Pa's Journeys: January 2007

You knew that it would be coming at some point, so hear it is. Below is the text of a number of emails sent recently concerning the critical times that we face in our country and who is the most likely candidate to make a difference as President of the United States. I would encourage your considerate review of the respective links and commit yourselves to a cause worth fighting. It will make a difference in the lives of our grandchildren and your families. Go Romney!

As many of you know, I am not one to join in the national political fray, however, given the current state of our Union and the critical times of our Nation, I have felt compelled to become involved. Upon studying the candidates who have declared, or considered declaring, their desire to seek the Presidency, only one has stood out among the lot. Having spent a significant amount of time with Mitt Romney this past year, I continue to be impressed. Please find below a link which offers some interesting commentary concerning the risks we face as a Nation and world of Nations today.

Romney - "Jihadism, violent, radical fundamentalism, has emerged ...
PipeLineNews.org - Martinez,CA,USA
January 24, 2007 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - On January 23, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney delivered a major address on the subject of ...

If you have not made a contribution, I would ask that you do so now. Please let me know what, if anything you might do!

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Sent January 8, 2007

Dear Friends,

As you may have heard through the many news reports, we had a very successful day today in Boston! Governor Romney and the national finance team conducted a National Call Day, raising in excess of $6.5 million towards the Romney for President Exploratory Committee. A record day which illustrates and validates the depth of the grass roots effort that has begun in support of Mitt and Ann Romney and their presidential aspirations. It was an amazing thing to witness the success of the day through so many contributions from so many people, especially recognizing that no one contribution could exceed $2,100. Never before has any presidential aspirant raised so much in so little time. Governor Romney has established his leadership through past successes, and further evidences his position as a top tier candidate for the Presidency of the United States by his positions on issues before us, his personal character and integrity, and in his capacity to garner substantial grass roots support.

Thanks to each of you who have contributed to this effort today and in the past. Although I spoke with a number of you today, I was unable to reach many of you. I will be calling you in the next couple of weeks as what we have begun is just that a beginning. Mitt and Ann, and Lauren and I appreciate your kind and willing support and openness to support this great endeavor.

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Sent January 2007

Dear Friends,

Thanks to many of you for your supportive responses to this cause, and your willingness to contribute time, resource and/or capital to this effort. As noted in my previous email concerning our times (see below), and as many of you have heard or read, Governor Mitt Romney has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission creating the Romney for President Exploratory Committee, Inc. Because these papers have been filed, we may now begin accepting donations. Lauren and I are currently in Boston with the Governor and Ann, and a number of their financial supporters in an effort to canvas the country in a National Call Day on Monday. Our objective is to obtain as many capital contributions in the first 30 days of his announcement to meet the demands of the first invisible primary. Your help in this effort, in any degree, is greatly appreciated. For those who have responded affirmatively, we will be calling you on Monday and the days that follow to confirm your contribution. If you have yet to respond, I would ask that you review the information in the email below and the respective links therein, as well as visit www.mittromney.com to view recent news reports, issue discussions and videos that illustrate Governor Romney’s qualifications and accomplishments.

Should you like to make a contribution, you may contribute by check or credit card using the donor form available at www.mittromney.com. The current maximum contribution that an individual donor may make is $2,100 (or $4,200 per couple) per election. Notwithstanding our desire to receive the maximum contribution, if you are able, we are open to any contribution that you might make. If you have any questions in this regard, we can discuss them further. I am available at your convenience.

All checks must be made payable to “Romney for President Exploratory Committee, Inc.” and to the extent you are making a contribution as a couple, please ensure that both you and your spouse sign a donor form as well as any check. Please mail donor forms and any checks to me at the following address: P.O. Box 51450, Irvine, CA 92619, whereupon I will forward the contribution to the Exploratory Committee directly, or if you prefer you can forward your contribution directly to Romney for President Exploratory Committee, Inc., PO Box 55899, Boston, MA 02205. If you send it directly, please let me know by return email.

Thank you again for your kind and generous consideration. As noted below, I don’t ask for your financial support easily, but know that critical times require extraordinary measures from each of us. I look forward to speaking with you this week.

