Mitt Romney's Strategy for a Stonger America: Issues 6-10

If you have not already read my first article examining Mitt Romney's website, you can check it out here. For those of you who don't want to or are getting caught up, here is a quick review. I am breaking down Mitt Romney's website and specifically his issues pages for content and clarity. Mostly, I am examining his PDF file that he put together titled "Strategy for a Stronger America." In the first article, I examined issues 1-5. Today, we'll look to issues 6-10.

Challenge # 6 -- Ending Energy Dependence

Governor Romney states quite plainly here that we need to stop our dependency on oil. He states "As long as America imports much of our oil from unstable regions and countries around the world, our national security and economic prosperity is threatened." This I completely agree with and am glad to know that he thinks this way. Unfortunately, his ideas are a mixed bag of good and bad. Starting off, he says that he will provide Presidential Leadership by making it a top administration priority. Rhetoric such as this is easy to say on the campaign trail because there is no way to question it. This is not a plan or a policy initiative, just a statement that he will set it as a high priority. Now, will he? Who knows, hopefully he will. His second point talks about investing in research stating "dramatically increase federal spending on research, development, and demonstration projects." Again, this is an easy statement to make that you are going to "dramatically increase spending" but how is he going to pay for it? Again, if he is such a deficit hawk and wants to cut taxes, how is he going to increase spending on things such as this? His third point is quite ambiguous stating that we need to focus on issues of energy security. He doesn't clarify this at all or even says what the problem is. The first time he gets pretty specific is when he promotes the building of new Nuclear Power Plants. If you support Nuclear Power, then you will agree with him on this point. I like that he is being more specific here, but I also question what the President can do to increase the demand of Nuclear Power unless he uses the bully pulpit to do it. His final point is a little ambiguous but provides a clear delineation of where he stands on environmental issues by stating that we need to find more energy sources here in the US including using ANWR. So, if you are opposed to continued drilling and destruction of our natural resources for an energy source that is not renewable or clean, they you will support Gov. Romney on this point (and if you can't tell which side of this I am on, you should probably re-read that last sentence again).

Overall, his ideas are once again pretty vague and filled with rhetoric. The only real clue we get to his policies is that he wants to drill in Alaska and build nuclear plants. So, if you support those ideas, you will like Gov. Romney.

Challenge # 7 -- Curbing Federal Spending

Obviously one of the main areas that all candidates are talking about is how we spend money and that we need to stop spending so much money. Gov. Romney is no different. He states that there has been runaway spending and he has several ideas to fix the plan. First off, he says that he will establish a strict spending limit by vetoing any non-defense discretionary appropriations that are above inflation minus 1%. You read that correctly. So, how do we "dramatically increase federal spending on research" for things such as renewable energy that he proposes in the previous challenge? Again, this is why politicians need to look at the big picture when setting up their issues. He has proposed several plans and policies that would cost money, yet he is going to be a fiscal conservative? He then states that we need to reform the entitlements. Of course, he gives no plan on what he would do or how we would reform those entitlements, but we need to reform them. Again, this is so vague. Of course we need to reform them, but how? It would be nice to see his stance on this issue. His next idea is the line-item veto for the president. I like this idea, and so did congress back in the 1990's. Unfortunately it was found to be unconstitutional by the supreme court. So, unless you can fix that, this is a pure 100% rhetoric and zero action idea. Also, his idea on giving the President flexibility to spend up to 25% less than Congress appropriates is dangerous! This would put projects that one president loves far ahead of a program he despises. I wouldn't want this for any President, Republican, Democrat or otherwise. This is just a bad idea! As for the idea of having a super-majority to pass any raise in taxes, all I can say is that at least it is a specific idea.

Overall, there is once again a lot of empty rhetoric in Gov. Romney's ideas. He talks big on being a fiscal conservative, but then his ideas have no specifics as to how he would save money and the fact that he has numerous proposals that deal with his other challenges that we need to spend money on without raising any taxes. I'm sorry, but he's living in a dream world.

Challenge # 8 -- Ending Illegal Immigration

Gov. Romney essentially talks about the problems of illegal immigration in that it has exploded over the past several years and it is causing major problems in American. He argues that immigrants are draining our social services and our educational systems destroying America. His plan for stopping illegal immigration has several points. First off, he states that we need to build a "physical and technological fence along the southern border, and secure other points of entry." Again, no real specifics as to how we would do this or what the "technological fence" would be or how he would pay for this, remember, he's not raising any new taxes. He also wants to develop a biometrically-enabled and tamper-proof card for non-citizens and make a database so employers can verify their legal status. Basically, if you think big brother is watching and don't like the idea, you are going to disagree with him on this point, but overall, at least it is a specific plan. He rejects amnesty and wants to punish cities that don't comply with federal laws by giving sanctuary to illegal immigrants by cutting off federal funding. Again, this is a pretty specific idea, which I commend him on. He also states that we need to encourage and streamline the legal immigration system to recruit and retain skilled workers. I like this idea, but would like to see how he would streamline it.

On this topic, Gov. Romney is at least specific in most of his ideas except for two major issues: the wall and legal immigration.

