87].
Foy resigned in February of 2006.
[88]
In November 2006, Romney cut $7 million from the budget for
maintaining the state's neglected parklands, which are the sixth
largest state park system in the country. Romney also cut
$154,590 for environmental law enforcement, $288,900 for cleaner
water in communities, and $181,886 for hazardous waste cleanup.[40]
Romney opposes the controversial
Cape Wind offshore wind farm proposed for
Nantucket Sound. Romney has stated that the proposed Cape
Wind project would depress property values and damage the local
economy, which depends on tourism; he has described the area as
pristine and a "national treasure".[41]
Cape Wind supporters have accused Romney and federal lawmakers
of "back-door deal-making" in an attempt to kill the project.[42]
Conversely, elected leaders in Massachusetts have accused Cape
Wind developers of receiving a "back-room deal" for the 24
square miles of state controlled property to be used in the
proposed project.[89]
However, Romney has voiced support for wind projects in
Princeton, Hull and other Massachusetts towns.[43]
Romney cites achieving energy independence as one of his key
issues; he supports expanding alternative energy solutions
including biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification,
and is in favor of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR)
and the outer continental shelf to find more domestic sources of
oil.[44]
Romney's energy plan, unveiled just five months before he leaves
office, on
August 11,
2006,
calls for improved energy-efficiency requirements for state
buildings, increased use of biofuels in the state automobile
fleet, the creation of a prize-rewards lottery for consumers who
buy energy-efficient equipment, and proposals for wind and
biomass power-generation for state facilities.[43]
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[90].
Under Massachusetts law the Turnpike Authority is an
independent agency that does not report to the governor
[91]. After being elected Governor, Romney called for the
merger in 2003 and 2004
[92]. 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
[93]. 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[94].
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[95][96].
The Governor responded by filing emergency legislation to
wrest control of the inspection of the Big Dig tunnel system
from the Turnpike Authority
[97]. The Massachusetts State Legislature overwhelmingly
approved the legislation, which Romney signed on July 14
[98]. 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 pressure 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. Since the collapse, the
Securities and Exchange Commission has informally
investigated whether Massachusetts Turnpike Authority bonds
misled investors
[99]. The SEC has requested documents relating to the Big
Dig from the Turnpike Authority, the state Treasurer's office,
the highway department and the Governor's executive
transportation office.[100]
-
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."[101]
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."
- Crime: According to statistics released by the
Department of Justice the overall crime rate in
Massachusetts has decreased 9% between 2002 (the year before
Romney was elected) and 2005. Rates of violent crime, crimes
against property, rape, aggravated assault, larceny and
vehicle theft have all dropped during the same period while
the murder rate has remained the same.[102]
According to a review of data from the Department of Justice
conducted by the
Boston Phoenix, arrest rates for violent crimes have
plummeted during Romney's tenure. The arrest rates for
rape
for the three years before Romney took office was 26%. This
has fallen to 14% since then. During the same years, the
arrest rate also declined sharply for the other three
categories of major violent crime: the arrest rate for murder
dropped from 48 percent to 26 percent; robbery, from 23
percent to 11 percent; and aggravated assault, from 48 percent
to 29 percent.[103].
In July 2006 Romney offered the assistance of his state police
force to municipalities dealing with increased crime rates.
Romney's offers were rejected by local officials. Officials
from Boston Police unions complained that "if state aid hadn't
been cut in recent years, then the city's police force might
be staffed adequately to handle the crime surge."
[104]
-
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."
[105] In July 2006, the legislature passed a bill
increasing the minimum wage to $8.00 an 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.[106]
He proposed an increase to $7.00/hour (which represented a 25
cents an 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.
[107] 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.[108]
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.
[45]
- May 2006 flooding: In May 2006, heavy rains
produced flooding in Massachusetts.[46]
Romney declared a state of emergency[109],
mobilized the Massachusetts National Guard,[110],
called for volunteers and charitable donations to help
residents,[111]
and asked
President Bush to declare the flooded area a major
disaster area.[112].
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.[113][114]
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.[115]
- 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.[116]
"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.[117][118]
While speaking in America, Khatami struck a moderate tone,
denouncing suicide bombers and stating his belief that Israel
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."
[119]
- "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."
[120] "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."
[121] "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."[122]
The term has also been used as a derogatory term for a black
person. Some 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.[123][124]
-
Housing: Romney has advocated affordable housing as a
way to help the economy
[47][48].
Romney has often advocated smart growth, and criticized sprawl[49].
Romney advocated increasing the number of houses in the state
as a way to fight homelessness[50].
He also blamed a housing shortage as a barrier to “business
growth and job creation”[51].
