Where did Mitt’s Flip-Flop label come from? Why is he seen as a “new” convert to conservatism? Those of us who have objectively studied this issue have come to the same conclusion that Darlene Wagner, of Christian News Wire has reached. In this article she gives an absolutely excellent summary of how these myths evolved, and the truth about Mitt’s record. She did this by personally contacting the Pro-Life community in Mass., where Mitt was Governor for 4 years. Here is what she found:
Abortion Issue is Behind the Flip Flop Story of Mitt Romney
Contact: Darlene Wagner 860-456-3165, faceofprolife@sbcglobal.net
MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 3 /Christian Newswire/ — Abortion, who would have thought that it would be the secret weapon of John McCain and Mike Huckabee going into the Florida primary and now super Tuesday. Did the election predictors ever envision a struggle that would be fought over the precious pro-life conservative vote? Mitt Romney was noted as a late comer to the pro life scene and undeserving of the title of pro life by both McCain and Huckabee. He was stealing the votes intended for them.
Attack ads on YouTube with links placed in articles by a group called GoneRoe headed by attorney Sharon Blakeney, are featured in an article in Life News.com., a well traveled reliable resource used by the pro life community. Also, Janet Folger, the host of a national talk radio program, wrote in a World Net Daily column that “the ads are welcome for super Tuesday.” The goal is to incite Christian Pro Lifers to vote against Mitt Romney.
Darlene Wagner, a producer for a
Connecticut cable access show called the Face of Pro Life, decided to find out the basis of the McCain, Huckabee and news media charges of flip flopping on issues, she contacted the Mass. Family Institute and Pioneer Mass. Citizen for Life. So what exactly was the relationship of Mitt Romney with the Mass. pro life community?
Wagner said, “I was astonished to find the real story was quite different. In fact, Governor Mitt Romney was well regarded by the local pro life activists. Respected for having made a difference by providing the leadership to bring about significant change.” His influence was short lived because present Governor Patrick who has anti-life credentials has reversed all those gains.
For a short four years,
Mass. was making inroads into becoming a pro life state in spite of the well know Democrat left leaning legislature. The online newsletter of Mass. Family Institute writes, “In Defense of Marriage Romney appeared at a press conference in June 2006 and called on the Legislature to vote. He also helped to organize a rally at the Statehouse the following November, attended by 7,000 concerned citizens, and announced a lawsuit to force the Legislature to vote. “Although the SJC dismissed the suit, it also reprimanded the legislators for shirking their duty to vote. The Legislature listened and allowed the amendment process to proceed.” No surprise when Gov. Patrick became governor he had already worked to get 11 votes to have the Defense of Marriage Amendment fail.
The newsletter continued, “Governor Romney championed the sanctity of life during the debate over embryonic stem cell research and cloning. He opposed the loosening of restrictions on research on human embryos and, while unsuccessful, used his executive powers to restrict the creation of human embryos exclusively for use in research.”
In sharp contrast, the present Mass. Gov. Patrick has announced a $1 billion “life science” initiative that will provide funding and tax incentives for companies doing embryonic stem cell research. If John McCain is elected president he will do the same because he is only ½ pro-life. According to the Value Voter’s guide he supports federal funds for embryonic stem research. As recently as yesterday McCain garnered the endorsement of Nancy Reagan who champions this embryo killing procedure.
When Gov. Romney discovered that federal abstinence money was being wasted in the Commonwealth on ineffective media campaigns, he helped redirect the money toward classroom abstinence-only instruction through programs like the Healthy Futures program. $700,000 was used to deliver the abstinence message to hundreds of teenage students. When Gov. Patrick became governor he refused to accept the grant money despite the plea of many inner city teenagers.
What a sharp contrast between the real record and the one that has been hyped by the media, John McCain and Mike Huckabee. To local pro life activists like Dr. Shaw, who said he will be voting for Romney in the primary, “Things have changed for the worse in Mass. Pro Life wise and we would like to have it return to the days when Romney was Governor.”
Sources for this article:
Life News.com
Mass. Family Institute Newsletter
Mass Citizen for Life Web Site
Numerous telephone interviews
Pioneer Mass Citizens for Life
This was not a Romney supporter or campaigner, but a person genuinely interested in finding out the truth. It is amazing to me that she had to go to such great lengths to bypass the lies the media and McCain and Huckabee have perpetrated about Mitt’s record. Mitt has always stated in debates and stump speeches that as Governor he came down on the side of life every time. The facts are there to support this. Mitt’s record as Governor was strongly conservative, and will be as President as well.
