Club For Growth Releases Paper on Romney: Another Mixed Record

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a conservative group is hopefully optimistic that what Mitt Romney says on the trail and did as Governor is more important than statements to the contrary before being elected.

Well, this time the group is the Club for Growth and the issue is taxes.

They released their white paper on Romney, and it said the following:

Governor Romney’s history on tax policy is scattered with inconsistencies. As a candidate for governor, Romney refused to sign an anti-tax pledge distributed by the local Citizens for Limited Taxation. He opposed Ballot Question 1 to eliminate the state income tax and proposed an auto excise tax on SUVs and a greenfields tax on the development of ocean space. In 2003, the Governor refused to endorse the Bush tax cuts, earning the praise of Massachusetts liberal congressman Barney Frank, and was even open to a federal gas tax hike. His strident opposition to the flat tax is most curious and difficult to explain since Romney wasn’t a political candidate at the time. In 1996, he ran a series of newspaper ads in Boston, New Hampshire, and Iowa denouncing the 17% flat tax proposed by then presidential candidate Steve Forbes as a “tax cut for fat cats”. Even today, Romney continues to oppose the flat tax with harsh language, calling the tax “unfair.”

Overall, Romney’s record on tax policy is mixed. His record is marred by questionable statements and positions, and his fee hikes and “loophole” closures are troubling. However, his support for broad-based tax cuts in liberal Massachusetts together with his enthusiastic embrace of the Bush tax cuts on the campaign trail offers hope that Governor Romney’s previous ambivalence on tax policy is more a function of Massachusetts politics than his core beliefs.

It also includes this summation after a concise review of Romney’s economic policy:

As Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney’s record on economic issues was generally good. He demonstrated a willingness to take on his Legislature and deserves credit for the many pro-growth measures he advocated and the modest reforms he was able to achieve. While his record on taxes, spending and entitlement reform is flawed, it is, on balance, encouraging, especially given the liberal Massachusetts Legislature. His record on trade, school choice, regulations, and tort reform all indicate a strong respect for the power of market solutions.

At the same time, Governor Romney’s history is marked by statements at odds with his gubernatorial record and his campaign rhetoric. His strident opposition to the flat tax; his refusal to endorse the Bush tax cuts in 2003; his support for various minor tax hikes; and his once-radically bad views on campaign finance reform all cast some doubts on the extent and durability of his commitment to limited-government, pro-growth policies. His landmark steps in the health care arena also exhibit a mixture of desirable pro-free market efforts combined with a regrettable willingness to accept, if not embrace, a massive new regulatory regime. Nevertheless, given his outstanding private sector entrepreneurial experience; the strong pro-growth positions he has taken on the campaign trail; his overall record as governor; and the fact that the U.S. Congress will not be as liberal as the Massachusetts Legislature, we are reasonably optimistic that, as President, Mitt Romney would generally advocate a pro-growth agenda.

A mixed record like this is one reason why Romney has a credibility problem even among Republicans. Hillary Clinton has high negatives, but they’re little when compared to Mitt Romney. (Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan). 1 in 4 Republicans say they would definitely vote against Mitt Romney at this point. Those numbers are simply astonishing. If Karl Rove is right about Hillary Clinton, the same has to apply to Mitt Romney at this point. And it’s based on a mixed record that Romney keeps trying to gloss over, which in turn only enhances the flip flop reputation. I have to wonder if Romney simply peaked too early.

Related at 2008 Central:

• McCain Continues Jekyll and Hyde Campaign, Skipping Club For Growth Meeting to Visit Iraq Instead; Club Releases White Paper
• Huckabee v. Club for Growth, Round 2