A group calling itself "Massachusetts Republicans for Truth" has launched an effort to educate voters on what it says is "the real Romney record" as governor of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Republicans for Truth released this statement today...
BOSTON, MA – Today, Massachusetts Republicans for Truth officially kicked off their program for educating voters regarding the views of all of the 2008 Presidential candidates. Their first report features former Governor Mitt Romney and his never-ending twists and turns on the issues in The Romney Report: Part I.
"Our organization’s mission is to educate voters about the issues and candidates before them in each election cycle. We are neither for nor against any particular candidate. As we are from Massachusetts, we felt that it was important to start with Romney so that voters across the Nation have all the facts regarding his real record on the issues. We cut through all the political rhetoric to get to the truth. Our report should help to educate voters as it shows a clear pattern of flip-flops and half-truths from our former Governor on some of the important issues,” said Ron Vining Co-Founder.
The Web site features a chronology of Romney’s statements on abortion including his claim of being pro-choice 1970, flip flops on the minimum wage, failures as the leader of the Republican Party in Massachusetts, his real economic record of losing jobs in the Commonwealth along with increasing taxes, and so much more. The site also features a polling question regarding whether voters believe he is a true conservative or not.
"Most voters do not know that Romney refused to sign the No New Taxes pledge while running for Governor and that all of our previous Republican Governors had signed the pledge. Nor do they know that the gas tax was increased on his watch and that he signed the property tax reclassification bill allowing communities to hike taxes on businesses," stated Holly Robichaud Co-Founder. "This is just the beginning of publishing our research on this Presidential candidate. Voters should stay tuned as we explore his legislative accomplishments."
Massachusetts Republicans For Truth is a federal political action committee, a "527," that describes itself as being "comprised of local activists around the United States whose focus is on nonpartisan education and advocacy on important national issues."
So, it's not just folks from Massachusetts, apparently. Or maybe it's just a couple folks with a fax machine and an email account. To be honest, I don't know if they really are Republicans. ElephantBiz.com readers from Massachusetts, please weigh in - are these folks really Massachusetts Republicans? And are they telling the whole truth about Romney's record?
Actually, I'd be surprised if Romney had an unblemished conservative record serving as governor of one of the most liberal states in America and dealing with a heavily Democratic legislature. The truth is, in America, if voters split their government amongst Democrats and Republicans, the end product will never be ideologically pure.
The Massachusetts Republicans for Truth press release, while it comes from a new organization that purports to be about the truth, actually uses weasel words in some instances. For example, it says: the gas tax was increased on his watch.
It's a passive statement that doesn't say Romney sought a gas tax increase, but is designed to make the reader think Romney is to blame. I don't know the facts about the gas tax increase, but the press release reminds me of conservatives who attack former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee over a gas tax increase in his state without addressing the facts.
The facts are that, before Huckabee was governor, Arkansas' roads were among the worst in the nation. Then voters - voters! - approved the gas tax increase - voters voted for it! - in a referendum - it passed with about 80 percent of the vote! - and today Arkansas has some of the best roads in the country.
Good roads cost money, of course, and there's no more important conservative principle than government governs with the consent of the governed. That's what happened with the gas tax increase in Arkansas.
I don't know the history of the Massachusetts gas tax increase, though I suspect the truth is less damaging to Romney than the weasel words in the press release suggest.
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