Crime and punishment

Romney supports sentencing under the three strikes law.^[27][28][29] Romney supports mandatory increases in sentencing for repeat drunk drivers and has supported a federal effort to curtail the drug trade in Colombia.^[19]

As Governor of Massachusetts, Romney announced plans to file a death penalty bill in early 2005. The bill, filed April 28, 2005, sought to reinstate the death penalty in cases that include terrorism, the assassination of law enforcement officials and multiple killings. Romney's legislation required the presence of scientific evidence such as DNA to sentence someone to death and a tougher standard of "no doubt" of guilt for juries to sentence defendants. This differs from the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard used in traditional criminal cases. The legislation called for a pool of certified capital case lawyers to ensure proper representation for the accused and allowed jurors who do not personally support the death penalty to serve in the guilt phase of the trial.^[30] The bill was defeated in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by a vote of 100-53.^[31]

[edit] Child protection

As president, Governor Romney said he would propose a "One-Strike, You're Ours" law for child sex offenders convicted of using the Internet to prey on children. This would cause newer, tougher federal penalties for first-time sexual offenders who used the Internet to assault children, which would include considerable mandatory jail time and lifetime tracking by GPS. It would impose the same sentence that states such as Florida and California have put in place with "Jessica's Law." Governor Romney would also require stricter enforcement of federal obscenity laws, which he says "have not been adequately enforced." He has also said he would punish and fine retailers for selling sexually explicit and excessively violent video games to minors.^[32]

During his 2007 Iowa Republican Straw Poll speech, Romney stated "I want to make sure that every computer that goes into a home in the future [has the ability] for the citizen[s], the parent[s], to be able to block all that pornography from their kid's internet screen."^[33]

[edit] Civil rights

Romney cites both Martin Luther King, Jr. and his father George Romney as role models. The senior Romney made headlines by walking out on 1964 Republican National Convention nominee Barry Goldwater because of his opposition to federal civil rights legislation, despite opposition from some in the party.^[34]

Governor Romney supports the Employment Nondiscrimination Act at state level.^{[citation needed]} Romney has expressed support for decreasing barriers to entry into the workforce for women and minorities.^[35] He has expressed support for Muslims who face discrimination due to their religion.^[19]

[edit] Education

Romney supports increasing standards for education and quality based incentives for teachers. He proposes identifying failing schools, more efficient schools and accountability, school choice, and English immersion. Romney has supported private and government efforts to increase merit scholarships for high school students. He has supported reforming under-performing schools with charter schools. Romney has supported means-tested vouchers for public and private schools as Governor. He has opposed efforts to teach creationism in schools. He believes that there should be more of an emphasis on family values in the educational system. Romney has supported efforts to fund nanotechnology and materials science education.^[19]

Romney currently supports the federal government's involvement in education and supports No Child Left Behind. He said that he supports testing in schools and that testing "allows us to get better schools."^[17] Romney also approved efforts in Massachusetts to require parents in poorly performing schools to attend parental education classes and awarding four-year scholarships to the best students. He also said he "favors paying bonuses to teachers who successfully teach ."^[36] In his 1994 run for the Senate, Romney supported abolishing the Department of Education but has since renounced that. In the second presidential debate in South Carolina, he said,

I've taken a position where, once upon a time, I said I wanted to eliminate the Department of Education. That was my position when I ran for Senate in 1994. That's very popular with the base. As I've been a governor and seen the impact that the federal government can have holding down the interest of the teachers' unions and instead putting the interests of the kids and the parents and the teachers first, I see that the Department of Education can actually make a difference.^[17]

In 1994, Romney, as a candidate for U.S. Senate, pledged to vote to establish a means-tested school voucher program to allow students to attend the public or private school of their choice.^[37]

Romney has stated that superintendents and principals should be able to fire teachers without regard for seniority.^[38] He also has stated that he is in favor of standardized testing as a high school graduation requirement and alternative education options for parents and students. He has declared his support for charter schools, school vouchers and home schooling.^[39] Romney has said that good education is needed to compete in the global economy.^[40]

Romney has said that sex education has no place in kindergarten.^[41] According to Romney, "the amount of sex education which is appropriate in kindergarten is absolutely zero."^[42]

Romney has dismissed the drive for class-size reduction as a ploy by the teachers unions.^[43]

[edit] Education and economic growth

Romney believes that a proper role for government in encouraging economic growth is ensuring that students receive the best education possible. After fostering a highly-educated workforce and lowering taxes, he asserts that the "best thing the country can do is unleash the power of entrepreneurs and get out of the way."^[44]

[edit] Abstinence education

Romney has declared his support for abstinence education in public schools. In his run for the Senate in 1994, he said one of the programs that should be taught in schools was "the importance of getting married before having children."^[45]

In the May 2007 South Carolina debate, Romney said he has always "fought for abstinence education."^[17]