Challenge # 9 -- Health Care

He states clearly that we are facing a huge crisis in health care where millions cannot afford it and millions of others are worried that they soon won't be able to afford it. He then attacks the democrats and the idea of the government running the health care systems because it would hurt innovation, creativity and consumer choice. His plan to make health care more affordable starts with deregulating state markets. Of course, this plan is only to "encourage states to eliminate the cumbersome insurance regulations that drive costs up." So, he won't deregulate it, but he will "encourage" the states to do it. Will this accomplish anything? Again, this is nothing but empty rhetoric. If you want to deregulate the health care industry, then put forth a plan or policy initiative to do it, don't say you are going to "encourage" others to do it. His second plan is to fix the tax code by making all health care expenses tax deductible. I do like this idea and at least it is specific. He then states that he will use money that is currently used to give "free care for the uninsured at emergency rooms" because they are free-riders. Okay, so is he going to tell hospitals how to spend their money and is he going to be there in the emergency room when hospitals are required not only by law but also by their own ethics to treat people and tell them, sorry, but unless you have insurance, you can't be seen. Oh, you're bleeding to death, sorry, I promised the American people that we can't keep spending money on you free-loaders anymore. He cannot possibly do this and it is nothing but empty rhetoric. His next step is to establish caps on "non-economic and punitive damage awards to eliminate frivolous lawsuits." He doesn't state what that cap would be at or how it would pass congress, but he is specific in the sense that we know he supports a cap on such things. His final area is again filled with rhetoric and no real plan. He states that he will bring health care into the 21st century by introducing the same competitive forces that are driving innovation in other sectors of our economy. What competitive forces are those? Don't we already have that? Isn't America the fore-runner in innovation and advancement in the health care sector?

This is quite possibly the worst challenge area of Gov. Romney's. There is far too much rhetoric involved and very little in concrete ideas that would actually pass. The only areas that he is specific on are making health care expenses tax deductible and putting a cap on lawsuits (and even there, he doesn't indicate how much or how it will be done).

Challenge # 10 -- American Culture & Values

This is one of the bigger areas that he talks about in this PDF. Gov. Romney breaks down this challenge into three areas: Life, Protecting our children and protecting America's basic freedoms. He mostly talks about the erosion of the family and the respect for life in the first part, that children are being exposed to far too much adult material in the media and that fewer people are volunteering to help children and protecting our basic freedoms guaranteed by the bill of rights from the likes of activist judges and congressional interference. Basically, America is falling to the dogs. His plans include promoting a culture of life, meaning that he wants Roe v. Wade overturned. Now, does he offer an explanation as to how he would do it? No, and I'm always suspicious of candidates who make this claim now for one key reason. From 2000 until 2006, the Republican Party was in control of all three branches of government and President Bush was appealing to his social conservative base, whose main focus is abortion. So, to say that you are pro-life and want abortion to end is easy to say, it's another thing to do something about it. He also states that he supports a Federal Marriage Amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. This goes in direct contradiction to his statements regrading pro-life. He states that while America is divided on the issue of abortion, it should be relegated to the States to decide, then he states that we need a national law instead of the states deciding on gay marriage. Basically, he's for federal laws that will help him get elected and opposed to them if it helps him get elected. Finally, he states that he will appoint conservative justices who abide by the constitution and not legislate from the bench. I'm not going to get into this except to say that it was activist judges who ended segregation and other issues that have come up over the years.

His next subject talks about protecting and supporting America's children. First off, he states that he will "propose tougher federal penalties for first-time offenders who use the Internet to sexually assault children...followed by lifetime tracking by Global Positioning Satellite." This is an interesting idea and we can delve into the constitutionality of branding someone with a Scarlet letter once they've served their time, but at least this is a specific plan he is proposing. He also states that he wants to work with companies to ensure that computers have software filters to protect children. Now, these programs already exist and are out there everywhere, so this is a lot of rhetoric and not much more. He also wants to enforce our nation's obscenity laws, which isn't really a plan, but is a good idea he is pushing forward. He also states that he will leverage both public and private charitable efforts to strengthen communities. There is not much of a plan here or even an initiative, just that he wants to strengthen communities. It would be good to see more specifics here.

Finally, he talks about "Stopping the Erosion of America's Basic Freedoms." It should really be entitled "I hate the McCain-Feingold bill" because he spends the first four areas basically attacking that bill and saying how it destroys free speech. While he doesn't really give us any indication as to what he would do to try and regulate campaign finances except to "promote transparency and disclosure." This isn't much of a plan and if he wants to eliminate something, I would like to have more clarification as to what he would do, if anything. He then talks about how he supports gun ownership and wants to enforce our current gun laws and punish those who use guns in a crime. While there is no plan here, its not needed and we know where he stands on this issue. He finishes it off by stating that he is "strongly opposed to the taking of private property for private develpment." I'm not sure what this means because he doesn't really elaborate on it. Would he support laws that would restrict the governments right to eminent domain? Would he fight each individual town and city in America who uses eminent domain? Basically, his only argument is that he wants a court that would strike down those type of cases.

Overall, a lot of rhetoric and very little substance as well as some contradictory statements. All in all, is you believe in what he believes you will support him, but he is also so vague that we don't know what he will do once in office. This is a major problem.

Final Analysis

For the most part I am very disappointed in the Romney campaign. He has some good ideas and some that I disagree with, but for the most part I have no idea what he would do as President. He has so much empty rhetoric and empty promises that it is impossible to know what he will do. He also talks about how he wants to do so many things, but then also wants to cut spending and cut taxes. I'm sorry, but you can't have it both ways. While I am no closer to finding out who I will support for President, I know that Governor Romney moved pretty far down the line.