Sunday Memo: On Abortion, Romney Doesn’t Have to “Fake It” Anymore
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: Sunday Memo: On Abortion, Romney Doesn’t Have to “Fake It” Anymore
Romney’s endorsement of the radical proposal in Mississippi to ban abortion even in cases of rape and when a mother’s life could be endangered, as well as many kinds of birth control, has been described as aflip-flop from his past support for abortion rights. In reality, Romney hasalways been opposed to abortion rights, tried to hide it for ten years in Massachusetts and is now finally being honest about his anti-choice agenda by absolutely supporting the personhood amendment.
For ten years, as he was running for various offices in Massachusetts, he claimed, “I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose.” Eric Fehrnstrom, his political spokesman then and now, said Romney had “exactly the same position as any other prochoice politician.” While seeking support from pro-choice groups, Romney signed questionnaires declaring his support for taxpayer funding of abortions and for upholding Roe vs. Wade.
Starting in 2005, when he began running for President, Romney told Republican groups outside Massachusetts he supported outlawing abortion.
Romney’s top political advisor at the time admitted that Romney hadn’t told the truth for ten years about a core issue, with the Boston Globe declaring on its front page: “Adviser Says Governor Faked Stance on Abortion; Asserts Romney Not Pro-Choice.” One of Romney’s close friends and major donors admitted Romney’s pro-choice statements were because, “running against Ted Kennedy in a state that was 80 per cent pro-choice and to have any chance at all, he was waffling” and that “He has told me he is not pro-choice.”
Put simply, the people who knew Romney best knew he was lying.
If Romney wins the presidency, he won’t have to ‘fake it’ ever again. He will be free to push a radical anti-choice agenda that bans abortion, appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe vs. Wade, and fulfill his promise to support legislation that defunds Planned Parenthood.
In Mitt Romney’s America, women will be left with no choice.
Background
Romney Endorsed State Amendments That Would Ban All Abortion. In an Oct. 2, 2011, interview with former ArkansasGov. Mike Huckabee -- a onetime Republican presidential candidate who now hosts a talk show on Fox News -- Huckabee asked Romney, "Would you have supported the constitutional amendment that would have established the definition of life at conception?" Romney answered, "Absolutely." [Romney on Huckabee, 10/2/11]
Personhood Amendments Would Ban Abortion in all Cases Including Rape and Would Make Many Forms of Birth Control Illegal. According to CNN, "Mississippi voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution that would have defined life as starting at conception, and outlawed abortion and many forms of birth control if passed….Critics say the amendment was a restrictive attempt to outlaw abortion -- even in the case of mothers who are the victims of rape and incest. It also bans certain forms of contraception that work after a woman's egg is fertilized and questions treatments such as in vitro fertilization because eggs would be considered people and are sometimes destroyed in laboratories." [CNN, 11/9/11]
One of Romney’s Close Friends and Major Donor Admitted Romney Was Lying About His Position. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah businessman Kem Gardner, a close friend, attributes Romney's Massachusetts position in support of abortion rights to the fact that he was “running against Ted Kennedy in a state that was 80 per cent pro-choice and to have any chance at all, he was waffling.” Gardner also said “He has told me he is not pro-choice.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 7/4/01] Garnder has already given $50,000 to Romney’s Super PAC this year. [FEC]
Romney’s Top Political Advisor: “He's been a pro-life Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly.” In an interview, top Romney advisor Mike Murphy defended Romney shift on abortion in order to run for President saying that Romney had simply faked his support for abortion rights. “He's been a pro-life Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly,” says adviser Murphy. The National Review confirmed the quote was completely in context and accurate. [National Review, 6/20/05; Boston Globe, 6/4/05]
While Running for Offices in Massachusetts, Romney Claimed to Support Legal Abortion and Pledged to Protect Abortion Rights. In his 1994 Senate race against Ted Kennedy Romney said, ‘I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country.’ In 2002, when running for Governor, he said “I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose.” Romney completed and signed questionnaires declaring his support for abortion rights, taxpayer funding for abortion and numerous abortion-rights supporters were impressed with his dedication to their cause. His political spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney had, “exactly the same position as any other prochoice politician.” [Boston Globe, 6/4/05; Roll Call, 1/26/06; Los Angeles Times, 3/25/07]
Romney Said He Would Approve And “Would Have Favored Justices Like Roberts And Alito, Scalia And Thomas.” Romney said, “I would approve justices -- I would have favored justices like Roberts and Alito, Scalia and Thomas. I like justices that follow the Constitution, do not make law from the bench. I would have much rather had a justice of that nature.” Romney’s spokesman said, “Justice Scalia certainly has a ‘clear understanding of the Constitution’ and that’s why Governor Romney has pledged to appoint justices that share his strict constructionist jurisprudence.” [CNN Debate, 2/2/08; National Review, 10/10/07]
Romney Supports Defunding Planned Parenthood. According to the National Review, Mitt Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom sent an e-mail stating, “Mitt Romney supports the Pence amendment.” [The National Review, 4/2/11 ]
Welcome to Priorities USA Action
Welcome to Priorities USA Action. We are committed to countering the right-wing agenda Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers are funding with hundreds of millions of dollars from conservative ideologues. We are fighting to ensure progressive values have their voice in the debate and support candidates advancing these causes.
