Mitt Romney
The former governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. Running for the Republican nomination for President.
The former governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. Running for the Republican nomination for President.
Family
He was Born Willard Mitt Romney, named after hotel magnate J. Willard Marriott, his father's best friend, March 12th 1947, in Detroit, Michigan of Parents Lenore Lafaunt Romney & George W. Romney, a 1970 Michigan Senate candidate and Three-term Michigan Govenor. He was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan( a Detroit suburb). Mitt is the youngest of four children. In 1969 Romney married Ann Davis. The Romneys' first son,Tagg, was born in 1970 while both were undergraduates at Brigham Young and living in a basement apartment. They later moved and had Matt in 1971, Josh in 1975 , Ben in 1978, and Craig in 1981.
He was Born Willard Mitt Romney, named after hotel magnate J. Willard Marriott, his father's best friend, March 12th 1947, in Detroit, Michigan of Parents Lenore Lafaunt Romney & George W. Romney, a 1970 Michigan Senate candidate and Three-term Michigan Govenor. He was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan( a Detroit suburb). Mitt is the youngest of four children. In 1969 Romney married Ann Davis. The Romneys' first son,Tagg, was born in 1970 while both were undergraduates at Brigham Young and living in a basement apartment. They later moved and had Matt in 1971, Josh in 1975 , Ben in 1978, and Craig in 1981.
Education
Mitt Romney received his undergraduate degree and graduated from Brigham Young University in 1971 and earned a Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration degrees from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School in 1975 as valedictorian earning BA in English.
Career
Romney started out at a management consulting company, Boston Consulting Group, which led him to CEO at Bain & Co. leading them out of crisis. He was also co-founder and head of the spin-off company Bain Capitol, a private equity investment firm, which accumulated Romney an abundance of wealth and funds. Romney also served as CEO of Olympic games organizing committee in Salt lake City, UT from 1999-2002. Before Romney came on, the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks and despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million. In 2002, Romney was elected Govenor of Massachusetts were he remained until 2007. He ran for the Repulican nomination in 2008 for the Presidental Bid, but was won out by John mcCain, in which he later endorsed. As a result of his business career, by 2007 Mitt Romney and his wife had a net worth of between $190 and $250 million, most of it held in blind trusts.
Mitt Romney received his undergraduate degree and graduated from Brigham Young University in 1971 and earned a Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration degrees from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School in 1975 as valedictorian earning BA in English.
Career
Romney started out at a management consulting company, Boston Consulting Group, which led him to CEO at Bain & Co. leading them out of crisis. He was also co-founder and head of the spin-off company Bain Capitol, a private equity investment firm, which accumulated Romney an abundance of wealth and funds. Romney also served as CEO of Olympic games organizing committee in Salt lake City, UT from 1999-2002. Before Romney came on, the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks and despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million. In 2002, Romney was elected Govenor of Massachusetts were he remained until 2007. He ran for the Repulican nomination in 2008 for the Presidental Bid, but was won out by John mcCain, in which he later endorsed. As a result of his business career, by 2007 Mitt Romney and his wife had a net worth of between $190 and $250 million, most of it held in blind trusts.
Political Background
Romney had his eye on the politics scene for awhile and in 1994 he finally decided to try his hand in it and he ran for State Senate of Massachusetts and lost to Ted Kennnedy. He later decided to try again and ran 2002 for Governor of Massachusetts and won. Upon entering office in the middle of a fiscal year, Romney faced an immediate $650 million shortfall and a projected $3 billion deficit for the next year. Unexpected revenue of $1.0–1.3 billion from a previously enacted capital gains tax increase and $500 million in unanticipated federal grants decrease the deficit to $1.2–1.5 billion. By 2006, the state had a $600–700 million surplus. Romney did this by raising various fees by more than $300 million, including those for driver's licenses, marriage licenses, and gun licenses, He increased the state gasoline fee by 2 cents per gallon, generating about $60 million per year in additional revenue without borrowing or raising taxes. The state legislature also cut spending by $1.6 billion, including reductions in state aid to cities and towns and reductions in state funding for higher education. Romney signed the Massachusetts health Reform Law, which requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face escalating tax penalties such as the loss of their personal income tax exemption.
Romney had his eye on the politics scene for awhile and in 1994 he finally decided to try his hand in it and he ran for State Senate of Massachusetts and lost to Ted Kennnedy. He later decided to try again and ran 2002 for Governor of Massachusetts and won. Upon entering office in the middle of a fiscal year, Romney faced an immediate $650 million shortfall and a projected $3 billion deficit for the next year. Unexpected revenue of $1.0–1.3 billion from a previously enacted capital gains tax increase and $500 million in unanticipated federal grants decrease the deficit to $1.2–1.5 billion. By 2006, the state had a $600–700 million surplus. Romney did this by raising various fees by more than $300 million, including those for driver's licenses, marriage licenses, and gun licenses, He increased the state gasoline fee by 2 cents per gallon, generating about $60 million per year in additional revenue without borrowing or raising taxes. The state legislature also cut spending by $1.6 billion, including reductions in state aid to cities and towns and reductions in state funding for higher education. Romney signed the Massachusetts health Reform Law, which requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face escalating tax penalties such as the loss of their personal income tax exemption.
The Issues
Romney is a Pro-life supporter. He Supports Capital Punishment. Romney supports increasing standards for education and quality based incentives for teachers, supports No child left behind and the Department of Education. He supports teaching abstinence in school and is against Pray in schools. As Govenor, Romney signed a 2004 measure instituting a permanent Massachusetts ban on Military style assualt weapons, but supports the right to bear arms. Romney supports anti-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians in the workplace, but not same-sex marriage or cival unions. He supported Don't ask, Don't Tell. He is a strong opponent in medical Cannabis. Romney has campaigned in support of free trade especially with China. Romney has since stated that he favors eliminating any taxes related to capital gains or other investments on all individuals or families who make less than $200,000 per year and also the Death Tax.
Romney is a Pro-life supporter. He Supports Capital Punishment. Romney supports increasing standards for education and quality based incentives for teachers, supports No child left behind and the Department of Education. He supports teaching abstinence in school and is against Pray in schools. As Govenor, Romney signed a 2004 measure instituting a permanent Massachusetts ban on Military style assualt weapons, but supports the right to bear arms. Romney supports anti-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians in the workplace, but not same-sex marriage or cival unions. He supported Don't ask, Don't Tell. He is a strong opponent in medical Cannabis. Romney has campaigned in support of free trade especially with China. Romney has since stated that he favors eliminating any taxes related to capital gains or other investments on all individuals or families who make less than $200,000 per year and also the Death Tax.
Romney wants to become independent of foreign sources of oil. Romney has supported a $20 billion package for energy research & new car technology. Romney had vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance. Romney favors increased immigration to the United States and opposes illegal immigration. He is against amnesty for illegal aliens. In his last month as Governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed an executive order that would have allowed state police officers to make arrests for immigration violations. He supports the invasion of Iraq. He however has criticized mismanagement of Iraq post invasion. Romney has expressed support for an eventual reduction in military presence in Iraq but has strongly opposed a timetable for withdrawal. Romney supported the war in Afghanistan. He also wishes to increase the size of the military by at least 100,000 troops.
