What happened, Mitt? (tradition, abortion, marriage, Christian, service)

lilithu · #1 05-09-2007, 01:21 AM

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announced his candidacy for president on February 13, 2007. The Republican governor has made opposition to civil marriage rights for same-sex couples one of his signature issues as he seeks the support of the GOP’s evangelical Christian base. But throughout his political career, which began with his 1994 campaign against Democratic U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, Romney has held different positions on gay rights. For instance, in 1994 he pledged to provide greater leadership on gay rights than Kennedy, who has led the fight in the U.S. Senate on behalf of the gay community. He also in 1994 pledged to co-sponsor the federal Employment Non-discrimination Act and to support nondiscrimination protections for gay people in the area of housing and credit; now Romney says he does not support such legislation. He was also clear that while he supported the military’s anti-gay “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” policy, he believed it was only the first in a series of steps eventually leading to the full inclusion of openly gay service members; but he recently reiterated his support for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” with no such caveat. Back in 1994 Romney also characterized marriage as “a state issue as you know — the authorization of marriage on a same-sex basis falls under state jurisdiction;” but he now advocates for a federal constitutional amendment banning marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Below you will find links to coverage of Romney dating back 1994, ranging from an in depth-interview during his Senate campaign, his 1994 letter to the Mass. Log Cabin Republicans, and stories from his 2002 campaign for governor and beyond.

http://baywindows.com/ME2/Audiences/...162568DB2EC472

MaddLlama · #2 05-09-2007, 08:59 AM

Viability, probably. Just like Guiliani's sudden.....totalitarian attitude. They can't stick to their values if they're not in line with what the masses of anti-civil rights religious republican voters want. They have to change their stances on issues to pander to the current party line, and the voters.

The Seeker · #3 05-09-2007, 10:29 AM

Romney has changed his views on gay rights, abortion and has become a member of the NRA just so he can be seen as conservative. He is a big sell-out in my opinion and there's no way I'd ever vote for him.

jamaesi · #4 05-09-2007, 10:54 AM

And they called Kerry a flip-flop?

nutshell · #5 05-09-2007, 11:27 AM

This is nothing new.

GeneCosta · #6 05-09-2007, 04:21 PM

Conservative Republicans should have seen the red flag when Mitt carried the title of "governor of Massachusetts."

jonny · #7 05-09-2007, 08:27 PM

Romney has stated that his position on gay rights hasn't changed. He has never been in favor of gay marriage. I know to many the two issues are one and the same, but to those in favor of traditional marriage there is a difference.

lilithu · #8 05-09-2007, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny

Romney has stated that his position on gay rights hasn't changed. He has never been in favor of gay marriage. I know to many the two issues are one and the same, but to those in favor of traditional marriage there is a difference.

The article doesn't claim that Romney used to be in favor of same-sex marriages. What it says is that he used to be in favor of leaving that up to the individual states and now he supports a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.

Besides, marriage is just one issue. What about his changing position on ENDA (employment non-discrimination act) and Don't Ask, Don't Tell?