Mitt Romney – The Anti-Reagan Republican
Ronald Reagan was a Republican President who forcefully and proudly articulated right wing rhetoric, yet he was actually more moderate in the way he governed. In California, he signed the California Environmental Quality Act into law and campaigned against a referendum in California called Proposition 6 that would have banned gays and lesbians, and possibly anyone who supported gay rights, from working in the state's public schools. In 1986, Reagan's Immigration Reform and Control Act granted amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. prior to Jan. 1, 1982. Finally, in 1986, Reagan raised taxes in response to the growing deficit. However, despite these steps, Reagan was a strong advocate of conservatism given his unabashed support for supply side economics.
In sharp contrast, Mitt Romney is a Trojan Horse Republican who tries to look like a moderate and soft peddles his pro-rich conservative ideals to the general electorate. Rather than proudly use right wing rhetoric like Reagan, Romney runs away from his right wing policy proposals. In closed door meetings, Romney tells the truth about his agenda to cut taxes and regulations, but during debates, he tries to argue that he actually supports stronger regulation than President Obama. Unlike Reagan, Romney strongly condemned his fellow Republicans for supporting any type of immigration reform as “amnesty” and supported Arizona’s anti-immigration laws. Yet, his campaign once again equivocates on immigration during the general election. In other words, rather than promote or defend conservative ideals, Romney has had his best success when he avoids using right wing rhetoric.
This equivocation has even lead Republicans to question who is the “true Romney.” No one ever wondered where Reagan stood even though he had demonstrated a willingness to be flexible on conservative policies. Reagan spewed right wing rhetoric, but actually took steps that would have been antithetical to conservatives. Romney is now pushing moderate sounding rhetoric without actually articulating any policies that would be moderate in their application. Thus, Romney is the exact opposite of Reagan in that he quietly raises money from oil companies, the financial industry and right wing billionaires, while trying to assure the general public that he really does not favor the interests of those who are so heavily supporting him.
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One of his many shape-shifting statements over the years. 
