Mitt(wit) Romney’s Immigration Response: Flip or Flop or ?

What does Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney have in store for us regarding President Barack Obama’s recent policy directive ending most deportations of the children of illegal immigrants? Will Romney’s response be a flip, a flop or yet a new position altogether? All three of these options are most likely on the table inasmuch as the Mitt(wit) has already shamelessly flip-flopped regarding his stance his stance on immigration.

In 2007, Mitt Romney supported the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform tactic that provided a pathway to citizenship for those who entered the United states illegally. During an appearance on “Meet The Press” on December 16, 2007, he said, “My view is consistent with what you saw in the Lowell Sun is that those people who have come here illegally and are in this country, the 12 million or so that are here illegally, should be able to sign up for permanent residency or citizenship.”

Yet later in 2011 Mitt(wit) flip-flopped on his stated immigration policy position. On November 11, 2011 during a Republican Primary debate, Romney said, “To say that we’re going to say to the people who have come here illegally that now you’re all going to get to stay, or some large number are going to get to stay and become permanent residents of the United States, that will only encourage more people to do the same thing. People respond to incentives. And if you can become a permanent resident of the United States by coming here illegally, you’ll do so.”

If, as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words, then surely a video is worth a million pictures, so let’s watch Mitt Romney actually verbalizing his immigration flip-flop:

Of course those flip flops pre-dated President Obama’s immigration announcement last week. Last Sunday on “Face The Nation”, host Bob Schieffer asked Romney three times whether he would repeal Obama’s directive as president. As for Romney’s answer, The Huffington Post reports, “The first time, Romney ignored the question. The second time, he said it would be a non-issue because he would be able to pass long-term immigration reform through Congress quickly — something that President George W. Bush was unable to do, in large part because of opposition from his own party….On Schieffer’s third try, Romney went only so far as to say he’d consider repealing it. “We’ll look at that setting as we reach that, but my anticipation is I’d come into office and say we need to get this done, on a long-term basis, not this kind of stop-gap measure.'” How is that for a “none of the above” or “all of the above” or “some of the above” response?

For those of you keeping score at home, here are the rest of Mitt(wit) Romney’s flip-flops:

Abortion: (“abortion should be safe and legal” and “I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose”/”I am pro-life);

Support of Ronald Reagan: (“I was an Independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I’m not trying to return to Reagan -Bush”/ “Ronald Reagan is my hero”);

Gun control: (I support the Brady gun control law. That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA” and “I have a gun of my own”/”I’m after the NRA’s endorsement” and “I do not personally own a gun”);

Climate change: (“I think the global warming debate is pretty over and recognize the need associated with providing sources which do not generate the heat that is currently provided by fossil fuels” and “I concur that climate change is beginning to have an effect on our natural resources and that now is the time to take action”/”I have to tell you with regards to global warming that that’s something, which you’re right, the scientists haven’t entirely resolved” and “Republicans should never abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore”);

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: (“the first of a number of steps that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians to serve openly and honestly in our nation’s military”/”the last 10 years have convinced me that the policy is working and there is no need to change it”);

Health care law with personal mandates (He signed  the Massachusetts plan with mandates to purchase health into law and said, “If Massachusetts succeeds in implementing it, then that will be a model for the nation. I Like mandates”/ He now opposes the new national health care law with the very same personal mandates and says, “I will repeal Obamacare);

No-tax pledges: (in 2006 he referred to them as “Government by gimmickry”/in 2008 he signed a no tax pledge);

His father with Martin Luther King: (“I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.”/“I did not see it with my own eyes.”);

Minimum wage: (“I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation.”/“There’s no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs.” );

Stem cell research: (“I will work and fight for stem cell research.”/“In the end, I became persuaded that the stem-cell debate was grounded in a false premise.”);

Campaign finance limits: (“I would like to have campaign spending limits.”/“The American people should be free to advocate for their candidates and their positions without burdensome limitations.”);

Auto industry bailout: (“I’m going to take burdens off the back of the auto industry.”/”Let Detroit go bankrupt. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.”);

Romney’s desire to serve his nation in the military: (“It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam.”/“I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there.”);

Bringing Osama bin Laden to justice: (“It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person.”/“He’s going to pay, and he will die.” );

The bank bailout: (“The TARP program… was nevertheless necessary to keep banks from collapsing in a cascade of failures.” /“When government is… bailing out banks… we have every good reason to be alarmed.”); and

Even his favorite book: (on 4/30/07 he said L. Ron Hubbard’s “Battlefield Earth”/ on 5/1/07 he said “Huckleberry Finn”).

Please remember to click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along with today’s song parody.

“Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” song link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZk_HnE-cdU

IS IT “YES” OR IS IT ”NO”?

 (sung to The Clash song “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”)

Romney you’ve got to let us know
Is it “yes” or is it “no”?
Change positions all the time
You know we think you’ve lost your mind
Please Mitt Romney let us know
Is it “yes” or is it “no”?

It’s always tease, tease, tease
Just make your mind-up would you please
You were pro-choice but you went back
And your health plan you now attack
So come on Mitt let us know
Is it “yes” or is it “no”?

Is it “yes” or is it “no” now?
Is it “yes” or is it “no” now?
Mitt you know that you’re in trouble
Cuz your positions more than double
So come on Mitt let us know!

Your indecision’s bugging me
(weird double-talk)
What is  your gun right policy?
(more weird double-talk)
What do you think of amnesty?
(even more weird double-talk)
We just know that you’re really shifty
(yes, even more weird double-talk)
So Mitt Romney you know
(can you believe it, even more weird double-talk)
You should cool it or you should blow!
(here we go again)

Split!

