News Article from 2007: Romney's vetoes seldom stood

[DonViejo]

Romney's vetoes seldom stood

Legislature pushed bills through anyway

By Daniel Barrick / Monitor staff

May 3, 2007

In his latest television ad, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney boasts of vetoing budget bills that don't meet his standards. The commercial is meant to bolster the impression of Romney as a scrupulous steward of public dollars.

"I know how to veto," Romney says in the ad, which began broadcasting nationally last week. "I like vetoes. I've vetoed hundreds of spending appropriations as governor." That's true. But what the ad doesn't say is how ineffective the vast majority of Romney's vetoes were.

For example, in his last year as Massachusetts governor, Romney vetoed nearly 250 items in the state budget. All of those vetoes were overturned by the legislature, effectively removing Romney from the final stage of the state's budget process.

That outcome is consistent with much of Romney's veto record. Nearly all of Romney's vetoes - of bills that dealt with access to birth control, increased funding for state zoos, and the creation of a Massachusetts Asian-American commission, among other issues - were reversed by the legislature, sometimes by unanimous votes.

"He likes vetoes, but most of his were inconsequential," said Jim Rappaport, a former chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party and a frequent critic of Romney. "They were like writing in the sand: The waves came in and wiped them out."

Continue reading:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/romneys-vetoes-seldom-stood?CSAuthResp=1350145964%3Aq3e341ps57f6qoe68u392egaj5%3ACSUserId%7CCSGroupId%3Aapproved%3A012D98699C9F74726EEB8C9519187DE5&CSUserId=94&CSGroupId=1

[Kalidurga]

1. So Romney is in fact weak...

of course we already knew that. But, proof is great.

[PDJane]

2. Romney does not play well with others.

He doesn't know how to make normal relationships nor how to earn trust. He is what he is, and it's not pretty.

[DonViejo]

7. Exactly, PDJane!

from the article:

Marzilli continued: "In the first year, he was willing to talk to us a bit. And the legislature wanted to show deference to the newly elected governor. . . . But it became clear after a few months that he was willing to sacrifice the interests of Massachusetts residents to serve his ego to run for president."

[amborin]

3. check out the file

On Romney, compiled by McCain..you can search for the link on this site--full of damning data

[DonViejo]

6. I've had the file on my hard drive

for at least two years.

[courseofhistory]

4. And, isn't this kinda sorta

a pretty good indication he doesn't play well with others and work across the aisle as he lies about doing??????? Jackass!

[DonViejo]

5. From page 2 of the article:

Romney never had a smooth relationship with the Massachusetts legislature. He campaigned for the governor's office promising to "clean up the mess" in the State House and often criticized the bureaucracy on Beacon Hill. But as Romney's dealings with lawmakers grew frostier, the veto pen quickly became his primary tool.

Massachusetts State Rep. Jim Marzilli, a Democrat from Arlington, said the frequency with which Romney's vetoes were rejected showed "his inability to communicate with members of the legislature from either party."