Join us and help fight to protect the middle class, against the onslaught of the far right. Visit this site often to check out our new videos, campaigns, and exclusive memos on the state of the Presidential campaign.
We won’t be able to take on the Republican money machine without you.
Together, we can fight back.
- Bill
STATEMENT: Call for Romney to Release Tax Returns
Priorities USA Action Statement on Perry Campaign call for Romney to Release Tax Returns:
“Given Mitt Romney’s concerns for the political implications of his actions, I’m not surprised he continues to refuse to release his tax returns. When you translate his campaign's statement into what Romney really means, it comes down to this: ‘I can't release my tax returns and show how little I paid on the millions I have. I'm running for office for Pete's sake!’,” said Bill Burton, Senior Strategist for Priorities USA Action.
“Romney should release his tax returns immediately, before he has time to polish them up for politics. He must be honest with the American people about how much he and his wealthy friends benefit from a tax system that puts an overwhelming burden on hard working Americans.”
NOTE: Last week, Priorities USA Action released a web ad, which defines The Romney Rule: millionaires like Mitt Romney are entitled to pay a lower rate of taxes than teachers, cops and construction workers. See the ad at www.theromneyrule.com.
BACKGROUND
Citizens for Tax Justice Analysis: Romney likely paid about 14% in federal taxes last year, lower than “Many middle-class wage earners.” According to Time magazine, “the source of Romney’s income allows him to pay a lower percentage of his money to the federal government each year than many middle-class wage earners…Assuming that Romney declared roughly the same number of deductions as others in his income level and that his dividend and capital gains income qualified for the 15% bracket, Romney would have paid roughly 14% of his gross income in taxes to the federal government in 2010 according to Bob McIntyre, who crafts tax policy at the left-leaning Citizens for Tax Justice.” In 2007, The New York Times reported that Romney benefited from the “carried interest” tax break which allows partners at buyout firms to pay taxes on their income at a lower capital gain tax: “For a manager like Mr. Romney, that can mean a difference of 20 percentage points that is worth millions of dollars over time.”[Time, 10/3/11; New York Times, 8/14/07]
Mitt Romney has defended the current tax system status quo that often allows high-income individuals to pay lower federal tax rates than the middle class. According to Time magazine, “Romney has defended the 15% tax rate on capital gains, which is set to expire in the coming years.” When asked about Warren Buffett’s proposal that the very rich should not continue to pay lower tax rates than their employees, Romney replied, “I disagree with Warren.” Romney specifically attacked the Buffett Rule, which states that multi-millionaires should not pay taxes at a lower rate than middle class families. [Time, 10/3/11; Boston Globe, 8/16/11; Washington Times, 9/19/11]
Romney Is Worth As Much As $250 Million. According to the Boston Globe, “Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is worth between $190 million and $250 million, his campaign said today after filing a personal financial disclosure statement with the Federal Election Commission.” [Boston Globe, 8/12/11]
Congressional Research Service: Many American millionaires pay federal income taxes at a lower rate than moderate income Americans. According to the Washington Post, “The report, by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, found that when all federal taxes are taken into account — including those on wages, investment income and corporate profits — some households earning more than $1 million a year paid as little as 24 percent of their income to the Internal Revenue Service in 2006. That’s substantially less than the share paid by many families making less than $100,000 a year that faced a top effective tax rate exceeding 26.5 percent, the report said.” [Washington Post, 10/12/11]
Citizens for Tax Justice: Middle class often effectively pays higher tax rate than the wealthy.According to a report from the Center for Tax Justice, “The point is that these situations do occur and they are the most striking example of a tax system that is broken….Compare the effective tax rate of the taxpayer with $20 million in capital gains and dividends (13.5%) to that of the taxpayer making $60,000 from wages (29.9%) and you can see where things have gone awry.” [Center for Tax Justice, 9/27/11]