Is it “yes” or is it “no” now?
Is it “yes” or is it “no” now?
Mitt you know that you’re in trouble
Cuz your positions more than double
So come on Mitt let us know
Is it “yes” or is it “no”?

Is it “yes” or is it “no” now?
Mitt you know that you’re in trouble
Cuz your positions more than double
So come on Mitt let us know
Is it “yes” or is it “no”?

Friday Night Music Byte

Just a band that I came of age with. I saw them at Boston’s infamous Rat in the 70’s. I Hope you folks can appreciate the best punk band ever.

Until tomorrow…

Lynnrockets

Lynnrockets Is A Romney-esque Flip-Flopper

Lynnrockets: Coming or Going?

After careful reconsideration lasting all of about 10 minutes, Lynnrockets has decided to jump right back into the blogosphere after a 6 hour retirement. Like Brett Favre, life after blogging did not suit me. Like Mitt Romney, please feel free to label me a flip-flopper.

Your many thoughtful comments made me realize that not only do I have a lot of fun penning these posts, but I would miss all of you that I now consider friends. Thanks for pulling me back.

I guess that it is only fair to poke fun at myself this time. So, please remember to click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along with today’s self-effacing song parody.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go song link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZBPu7jJbJU

WILL YOU STAY OR WILL YOU GO

(sung to The Clash song “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”)

Rockets you’ve got to let us know
Will you stay or will you go?
Will you stay and pen some rhymes
Or leave for social drinking times?
So you’ve got to let us know
Will you stay or will you go?

We won’t say “please, please, please”
And we won’t beg while on our knees
One day you’re gone and then you’re back
An indecisive singing hack
Well come on and let us know
Will you stay or will you go?

Will you stay or will you go now?
Will you stay or will you go now?
Will you blow just like a bubble?
Or will you stay and stir up trouble?
So come on and let us know

Your indecision’s bugging me
If you don’t love us then just flee
Back to your island in the sea
Which overlooks ol’ Boston City
Come on and let us know
Will you carry-on your show?

Will you stay or will you go now?
Will you stay or will you go now?
Are you having rocket trouble?
Then get back here on the double!
If you want your blog to grow
You cannot be a big no-show!

Will you stay or will you go now?
Are you having rocket trouble?
Then get back here on the double!
So you’ve got to let us know
Will you stay or will you go?

Monday Night Music Byte

The Clash were an English rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk rock. Along with punk, they experimented with reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap and rockabilly. For most of their recording career, The Clash consisted of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals) and Nicky “Topper” Headon (drums, percussion). Headon left the group in 1982, and internal friction led to Jones’s departure the following year. The group continued with new members, but finally disbanded in early 1986.

The Clash were a major success in the UK from the release of their debut album, The Clash, in 1977. Their third album, London Calling, released in the UK in December 1979, brought them popularity in the United States when it came out there the following month. Critically acclaimed, it was declared the best album of the 1980s a decade later by Rolling Stone magazine.

The Clash’s politicised lyrics, musical experimentation and rebellious attitude had a far-reaching influence on rock, alternative rock in particular. They became widely referred to as “The Only Band That Matters”, originally a promotional slogan introduced by the group’s record label, CBS. In January 2003 the band—including original drummer Terry Chimes—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked The Clash number 30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

In August and September 1979, The Clash recorded London Calling. Produced by Guy Stevens, who had previously worked with Mott the Hoople and others, the double album was a mix of punk rock, reggae, ska, rockabilly, traditional rock and roll and other elements possessed of an energy that had hardly flagged since the band’s early days, but with greater maturity and production polish. It is regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. London Calling reached number 9 on the British chart and number 27 on the US chart. Its final track, a relatively straightforward rock and roll number sung by Mick Jones called “Train in Vain”, was included at the last minute and thus did not appear in the track listing on the cover. It turned out to be their first US Top 40 hit, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard chart. In the UK, where “Train in Vain” was not released as a single, London Calling’s title track, stately in beat but unmistakably punk in message and tone, rose to number 11—the highest position any Clash single reached in the UK before the band’s breakup. During this period, The Clash began to be regularly billed as “The Only Band That Matters”. Musician Gary Lucas, then employed by CBS Records’ creative services department, claims to have coined the tagline. The epithet was soon widely adopted by fans and music journalists.

Disagreements between bandmembers regarding the musical direction of the Clash emerged and festered over the next three albums and the band effectively broke-up in 1986. In 1999, Strummer, Jones and Simonon cooperated in the compiling of the live album From Here to Eternity and video documentary Westway to the World. On 7 November 2002, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that The Clash would be inducted into the Hall the following spring. On 15 November, Jones and Strummer shared the stage, performing three Clash songs during a London benefit show by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros.Strummer, Jones and Headon wanted to play a reunion show to coincide with their induction into the Hall. Simonon, however, did not want to participate because he believed that playing at the high-priced event would not have been in the spirit of The Clash. In the event, Strummer’s sudden death from a congenital heart defect on 22 December 2002 ended any possibility of a full reunion. In March 2003, the Hall of Fame induction took place; the band members inducted were Strummer, Jones, Simonon, Chimes and Headon. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked The Clash number 30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Tonight’s video clip is a song from the great London Calling album. The song began as a instrumental track called “Working and Waiting”. It is sometimes called “Working for the Clampdown” which is the main lyric of the song, and also the title provided on the album’s lyric sheet. Its lyrics comment on people who forsake the idealism of youth and urges young people to fight the status quo.