Prayer in schools

^{In 1994, Romney said that he has been consistently against public schools endorsing one religion or faith that may alienate other students. He said that "local school districts should have complete control over the programs, but that they could not endorse specific religious beliefs or prayer in schools"[45]}

^{In 2006, he said, "We ought to allow ceremonies, graduation ceremonies and public events that we have the ability to recognize the Creator."[46]}

^{[edit] "Fairness Doctrine"}

^{Romney was against reviving the Fairness Doctrine, which regulates broadcasters to present controversial topics in what the Federal Communications Commission deemed a balanced, fair manner. Romney said, "I'd veto it if it ever got to my desk. And I would fight against it vehemently. The effort to try to impose the Fairness Doctrine on radio stations is, if you will, censorship Democrat style. It basically says we're not going to let you keep talking about the things you want to talk about and the market wants to hear."[47]}

^{[edit] Family}

^{Mitt Romney has said that strong families are one of his three pillars, along with military and economy, for a strong America.[48]}

^{Romney's 2008 campaign website featured his quote, "America cannot continue to lead the family of nations around the world if we suffer the collapse of the family here at home."[49]}

^{[edit] Gambling}

^{In October 2011, Romney told the Las Vegas Sun that he had not yet taken a serious look at the issue of legalizing online poker, but that he would do so and state a position "[b]efore the caucuses come along".[50]}

^{[edit] Gun control}

^{Romney has said "I support the right of individuals to keep and bear arms as guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution,"[51] though in past campaigns he has described himself as a proponent of gun control, and he fully supports a ban on assault weapons.[52]}

^{For Romney's 1994 US Senate campaign, he supported the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on particular semi-automatic rifles.[52] In a 2002 debate during Romney's campaign for governor of Massachusetts, Romney said: "We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them. I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety."[53] As governor, Romney signed a 2004 measure instituting a permanent Massachusetts ban on military style assault weapons, to take the place of a Federal ban, which was then about to expire. The bill made Massachusetts the first state to enact its own such ban on specific semi-automatic weapons and some shotguns with specific accessories, and Romney supported the law with the comment: "These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people."[54] As Governor, Romney extended the term of firearm licenses from four to six years, reinstated a 90-day grace period for citizens renewing their gun licenses, and signed a law providing free replacement licenses.[citation needed]}

^{When he supported the Brady Bill in 1994, Romney said, "That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA. I don't line up with the NRA."[53] Just before declaring his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for president, Romney joined the National Rifle Association (NRA).[52][52][55] In 2005, Romney declared the 31st anniversary of the Gun Owners' Action League "Right to Bear Arms Day".[56]}

^{Romney made several statements in his 2008 campaign regarding his proficiency with and support for firearms:}

^{"I've hunted a number of times, of various types of small rodents."[57][citation needed]}

^{"Shooting rabbits single shot 22 is pretty hard."[58]}

^{"I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I'm a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms. In our state . . . there are a series of laws restricting gun ownership in various ways. Over the past four years, I've worked very closely with the Gun Owners' Action League here, which is an affiliate of the NRA, and we've made some changes which I think they feel have been positive steps. And so you are going to see that, I think, hopefully, in other states as well, as they make progress, perhaps further than Massachusetts has."[53]}

^{"So I'm a hunter and believe in Second Amendment rights, but I also believe that assault weapons are not needed in the public population."[59]}

^{Romney later clarified that he did not 'own' a gun and said that one of his sons keeps two guns at the family vacation home in Utah.[55]}

^{The Associated Press reported in April 2007 that Romney never sought a hunting license in any of the four states where he has resided. Romney replied by saying that he mainly hunts small game in Utah, which does not require a license.[60]}

^{[edit] LGBT issues}

^{Romney has stated his opposition to both same-sex marriage and civil unions, though he supports some domestic partnership benefits and (at the state level) supports anti-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians in the workplace.}

^{Prior to Romney's 2008 presidential campaign, he had a varied history regarding legal rights and responsibilities accorded to same-sex couples. During his 1994 senate campaign and 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign, Romney said he would have a better policy providing for domestic partnerships than his Democratic opponents.[61] In 1994, Romney sent a letter to the Log Cabin Republicans saying that he would be a stronger advocate for gay rights in the Senate than his opponent at the time, Senator Edward M. Kennedy. His letter included the phrase "We must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern."[62] In 2002, Romney spoke regarding domestic partnership benefits, saying, "All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation." Romney said that domestic partnership status should be recognized in a way that includes the potential for health benefits and rights of survivorship.[63][64]}

^{As a candidate for governor in 2002, Romney said: "Call me old fashioned, but I don't support gay marriage nor do I support civil union." During that 2002 campaign, he also supported hate crimes legislation and opposed other discrimination against gays, while supporting some partner benefits for gays.[citation needed]}