Economic Policy Institute: Highest-income taxpayers often end up paying lower rates than those in the middle class. According to the Economic Policy Institute, "While our income tax code includes six marginal tax rate percentages, the highest-income taxpayers often end up paying lower marginal rates than those in the middle class, because 1) tax subsidies tend to disproportionately benefit high-earners, and 2) the rate at which capital gains and dividends are taxed is much lower than the rate at which wage income is taxed. " [EPI, 9/9/11]
Romney Opposes Extending Payroll Tax Cut, Called Proposal a Band-Aid. When asked by Bloomberg News reporter Julianna Goldman whether he would be fine with allowing the payroll tax cut to expire which would result in a tax increase on Americans, Romney said, “Look, I don’t like temporary little Band-Aids, I want to fundamentally restructure America’s foundation economically.” [Bloomberg/Washington Post Debate, 10/11/11]
Allowing Payroll Tax Cut to Expire Would Increase Taxes by $1,000 for Workers, Slow Economic Growth. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Because the current payroll tax holiday expires at the end of the year, it has a potent political force. If Congress fails to extend the cut, virtually all workers will see a tax increase come Jan. 1 that would average $1,000. That not only could be politically unpopular, but might create a drag on the economy.” [Los Angeles Times, 9/9/11]
MEMO: In 2012, Leadership Matters
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: Sunday Memo: On Foreign Policy, Republicans Still Hoping America Goes-It-Alone
DA: October 23, 2011
Though foreign policy may not be a dominant theme in 2012, leadership will be. The President has proven himself a strong commander-in-chief while Mitt Romney has shown himself to be weak and rudderless when it comes to what it takes to lead America’s military.
When President Obama made the decision to rally international support for a revolution in Libya, Republican presidential candidates responded that we should not outsource our leadership to the international community.
Mitt Romney took to talk radio to bash the President’s effort to gather the support of the United Nations, the Arab League and our European allies. Even with the benefit of hindsight, Romney and other Republicans were as vigorous in their criticism of President Obama rounding up international support for action in Libya as they were in their praise of President Bush’s go-it-alone approach for the ground invasion of Iraq.
The consequences of the two divergent foreign policies could not be more different:
Result
Iraq: Longtime murderous dictator was removed from power despite predictions he would rule for life
Libya: Longtime murderous dictator was removed from power despite predictions he would rule for life
Cost to American Taxpayers
Libya: About $1 billion
Iraq: About $1.9 trillion (about 2,000 times more)
American Military Casualties
Iraq: More than 4,400
Libya: 0
Duration of US Military Involvement
Iraq: 8 and a half years
Libya: 7 months
International Standing:
Iraq: US alienated many longstanding allies after pursuing a go-it-alone strategy and were not greeted as liberators as predicted
Libya: US gained significant respect around the world and deep gratitude from Libyan people
BACKGROUND:
On Talk Radio, Romney Criticized Obama for Seeking Support from United Nations and Arab League. On Hugh Hewitt's radio show, Romney claimed, "And he calls for the removal of Muammar Gaddafi, but then conditions our action on the directions we get from the Arab League and the United Nations." [Hugh Hewitt, 3/21/11]
Romney Attacked Obama for Ruling Out Ground Troops in Libya. According to ABC News, "Romney attacked the president’s decision to rule out ground forces there, saying “I think that’s something he’s doing for political purposes back home. I can’t confirm that. I can only speculate, but that he wants to make sure that his base here understands the limited role he plans on playing.” [ABC News, 8/20/11]
Romney Aggressively Supported Invasion of Iraq. “But one thing I can tell you is that when the president made his decision, based upon the intelligence that existed then -- from our own intelligence sources and around the world -- I supported the president’s action.” [Fox News, 4/24/07]
PRIORITIES POINTS: Republicans Out of Step on the Environment
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: Priorities Points: Republicans Out of Step on the Environment
Rick Perry’s energy agenda today included well-known Republican proposals: reducing clean air regulations, substantially curtailing the Environmental Protection Agency, ending incentives for clean energy, and expanding opportunities for oil companies. While these proposals may appeal to the Tea Party, they are far outside mainstream American public opinion on the environment and energy.
