PDF courtesy of namelessgenexer.
This is very idiosyncratic, but paging through John McCain's 200 page PDF on Mitt Romney these are the ones that made me go "Oh boy that's not going to help Mitt with most voters". These are not the ones that were so appalling they made me want to track Mitt Romney down and force him to listen to Sarah Palin singing.
- Romney lied about his experience that changed his mind on abortion - and continued to support abortion rights after his supposed conversion
- Flip flop on gays with children
- Lies about guns
- Killed hi-tech jobs in Massachusetts
- Left his successor a $1B deficit - while the economy nationwide was still doing OK
- Wouldn't endorse Bush tax cuts in 2003 but now supports them
- Didn't think Osama bin Laden was worth much effort
- Climate Change Weasel
- Brags about himself as "investor"
- Romney sat on the board of a company fined $100M for Medicare fraud
- The "Romneycare" bill set aside one of 12 board positions to be appointed by Planned Parenthood - which Romney later denied
I think overall #9 is likely to be the most damaging. Just appalling hubris.
1
Romney says he changed his mind on abortion meeting with Harvard stem cell researcher – Romney claims the doctor said scientists “kill” embryos after 14 days, but doctor later said Romney “mischaracterized my position.”
Months after his “conversion,” Romney stated his commitment to upholding Massachusetts’ abortion laws and appointed pro-choice judge to state district court.
2
In 2007, Romney praised gay parent who confronted him over gay marriage issue, but in 2005 remarked to South Carolina audience that some gay couples “are actually having children” and called it “wrong.”
3
In January 2006, Romney said he owned a gun – then two days later admitted he did not and the gun belonged to his son.
Romney bragged about being member of the NRA but later revealed he didn’t join until August 2006, just before launching his presidential campaign.
Romney recently said he’s “been a hunter pretty much all my life” but later admitted he hunted only twice in his life, later clarifying remarks by claiming he has hunted “small varmints … more than two times.”
4
2006 report issued by quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative warned the state was losing its grip as leader in “innovation economy” and that tech job was alarmingly slow.
5
Romney left his successor to fill a budget deficit exceeding $1 billion.
6
Romney refused to endorse the Bush tax cuts in 2003, telling the state’s all-Democrat congressional delegation he wouldn’t be a cheerleader for the plan.
This matters only if he promises to continue them - which I am sure he already has done.
7
Romney said capturing Osama bin Laden would result in “very insignificant increase in safety” for America and such effort was “not worth moving heaven and earth and spending billions of dollars” to catch one person.
8
In 2004, a Romney press event announcing new state policy to combat global warming was marred by his refusal to admit global warming is actually happening.
9
Romney describes himself as a “business legend” in his campaign ads and once said of himself: “I’m basically in the investor’s Hall of Fame.”
I'm basically in the investor's Hall of Fame. Arrogant and Wall Street combined in 11 syllables. Thanks, Mitt!
10
Romney sat on board of directors of Bain portfolio company Damon Clinical Laboratories, which in 1996 was fined over $100 million for Medicare fraud committed during Romney’s tenure.
So are you a good investor or not, Mitt? Don't you think $100M fines matter to shareholders?
11
Section 3 Of The Health Care Reform Bill Romney Signed In To Law Requires That One Member Of MassHealth Payment Policy Board Must Be Appointed By Planned Parenthood Of Massachusetts. From Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006: “SECTION 3. Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 16I the following 6 sections: . . . Section 16M. (a) There shall be a MassHealth payment policy advisory board. The board shall consist of the secretary of health and human services or his designee, who shall serve as chair, the commissioner of health care financing and policy, and 12 other members: … 1 member appointed by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
... AND ...
In June 2007, Romney Denied His Bill Included The Planned Parenthood Mandate. QUESTION: “I
noticed some of the conservative groups back in Massachusetts, they complain about there’s a Planned Parenthood rep mandate to be on the planning board for the health care plan. Is that something you just had to deal with in negotiating with the legislature?” ROMNEY: “It’s certainly not something that was in my bill.”
Even if you support Planned Parenthood, the idea that they should be singled out as appointing one member of an advisory board might be controversial. Lying about, though, is pure Mitt.
