Backing Mitt Romney(Part 4)…

I am writing this installment of my “Backing Mitt Romney” series in regards to regulation.  Regulation is a big pet peeve of mine as it should be any conservative.  Regulation really halts economic growth.  We have somewhere from 60 to 80,000 pages of regulations on the free market today.  As I’ve always said the free market really is just a shell of what it was 80 years ago.  I’m looking for a candidate that will be AGAINST regulations as they come through the federal government.  Not one that sees it and says “hmm that’s a good idea” like some “other” candidates have proposed.  It’s long overdue to finally start repealing many of these regulations. 

Mitt Romney’s record on regulation in Massachusetts is good.  It’s not as successful being that it’s Massachusetts legislature, but his proposals were pretty good.  Anyone else notice a trend here?  See when I first heard of Mitt Romney a year ago I immediately dropped him from consideration because he was the governor of a state where I can’t stand it’s legislature.  However it’s become more and more apparent that he was really at odds quite often with the likes of the Ted Kennedy’s and John Kerry’s.  For that I have to praise him.  He did fight for republican and conservative issues.  That’s worth commending.

Now onto his record.  First of all he supports drilling in ANWR.  Thank you!!  Anyone listening?  To get energy independent we are going to have to drill in our own land.  That’s just factual.  His efforts on the state level were to better improve the conditions for a constitutional relationship between government and free enterprise.  As conservatives we have to support these kinds of individuals.  He vetoed an increase in minimum wage from 6.25 to 8 dollars.  He compromised on a .25 cent raise while saying that a raise in minimum wage causes the loss of jobs.  Minimum wage is another form of artificial pricing.  Wages are a cost to do business. 

On other measures he vetoed a bill limiting the ability of out-of-state wineries to ship directly to Massachusetts consumers, calling the legislation “anti-consumer” and I have to agree.  That also interferes with those business’, but more-so with the consumer.  He supported and signed a bill that offered a less turbulent path through the state’s burdened permitting process for new business.  Translation: less red tape.  He proposed the easing of price regulations on retailers.  This is that artificial pricing I was talking about.  Very impressive for him to stand up this because this is not usually politically viable or the politically correct thing to do.  However, it’s the RIGHT thing to do not only to help business, but to help the consumer as well.

He also called for the privatization of Massachusetts Medical School.  He proposed measures to eliminate civil service protection for all municipal workers except police and firefighters and exempt low-cost public construction jobs from the state’s wage law.  This is something I really like about Mitt Romney.  He understands prices and the damage that price control does and showed it in regards to exempting construction from the state’s wage law. Mitt Romney pushed to deregulate Massachusetts’ auto insurance industry. Massachusetts is the only state in which the government mandates maximum insurance rates and requires insurers to accept every applicant.  Can anyone say communism?  Mitt was right to fight this and I applaud him for his stance.  Good Job, Mitt!

That isn’t to say that Mitt has no flaws.  I wish to be objective and I realize that no candidate is 100% what I want in a conservative or republican.  While Romney did not impose this position, he does support indexing the minimum wage to inflation.  Eeeek, Mitt.  Have to disagree there.  He also signed into law banning smoking in the workplace INCLUDING bars and restaurants.  Can anyone say…Huckabee?  However, at least this was state law and I don’t believe he would push this federally.  Either way it’s an infringement on the rights of the business owners to make these decisions. 

Overall taking the bad with the good I think Mitt Romney’s record on regulation is impressive.  He does push for many conservative principles in regards to the relation between government and the free market.  I feel he understands business very well as well as understands basic economics(I feel stupid even saying that considering how much more he’s achieved than I might ever accomplish in a lifetime).  Mitt Romney is an excellent choice for economic reasons, but also understanding in large where the line is drawn between business and government regulation.  This just strengthens my view of how he would govern as President. It’s becoming more and more clear to me that he very much favors the businessman and individual in the private sector over government control.  The next installment will be about School Choice and Tort Reform all in one.