Americans not only support the Environmental Protection Agency, they want it to do more. They support continued government investment in clean energy and they support eliminating subsidies for oil and gas companies.
Proposals from Governor Perry and other Republicans to significantly reduce environmental regulations are at odds with Americans’ clear preferences.
DATA
Broad Support for EPA and New Regulations to Limit Pollution. In a CNN poll from April, 71% of Americans supported funding Environmental Protection Agency regulations to reduce greenhouse gases and other pollutants. [Conducted: April 9-10] In a Hart Research/GS Strategy Group poll, 88% of Democrats, 85% of Independents, and 58% of Republicans polled oppose Congress stopping the EPA from enacting new limits on air pollution from power plants. [Conducted: Aug 31-Sept 7] In an Opinion Research poll conducted for the NRDC, 63% agreed that "the EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water," while 29% say that the EPA already "does too much and places too many costly restrictions on businesses and individuals. [Conducted: January 27-30] A Moore Research/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll for the American Lung Association found 75% of voters favored the EPA implementing “stricter limits on the amount of smog that power plants, oil refineries and other industrial facilities can release.” Even after hearing arguments for and against the limits, voters overwhelmingly favored the new rules. [Conducted: June 4-12]
Continued Support for Investing in Alternative Energy. A Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey found that 74% of Americans supported increased federal spending for research on wind, solar and hydrogen technology. 58% supported tax incentives for hybrid and electric cars. [Conducted: March 17-20] A Gallup poll found that the most popular policy tested in an early 2011 poll was for Congress to pass incentives for solar and other alternative energy, with 83% supporting it. [Conducted: January 14-17] In a Public Opinion Strategies/Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates poll, when asked about Solyndra, 62% of Ohio voters believed it shouldn’t dim investment in clean energy and only 31% said Solyndra was emblematic of clean energy investments. [Released: September 26]
Strong Support for Eliminating Tax Breaks for Oil and Gas Companies. Repealing tax breaks for oil and gas companies remains among most popular policy proposals. 59% supported raising taxes on oil and gas companies as a deficit solution. [Conducted: July 14-17] 64% of voters favored eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies in a Suffolk University Poll. [Conducted: May 10-17] 77% of Americans believe oil companies “are making too much profit” compared to 22% who believe their profits are reasonable and 1% who said they did not profit enough. [Conducted: April 29-May1]
MEMO: What’s the matter with Romney?
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: SUNDAY MEMO – What’s the matter with Romney?
DA: Friday, October 14
Rick Perry’s sudden decline and Herman Cain’s concurrent surge reinforces an important point about the primary: Republican voters are still desperately shopping for an alternative to Romney. While he may well end up the nominee, it is only because their voters will have exhausted all other options.
The Facts:
1. Romney’s support is stagnant -- This week’s NBC/Wall Street Journal poll: Cain 27% (up 22% from six weeks earlier), Romney 23% (unchanged from six weeks earlier and down seven points from July), Perry at 16% (down 22%.) [Conducted: October 6-10] In the 81 public polls of Republican primary voters taken this year, Romney has received 25% or less in 77. In the four polls where he exceeded 25%, he never exceeded one-third of the vote. [Real Clear Politics] In their recent poll that showed a virtual tie between Romney and Cain, Gallup noted that the level of support for both of them is “well below where most previous Republican nominees stood in October of the year prior to the election.” [Conducted: October 3-7
2. Romney’s favorables haven’t gone up since 2008 -- In the same WSJ/NBC poll, Romney’s overall positive favorability has remained virtually unchanged since 2008. In all polls, Romney favorability has remained between 21 and 28 percent. Today, Romney has 27% favorability, the same as March 2010. His negative favorability has grown relatively consistently since 2009. [Conducted: October 6-10
3. Romney’s voters are among the most willing to look elsewhere -- In Public Policy Polling results, 69% of Romney’s voters said they “might end up supporting someone else.” That is 17 points higher than Rick Perry, 14 points higher than Ron Paul and slightly higher than Newt Gingrich. [Conducted: October 7-10]
Debate Night: Who is Herman Cain?
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: Debate Night: Who is Herman Cain?
DA: October 11, 2011
Herman’s Cain’s rise from obscure pizza executive to the latest second-place contender for the Republican nomination is impressive. Unfortunately for Cain, his newfound popularity says a lot less about his appeal than it does about the appeal for who he isn’t.