^{Also in 2002, Romney opposed a Massachusetts constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage and domestic partnerships because the amendment, which was supported by the Democratic leader Tom Finneran, would have prohibited domestic partnership benefits for gays and lesbians.[65]}

^{Romney said,}

^{"Basically I see the provision of basic civil rights and domestic partnership benefits [as] a campaign against Tom Finneran. I see Tom Finneran and the Democratic leadership as having opposed the application of domestic partnership benefits to gay and lesbian couples and I will support and endorse efforts to provide those domestic partnership benefits to gay and lesbian couples."[65]}

^{In 2006, Romney announced his support of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have federally defined marriage in the U.S. Constitution as the union of one man and one woman.[66][67]}

^{Romney said during his 2008 presidential campaign,}

^{[M]y view on marriage has been entirely consistent over my political career. And that is that I oppose same-sex marriage. I also oppose civil unions . . . ever since [same-sex marriage] became a prominent [feature] in my state, with the decision of the Supreme Judicial Court, I have taken every action that I could conceive of within the bounds of the law to defend traditional marriage and to stop same-sex marriage . . . I've been to Washington to testify in favor of traditional marriage. I've written a letter to every U.S. senator on the topic . . . I believe that traditional marriage is right for the nurturing and development of children, but that I do not want to discriminate against gay people in employment or housing or other parts of their life.[68]}

^{In July 2011, Romney refused to sign a pledge opposing gay marriage, a pledge that was being circulated by "The Family Leader", a conservative Christian group in Iowa.[69] On August 4, 2011, a month later, Romney publicly denounced same-sex marriage by signing the 2012 Presidential Pledge sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage.[70]}

^{[edit] "Don't ask, don't tell"}

^{Romney supported Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in 1994, and continued to do so in 2007.[71][72] Romney has said that he thinks that the Don't ask, don't tell policy is working and he would not change it, especially in the middle of a war, and that "we have much bigger issues as a nation that we ought to be talking about than that policy right now."[73]}

^{[edit] Medical marijuana}

^{Romney is a strong opponent of illegal drugs and does not favor legalizing medical cannabis. Romney answered a question on the subject from a man afflicted with muscular dystrophy who asked him about it on October 7, 2007.[74]}

^{[edit] Pornography}

^{Romney has criticized what he calls the "cesspool" of pornography; however, in July 2007, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, the president of the American Family Foundation, and Daniel Weiss, media analyst for James Dobson's Focus on the Family said Romney had not prevented Marriott Hotels from making pornography available in its hotel rooms when he served on the hotel chain's board from 1992 to 2001. In an Associated Press interview, Romney said he was unaware of how much revenue the hotels generated from pornography, although he had served on the board's financial audit committee.[75]}

^{Romney ran ads in key early primary states of New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina saying that children should not be exposed to destructive influences.[citation needed] Romney said, "I am not pursuing an effort to try and stop adults from being able to acquire or see things that I find objectionable; that's their right. But I do vehemently oppose practices or business procedures that will allow kids to be exposed to obscenity."[76]}

^{[edit] Stem cell research}

^{Romney has said that research using human embryos created during fertility treatments is ethical but opposes using federal funds to support it.[77] He opposes research using cloned embryos created by implanting human DNA into donated eggs.[77] When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney strongly advocated stem-cell research in general terms, and he promised to lobby George W. Bush to embrace such research.[77] During his presidential campaign, 2008, however, Romney renounced his 2002 position and said that he now agrees with Bush's decision to ban federal funding for research on excess embryos.[77]}

^{[edit] Economic policy}

^{In January 2008, a comprehensive analysis by the National Taxpayers Union found that Romney's presidential campaign proposals would increase the federal budget by $19.5 billion.[78]}

^{[edit] Jobs plan}

^{Mitt Romney published a far-reaching economic plan.[79]}

^{[edit] Stimulus}

^{In January 2009, Romney said:}

^{I think there is need for economic stimulus. Americans have lost about $11 trillion in net worth. That translates into about $400 billion a year less spending that they'll be doing, and that's net of additional government programs like Medicaid and unemployment insurance. And government can help make that up in a very difficult time. And that's one of the reasons why I think a stimulus program is needed.[80]}

^{Romney said, however, that he did not support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.}

^{[edit] Barack Obama's record on economics}

^{In 2011, Romney said that}

^{Barack Obama has failed America. When he took office, the economy was in recession. He made it worse. And he made it last longer. Three years later, over 16 million Americans are out of work or have just quit looking. Millions more are underemployed. Three years later, unemployment is still above 8%, a figure he said his stimulus would keep from happening. Three years later, foreclosures are still at record levels. Three years later the prices of homes continue to fall. Three years later, our national debt has grown nearly as large as our entire economy. Families are buried under higher prices for food and higher prices for gasoline. It breaks my heart to see what's happening in this country. These failing hopes make up President Obama's own misery index. It's never been higher!}