Through market reforms, as opposed government program or new taxes, Romney believes the health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans.

For Romney our health care problems lie largely with personal responsibility, insisting that individuals have responsibility for their own health care. Romney argues we can't have as a nation 40 million people saying, 'I don't have insurance, and if I get sick, I want someone else to pay."

As former governor of Massachusetts, Romney is considered by many a pioneer for his universal coverage plan, which greatly restructured the state’s health-care financing system. One element of the plan is subsidizing low-income families' purchase of private health insurance, instead of reimbursing hospitals for treating the uninsured. Another key element is the creation of an insurance exchange - a public bank that collects the premiums from individuals and passes them on to their chosen insurers-so individuals can buy health insurance with pretax dollars.

Romney supports a market approach to solving our environmental problems. He says Republicans shouldn’t abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore. Instead of sweeping mandates, Romney says we must use America's power of innovation to develop alternative sources of energy and new technologies that use energy more efficiently.


Energy Independence

Romney wants to develop new alternative energy as well as drill in ANWR. To remain the economic and military superpower, Romney believes America must address achieving energy independence and become independent from foreign sources of oil. To do this will require a combination of efforts related to conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification, and finding more domestic sources of oil such as in ANWR or the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Research and Innovation

Romney supports fostering innovation and new technologies through funding for research. Governor Romney's administration will review how government invests our research dollars. H believes that the United States must invest more research dollars in power generation, fuel technology and materials science. Romney contends that it is in new technologies that we will find solutions to our environmental and energy needs.

For Example, Romney argues, new clean coal technologies are emerging, and some are already here. Fluidized-bed combustion and Integrated gasification combined cycle are two exciting and promising technologies. American Electric Power has announced plans for IGCC projects in West Virginia. Next, we can expect hybrid concepts such as combining combustion and gasification for even cleaner and more efficient power generation.

Environmental Flip-Flop?

Romney has received criticism recently for flip-flopping on the environment, bowing to big business at the expense of clean air for New England.

For years several Northeastern states were creating one of the most ambitious U.S. effort yet to fight global warming, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The pact, commonly called RGGI ("Reggie"), commits seven Northeastern states -- Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont -- to reducing their carbon dioxide emissions 10 percent by 2019.

Massachusetts was supposed to be among them. However, in December 2005 Romney abruptly pulled his state out -- despite the fact that several staffers in his administration had spent two and a half years and more than half a million dollars negotiating and shaping the deal. Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri, also a Republican and an ally of Romney's, quickly followed suit.

Kyoto

Romney does not support Kyoto, believing it would kill jobs.

Romeny supports standards testing, engaging parents and focusing on math and science. He blames unions and Democrats for the education gap between children of color and white children.

At some point, I think America -- and, importantly, the minority communities -- are going to say, 'it's time to split with our friends, the unions and the Democratic Party, and put our kids first here.' Unequal educational opportunity is the civil rights issue of our time.

Vouchers

In the past, Romney has pledged support for a means tested school voucher program.

Department of Education

Romney has supported terminating the U.S. Department of Education.

Romney vows that as President he will pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. He says his main focus will be to grow the economy - helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He has a long record of opposing unions and supports a number of anti-labor practices.

Other priorities include:

• reducing excessive government spending and reform entitlements.


• further reducing taxes on several fronts.


• promoting trade


• utilizing market forces to bear in health
• care


• pursuing national tort and liability reform


• eliminating excessive regulations

Trade

Romney sees the Asian countries as models because they are on the move economically and technologically. Specifically he notes they’re a family oriented, educated, hard-working, and mercantile people.

To compete with Asia, Romney argues, we need to: ensure our children are educated; make trade laws fair and balanced; ensure our economy and tax laws welcome new investment (including technology); reform our immigration laws to bring in more of the brains from around the world; eliminate the waste in our government; and we have to use a lot less oil.

Romney believes if we act wisely, the emergence of Asia can be an opportunity - trade and commerce with these huge new economies can further strengthen our economy and propel our growth.

Protectionism may look good, but Romney argues it will kill the economy in the long run. What you have to do in order to compete on a global basis long term is invest in education, invest in technology, reform our immigration laws to bring in more of the brains from around the world, eliminate the waste in our government. We have to use a lot less oil.

Taxes

During the presidential campaign, Romney has sounded staunchly anti-tax.

• He vowed to fight to cut taxes for all Americans.


• He called on congress to re-impose a three-fifths (60%) supermajority requirement to raise taxes.


• Was the first 2008 presidential candidate to sign the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge."


• Vows to make The Bush tax cuts permanent.

Says he’ll lower tax rates for all Americans.

• Will make savings tax free for middle-class Americans.


• Will make reduce corporate tax rates.


• Will Fight To Abolish the estate tax.

Labor

Romney has taken an anti-labor position on several issues.

• He opposes requiring non-union workers to contribute to union dues


• Opposes secret ballots - He also opposes legislation permitting labor unions to organize businesses by taking away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine unionization.


• Opposes automatic paycheck deduction - As President, Romney vows to work to overturn existing federal policy that permits automatic paycheck deduction for federal employees' union dues.


• Favors “Right to Work” laws - Saying it “will never pass” at the federal level, Romney says right to work laws need to be implemented at the state level and encourages state to pass such laws, arguing they foster economic growth.


• Challenged unions’ political activities - In 2003 Romney challenged the voluntary payroll deduction program in which union members contribute 50 cents per week to a union PACs. Many of the PACs opposed Romney in the 2002 gubernatorial election.

Economic Security & Good Jobs
Romney vows that as President he will pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. He says his main focus will be to grow the economy - helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He has a long record of opposing unions and supports a number of anti-labor practices. >>read more

Quality education
Romeny supports standards testing, engaging parents and focusing on math and science. He blames unions and Democrats for the education gap between children of color and white children. >>read more

Environment, Energy & Sustainability
Romney supports a market approach to solving our environmental problems. He says Republicans shouldn’t abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore. Instead of sweeping mandates, Romney says we must use America's power of innovation to develop alternative sources of energy and new technologies that use energy more efficiently. >>read more

Health Care
Through market reforms, as opposed government program or new taxes, Romney believes the health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans. >>read more