While Romney has yet to capitalize on Perry’s stumbles, with Perry’s hemorrhaging support going singularly to Cain, it’s worth taking this moment to learn a little about who the latest anybody-but-Romney is.
A couple facts about the latest sensation:
- He’s running for President but he sometimes starts statements by saying “I don’t have the facts to back this up but…” For example: “I don’t have facts to back this up, but I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself!” [Wall Street Journal,10/5/11]
- He has opinions that wander a little outside the mainstream like… “I don’t think the current minimum wage is necessary” [Think Progress, 6/28/11]
- His opinion of Romney’s key endorser today is mixed – at best – as it relates to Sharia Law: “Call me crazy… Some people would infuse Sharia Law in our courts system if we allow it. I honestly believe that. So even if he [Chris Christie] calls me crazy, I am going to make sure that they don’t infuse it little by little by little.” [ABC News, 10/2/11]
- He has a new take on a “great” wall: “Now, my fence might be part Great Wall and part electrical technology…It will be a twenty foot wall, barbed wire, electrified on the top, and on this side of the fence, I’ll have that moat that President Obama talked about. And I would put those alligators inthat moat!” [Think Progress, 6/8/11]
- He’s not afraid to speak the truth: “And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I’m going to say, you know, I don’t know.” [CBN, 10/8/11]
What does it say about Mitt Romney that Republican primary voters have so much trouble stomaching him that they are choosing Herman Cain? As we’ve said before, Mitt Romney may well be the Republican nominee but it won’t be because he was the Republican choice, it was because they exhausted all other options.
MEMO: How Sarah Palin Won Without Running
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Bill Burton, Priorities USA Action
RE: Sunday Memo: How Sarah Palin Won Without Running
Is Sarah Palin the intellectual center of the GOP?
While she will never occupy the Oval Office, Palin has already accomplished her goal: The former Alaska Governor has transformed the Republican Party from a mainstream political force to an extremist anti-intellectual insurrection.
A few weeks earlier, Palin hinted at her motive: "I'm getting kind of a kick out of...making some statements about things that must be discussed and then the very next day watching some of the candidates get up there and discuss what it was that we just talked about.That perhaps is my role right now."
Before anyone outside of Alaska had heard of Sarah Palin, the Republican Party was committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conservatives embraced legislation to combat the existential threat of global warming. Indeed, Sen. John McCain – who put Palin on the national ticket – was once a leading Republican proponent of Cap and Trade. But after Palin described the worldwide scientific consensus on climate change as "snake-oil science stuff" and "shady science," Republicans fell into line. GOP presidential candidates, many of whom previously supported limiting greenhouse gas, now rely on slandering climate scientists and Palinesque tirades about the Environmental Protection Agency.
Two major aspects of health care reform - the individual mandate and comparative effectiveness research - were ideas pushed by Republicans from the 1990s until just recently. But upon Sarah Palin's declaration that scientific research on the most effective health care solutions would lead to "death panels," Republicans fell into line. Mitt Romney, who passed the pre-cursor for President Obama's health care reform in Massachusetts, now whips up Palin-loving crowds with fear of government takeovers.
Republicans used to be proud to cite support for their ideas from prominent economists and intellectuals. Intellectual heavyweights like the late William F. Buckley, Columnist George F. Will, Cabinet Secretary William Bennett, Irving and Bill Kristol helped drive Republican thought. But, in 2008, John McCain provided a platform for Palin's use of the term 'professor' as a slur and her disdain for higher education is evident. Now the Republican frontrunner, a successful investment banker with two Harvard degrees, seeks Tea Party cheers by bashing ideas from the "Harvard faculty lounge."
If Palin had run for President, her high energy campaigning and enthusiastic support could have made her the standard bearer for the Republican Party. But in many frightening ways, she already is.
