It is in off-the-cuff comments – rather than scripted press conferences, staged public speaking events or political advertisements on television – that often best reveal the “real” candidate and their thoughts.
In off-the-cuff comments by Mitt Romney, at a $50,000 per person fund raiser in Boca Raton, Fla., in May – when Romney didn’t realize a camera was rolling and microphone present – here is what he had to say, revealing the “real” candidate Mitt Romney:
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it … And the government should give it to them. They will vote for this president no matter what … These are people who pay no income tax.
“My job is not to worry about these people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
There is an old political saying: “If you stop lying about me, I’ll stop telling the truth about you.”
When it comes to Mitt Romney, we don’t have to tell the truth about him. He already is telling the truth about himself. Here is what he promises to achieve:
* Outlaw labor union political action committees (PACs), which allow union members to contribute toward the election campaigns of labor-friendly lawmakers; but leave in place the ability of employers to spend unlimited amounts of money supporting anti-union candidates.
* End Medicare as we know it, forcing future retirees to purchase health care insurance on their own.
* Phase out Social Security and Railroad Retirement, requiring workers – regardless of their financial skills — to create their own retirement plans by investing in the stock market, where even the savviest of investors can be wiped out.
* Eliminate tax deductions for companies providing employees with health care insurance, which could encourage employers to drop those plans and force workers to purchase their own health care insurance.
* Eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees.
* Repeal the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).
* Eliminate whistleblower protection for those denied proper medical care for on-the-job injuries, and for those harassed, intimidated and fired for reporting workplace safety concerns.
* End all federal funding for Amtrak and future high-speed rail, which likely would shut down most intercity rail passenger service.
* Slash federal spending on public bus and rail transit.
* Repeal the Affordable Care Act, which allows children to remain on health care policies until age 26, prohibits insurers from limiting maximum patient care payments to those with serious chronic illnesses, prohibits denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions, prohibits copays for certain preventive care procedures, and requires insurance carriers to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on patient care.
* Continue and expand tax cuts for the wealthy while scaling back unemployment benefits.
* Expand to all states right-to-work (for less) legislation, allowing workers to opt out of paying union dues used to negotiate better wages, benefits and working conditions.
Romney’s chosen running mate, Paul Ryan, has been pushing for those same objectives as a member of Congress.
If elected president, Romney would appoint his anti-labor supporters to the National Mediation Board, the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Surface Transportation Board.
With Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in office, the road to a good contract would face a treacherous negotiating environment.
If you cast your vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, be assured all of their above objectives would be assured because that is what they promise – to throw working families under the bus by weakening and destroying labor unions.
By International President Mike Futhey –