My dictionary defines promiscuous as “consisting of a number of dissimilar parts or elements mingled in a confused or indiscriminate manner.”
This definition fits Mitt Romney’s inconsistencies perfectly. In a weird way, all his pandering to voters reminds me of a private school boy looking to score by any means available.
A WOMAN’S RIGHTMy dictionary defines promiscuous as “consisting of a number of dissimilar parts or elements mingled in a confused or indiscriminate manner.”
This definition fits Mitt Romney’s inconsistencies perfectly. In a weird way, all his pandering to voters reminds me of a private school boy looking to score by any means available.
In 2002 Romney said, “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government’s.”
Today we’re hearing a whole different story.
Romney’s stance on abortion changes based on what he needs to say to get elected—a couple weeks ago it actually changed three times in a single day.
What we do know is that Romney has discussed myriad ways he plans to ensure that women don’t have access to safe and legal abortions, or even basic health care. He has sworn to end funding for health care at Planned Parenthood.
He supports the Hyde amendment, which isn’t all that surprising. After all, this man has said he isn’t concerned about the very poor, and he’s ridiculed the 47 percent of this country who believe they are “entitled” to basic necessities like food and health care.
He plans to appoint judges who will overturn Roe v. Wade, supports the Blunt amendment and is against the birth control mandate.
While he’s occasionally wavered on whether he personally believes in exceptions for rape or incest, he hasn’t proposed a plan to ensure access for those women. With all the barriers rape victims face in reporting crimes and achieving convictions, how would such exceptions ever be determined in a timely way, on a case-by-case basis, in a way that’s fair to all women?
Furthermore, it seems pretty telling that on Romney’s official campaign website issues concerning reproductive health care appear under the “values” page rather than the health care page.
This values page states that Romney’s beliefs derive from his own experience. It literally reads, “Mitt believes that life begins at conception and wishes that the laws of our nation reflected that view…The values that Mitt Romney learned in his home have enriched his life immeasurably. With his parents’ example before him, he married, had five sons and now basks in the joy of eighteen grandchildren.”
In other words, Romney wants the government to force his personal beliefs and values on everyone. Apparently, if he is elected, women will be free to choose within the boundaries designated by his beliefs. And that isn’t a choice at all.
Abortion isn’t the only issue where Romney’s promiscuity has been a problem. He has demonstrated in numerous areas that he’s willing to abandon or compromise his beliefs for a vote. He’s shown how few convictions he really has.
Global warming, gun control, universal health care and gay rights—all issues that Romney’s changed his mind about.
It’s not surprising. After all, this is a man who posthumously baptized his atheist father as a Mormon. He refuses to acknowledge or disavow the Mormon practice of baptizing Jews and Holocaust survivors, despite being asked to do so by the Jewish community—showing he doesn’t respect others’ beliefs.
He talks about how his father marched with Martin Luther King Jr. but fails to acknowledge that when he was 38, his own church still didn’t believe in equality for blacks. Almost 40 is too damn old for that kind of bigotry.
He shares the story of a relative who died from an illegal abortion, but fails to mention that her family donated to Planned Parenthood in her name with the hope that abortion would always be safe and legal.
This man claims to support freedom? The only freedom his actions truly support is his freedom to flip-flop. He’s gotten into bed with far-right-wing supporters and taken campaign contributions from groups known for their extreme bigotry, and now he’s willing to backpedal and say anything to get the moderates’ attention.
His own supporters have readily acknowledged that they’re fine with Romney pretending to be more moderate if that’s what he needs to do to win.
Well, I’m not fine with a candidate who lies and changes his opinion on issues that effect me based on what he thinks will garner the most votes. I don’t want someone in office whose firm convictions not only restrict my own beliefs but also can’t even really be called convictions at all.
And I don’t support this type of promiscuity in any candidate for public office.