Background
Palin Said She’s “Getting A Kick Out Of” Determining Issue Focus for GOP Candidates. After the CNN-Tea Party debate, Greta Van Susteren asked Palin, “Where do you stand tonight?”Palin responded, “Still very engaged internally with my family in discussions about whether we should do this or not, Greta. But in the meantime, I’m getting kind of a kick out of…getting out there, giving a speech, making some statements about things that must be discussed, and then the very next day watching some of the candidates get out there and discuss what it was that we just talked about…That, perhaps, is my role right now…to get people talking about the issues that the American people deserve to hear discussed and then solutions…I’m going to keep doing that.” [Fox News, On the Record, 9/12/11]
May 2008: “In Oregon, McCain touts his cap-and-trade system to fight global warming.” According to the Seattle Times, “In a major environmental speech, Sen. John McCain on Monday said he would combat global warming with a cap-and-trade system to cut carbon emissions and increase use of nuclear power and alternative energy. "We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great," said McCain, the Arizona senator and presumptive Republican presidential nominee. "The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge."” [Seattle Times, 5/13/08]
2009: Palin Says Global Warming is “Snake Oil Science” and “Shady Science.” In 2009, Palin told Rush Limbaugh, “It’s kind of tough to figure out with the shady science right now, what are we supposed to be doing right now with our climate. Are we warming or are we cooling? I don’t think Americans are even told anymore if it’s global warming or just climate change. And I don’t attribute all the changes to man’s activities. I think that this is, in a lot of respects, cyclical and the earth does cool and it warms.” In February 2009, Palin said, “We knew the bottom line . . . was ultimately to shut down a lot of our development…And it didn’t make any sense because it was based on these global warming studies that now we’re seeing (is) a bunch of snake oil science.” [Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2/9/10; Think Progress,11/18/09]
Time: After Years of Bipartisan Consensus, Climate Science Denial Now Dominates GOP Presidential Field. According to Time science and environment writer Bryan Walsh, “Not too long ago, belief in climate science wasn't a political issue. Honestly! As recently as the 2008 U.S. presidential election, both the Democratic and Republican candidates professed belief in the threat of global warming, and each advanced policies designed to curb U.S. carbon emissions. Senator John McCain had even co-sponsored one of the first congressional bills to create a carbon cap-and-trade system…Not anymore. With the exception of Jon Huntsman — who barely registers in polls — you can't find a Republican presidential candidate who unequivocally believes in climate science, let alone one who wants to do anything about it.” [Time, 10/4/11]
Major Aspects of Health Care Reform Including Comparative Effectiveness Research and Individual Mandate Were Republican Ideas. According to Harvard Professor of Public Health John McDonough, “Over the past two years, beliefs and policies that united liberals and conservatives have been blown apart. …Second, the individual mandate: Since its conception in the 1980s by conservative Wharton School economist Mark Pauly, the individual mandate has been associated with Republicans and conservatives, including the Heritage Foundation; Newt Gingrich; and Republican former and current senators including Bob Dole from Kansas, John Chafee of Rhode Island, Iowa's Chuck Grassley and Utah's Orrin Hatch…Fourth, comparative effectiveness research and end-of-life counseling: I first read about the idea to establish a national CER entity in a Health Affairs article in 2005 by widely respected Republican health policy thinker Gail Wilensky. In the June 2008 health reform summit organized by Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., AND Chuck Grassley, Grassley highlighted areas where he already saw consensus. CER was among them.” [Kaiser Health News, 6/13/11]
Headline: “Palin: Obama's "Death Panel" Could Kill My Down Syndrome Baby.” Palin wrote, “The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's "death panel" so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their "level of productivity in society," whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.” [Huffington Post, 8/7/09]
Despite Passing Nearly Identical Plan in Massachusetts, Romney Attacks Heath Insurance Reform as “Government Takeover of Health Care.” [Politifact, 5/12/11]
In 2008 and Onward, Palin Used “Professor” as a Slur Against Opponents. During the 2008 campaign and since, Palin has attacked Obama as a “constitutional law professor,” bashed “radical professors.” [CNN, 10/28/08; Think Progress, 3/28/10; Inside Higher Ed, 2/10/10]
Despite Receiving Two Degrees From Harvard, Romney Now Bashes “Harvard Faculty Lounge.” According to the Boston Globe, “It always provokes a laugh among conservative audiences but is no less curious each time it happens, those attacks Mitt Romney makes on his own alma mater…“That may be what they think in that Harvard faculty lounge, but it’s not what they know on the battlefield!” he told the vets. Not only is Harvard a major player in Massachusetts, the state Romney led for four years as governor, but it also is the school from which he received the business and law degrees that helped propel him toward his highly lucrative venture capital career.” [Boston Globe, 8/31/11]
PRIORITIES POINTS: What a Choice on Jobs Looks Like
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Priorities USA Action
RE: Priorities Points: What a Choice on Jobs Looks Like
During the messy but necessary negotiations over a government shutdown and the debt ceiling, it was difficult for Americans to know where leaders in Washington stood. Instead of well-defined competing plans, there were concessions, counter-proposals and posturing. That’s the nature of negotiations and frustration with everyone in Washington was understandable.