Romney used federal, state, and private funds to increase the
number of houses within Massachusetts[52][53][54][55][56][57][58].
Romney also used his position as governor to ask towns and
cities to build more houses.[59]
-
Taxes: Once elected Governor Mitt Romney informed the
legislatures of his plan to balance the budget without raising
taxes, saying: “I find it unbelievable to hear people in the
State House talking about tax increases as an option to
closing the budget gap. Raising taxes at a time of rising
unemployment will hurt working families, drive companies out
of Massachusetts and push our economy into an even deeper rut.
Higher taxes are simply not an option for my administration,
for working families or for the hundreds of businesses who are
struggling. It is time for reform.”[60].
Romney also gathered those who agreed that taxes should not be
raised to help pressure the legislature so as not to raise
taxes, saying “Small businesses are the backbone of our
economy. They provide jobs for our half of our workforce and
stimulate our economy. Raising taxes will force them to cut
jobs and will drive them out of Massachusetts to a more
business-friendly state.”
[61]. In June 2005
Governor Mitt Romney filed a bill to “Fix Capital Gains Error”
[62] also called a “retroactive taxation” by Romney[63].
In December of 2005 he signed the bill saying: “By making this
important correction we will keep faith with the taxpayers and
prevent thousands of families from enduring any financial
hardship from an unfair retroactive tax. I commend the
Legislature for approving a solution that fixes this problem
once and for all.”
[64] Romney has favored
gaming as a way to help balance the Massachusetts deficit
saying, “During the difficult financial times we face in
Massachusetts, we need to think of innovative ways how we can
balance our state budget without raising taxes. If gaming
operators in other states aren’t willing to reward
Massachusetts for staying out of their business, we will
create new competition for them right here in the Bay State[65].”
Some would dispute Romney's claim that, “We have successfully
closed the largest deficit in our state’s history without
raising taxes”, insisting that usage fees have gone up. Romney
has advocated a “New Market Tax Credit”[66],
an “Investment Tax Credit”[67],
a “tax-free shopping day”[68],
property tax relief for Seniors
[69], the manufacturing tax credit, and a reduction
of the state income tax to 5 percent from 5.3 percent.[70]
Cabinet
* reports to Commonwealth Development
** reports to Economic Development
Source:
www.mass.gov
Electoral history
- 2002 Race for Governor, Massachusetts
- 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
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a
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some important detail. Greenberger, Scott S. (Boston
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2006.
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Lehigh, Scot. "Kennedy, Romney battle for the middle."
Boston Globe, October 10, 1994.
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for New England." Salon.com, Jan. 28, 2006.
- ^
Daley, Beth.
"States to move on cutting emissions: reluctant Mass may be
left behind," Boston Globe, December 2, 2005.
- ^
Greenberger, Scot S.
"7 states sign emissions pact: Mass. legislators urge
compliance," Boston Globe, December 21, 2005.
- ^
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to fix state parks system leaps"", Boston Globe,
2006-11-12. Retrieved on
2006-11-21.
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upset over Cape Cod wind-farm plan", San Francisco
Chronicle, 2004-11-21. Retrieved on
2006-11-21.
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Cod Wind Farm Could Face Romney Veto", New Standard,
2006-04-21. Retrieved on
2006-11-21.
- ^
a
b
Johnson, Glen. "Romney
outlines energy plan mixing conservation, alternate supply",
Boston Globe, 2006-08-11. Retrieved on
2006-11-21.
-
^ Ypesen,
David. "Yepsen:
So far, Romney's been most impressive Republican",
Des Moines Register, 2006-07-11. Retrieved on
2006-11-21.
- ^
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Wants `Open' UMASS Hunt - Critics Say His Interest Shows He
Was Out To Get Bulger" Boston Globe Aug 8, 2003,
Metro/Region: page A1.
- ^
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Misery Follows Flood's Havoc, Boston Globe, May 17,
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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November 6, 2006.
- ^
"ROMNEY PROMOTES TAX-FREE SHOPPING DAY ON SATURDAY"
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Department
Press Release transcript of August 11, 2004; retrieved
November 6, 2006.
- ^
"ROMNEY PROPOSES C.H.O.I.C.E. TAX RELIEF PROGRAM FOR
SENIORS" The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive
Department Press Release transcript of March 30, 2005;
retrieved November 6, 2006.
- ^
"ROMNEY CALLS FOR TAX CUT AS REVENUES COME FLOODING IN"
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Department
Press Release transcript of October 3, 2005; retrieved
November 6, 2006.
Official
Speeches: Multimedia and transcripts
Interviews
Articles about Mitt Romney
Financial Information
Romney Sites - National
Romney Sites - By State
Romney Sites - By Organization
Miscellaneous
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