Now that the competing visions for job creation are finally out in the open, Americans decisively prefer President Obama’s approach.
Since President Obama presented the Americans Jobs Act, the choice on economic policies has become clear. Over the past month, ABC News found a 15-point shift toward the President when Americans are asked who they trust to create jobs. Individual aspects of the President’s plan continue to garner wide bipartisan support despite unified opposition by Republican presidential candidates and Republicans in Congress.
Data:
More Americans now trust President Obama to create jobs than they do Congressional Republicans, by a 15-point margin. According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released on October 5th, 49% of respondents trust President Obama to create jobs, versus 34% who trust Republicans in Congress to create jobs. This is a shift from an even 40-40% split before the President outlined in the American Jobs Act. The President has a “large advantage” over Republicans on who will look out for the middle class, 52-32%. [ABC News, 10/5/11]
ABC News Poll: “Politics are Comparative.” According to ABC, “Barack Obama has jumped to a 15-point lead over the Republicans in Congress in trust to handle job creation, a sign the beleaguered president’s $450 billion jobs package has hit its mark in public opinion… For all of Obama’s well-documented woes, these and other results in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll underscore that politics are comparative.” [ABC News,10/5/11]
Broad Bipartisan Support for Proposals in President’s Jobs Plan. ABC News found this week that 58% of Americans believed the President jobs plan would do a “great deal” or “somewhat” to create jobs. [Conducted Sept 29-Oct 2] A CNN poll found majority support for all five aspects of the President’s plan they tested, including support from three-quarters of Americans for spending federal money to hire teachers and first responders. [Conducted: Sept 9-11] Gallup tested the major proposals in the President’s plan and wrote, “While Democrats are generally more supportive than Republicans of these proposals to create jobs, at least half of Republicans favor four of the six proposals tested.” [Conducted: Sept 15-18]
PRIORITIES POINTS: On Education, the Tea Party Trumps American Public Opinion
TO: Interested Parties
FR: Priorities USA Action
RE: Priorities Points: On Education, the Tea Party Trumps American Public Opinion
During the 2000 Presidential election, Governor George Bush’s campaign launched a television ad that attacked the Clinton/Gore Administration for an “education recession.” The spot claimed that, “Bush raised standards and test scores soared” and was a part of Bush’s signature domestic campaign focus: improving education. That was before the Tea Party.
During this month’s Republican presidential debates, the candidates have instead argued over who would do the most to eliminate nationwide education standards and reduce federal funding for education. Mitt Romney opposed attempts to decrease class size, Rick Perry attacked the Race to the Top Program, and most candidates proposed abolishing the Department of Education.
But, the Republican shift on education policy is not mirrored by changes in polling. In fact, the American public remains overwhelmingly committed to government investment in education as a national priority. Republican statements in opposition to small class sizes, the Race to the Top program and the Department of Education are broadly outside mainstream American views.
Data:
Across local and national polling, Americans support more spending on public education and list education cuts as the least desirable. A Gallup poll found 67% of Americans opposed cuts to education and that opposition spanned across Democrats, Republicans and Independents. [Conducted: Jan 14-16, 2011] A Harvard Program for Education Policy and Governance survey found 59% of Americans believed government funding for schools should “increase” or “greatly increase.” [Program for Education Policy and Governance, Fall 2011] Only 15% of Americans supported cutting taxes that fund public education. [Education Next, Conducted: 2010] In Texas, 82% opposed proposed public education cuts to balance the budget.[Univ of Texas/Texas Tribune, Conducted: Feb 11-17, 2011] 73% of Floridians believe public schools are underfunded. [Chamber of Commerce Poll, Released: Jan 8, 2010]
Republican Statements on Class Size, Race to the Top, and Department of Education At Odds with Public Opinion. CNN/ORC poll found that 74% of Americans believe the Department should continue to exist versus 24% who supported dismantling it. 85% of moderates supported keeping the Department. [Conducted: Sept 9-11, 2011] A Chamber of Commerce poll found 67% of Floridians had a favorable view of the federal Race to the Top program. [Released: Jan 8, 2010] A Terry Madonna Opinion Research poll of Pennsylvanians found that 86% believed limiting class sizes would be “very effective” or “somewhat effective.” [Terry Madonna Opinion Research, Conducted: Mar 5-8, 2011]