Sent early December 2006

To our friends and associates:

Noted historians of our day have stated that the most critical times that we have faced, or will face in our nation are those that we are experiencing today. These are critical times for many reasons, but the juncture of our day will define who we are as a nation and what we will become. We are under serious threat from jihadists, we are further threatened by undisciplined financial spending in government, the flattened world of our global economy is pressing upon our competitive edge and, without equivocation the foundations of family and marriage are in great peril. Even so, America remains the greatest and most blessed nation in the world. We are resilient as a people and as an achieving Nation, we care, and amid the uncertainties that embrace us, we rise above them, all to the greater good of not just ourselves, but more importantly, mankind.

To remain as a strong and caring Nation and to meet our measure and divine role in the world requires great leadership, and confidence in those with whom we place our greatest trust. It has been a difficult period in our nation these past few years. In 2008, we face the most critical Presidential election of our generation. Although the 2008 elections are two years away, they are closer than we realize. The first Presidential Primary Debate is in May 2007, just six months from now. It is now that the course will be set for our future, wherein we will be required to stand for what matters most too all Americans. As we have seen in the press recently, most potential Presidential candidates are in the “testing the waters” phase and considering whether or not to announce their candidacy for the Presidency of the United States; they have or will be forming their exploratory committees within the next 30-60 days.

In the past year Lauren and I have become well acquainted, and friends, with one in whom our country can have confidence; an individual of intelligence, honor, integrity, leadership and virtue, and one who can understand and articulate, with clarity, the issues we face as Americans, and the substantive solutions attendant thereto. We are impressed by the example he has set on so many fronts – as a husband and father, a successful businessman and as Governor. Mitt and Ann Romney have become good friends; and Mitt is one in whom we have great trust and respect, as one who can successfully lead our country in these perilous times. He shares our values, our hopes and our dreams, for a better and secure future. He is motivated to do the right thing for the right reason without the typical political agenda; he is what he is, for what you see is what you get. He truly wants to make a difference for his grandchildren and ours.

Mitt believes strongly in the core principles of free enterprise, fair and free trade, accountability in education, personal responsibility, tolerance, strong families, and a national defense second to none. More than that, however, I am amazed at what he has accomplished during his term as Governor of Massachusetts – strengthening education, creating a ground-breaking healthcare system, and cutting the size and cost of government.

While in the “testing the waters” phase Mitt has not announced his candidacy, and won’t likely make such an announcement to run, or not to run, until early January 2007.

We have noted below 10 key points that Mitt addresses as key policy issues/positions critical to our country. Further, we have included some of Mitt’s accomplishments and links to profiles from various sources including the Boston Globe, the Commonwealth PAC and others. We encourage you to review them or call us to discuss them further.

Mitt’s candidacy, if he chooses to run, will be a great opportunity for our country to seize the moments of our day, to define who we are and where we stand. It will be a defining moment in our history wherein, as Americans, we can rise to our call, as Mitt puts it, as “the great hope for the world.”

These are some of the core reasons why we stand with Mitt. We hope you will stand with us after you have studied the man and what he represents for America. If Mitt were to commit himself to the cause and choose to run for the Presidency, it will take an inordinate amount of money and support from many people. A key part of determining the viability of his potential candidacy is understanding how strong his fundraising capabilities would be. Here is where we are calling on you as our friends. While federal election laws do not allow us to do any fundraising solicitation at this time, we can start to gauge who might support Mitt should he decide to run and at what contribution level they might be willing to donate. The current contribution maximum for an individual is $2,100 or $4,200 per couple. With the need to raise millions by June 2007 for the primaries, it demands many contributions from many Americans. Equally as important is to raise a significant amount in the first 30 days of Mitt’s announcement, if he were to announce.

We don’t ask lightly and have not been prone to ask for such favors in the past. Even so, these are critical times that require extraordinary measures and our active participation to bring great leadership to our country. Please join with us as we try to make a difference. We are not asking of you any more than we have personally committed to this cause.

The Governor and Ann, and Lauren and I, thank you for your consideration and support. I will be following up with you in the coming days. In the meantime, please think about contacts that could be helpful to Mitt and begin to compile a list.

http://www.american.com/archive/2006/december/mitt-romney

http://www.thecommonwealthpac.com/romney/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTBqnZ7SLn4

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/11/25/romney_reaches_for_reagan_touch/

Ten Issues America Must Address to Remain The Economic and Military Superpower

1. Defeating the Jihadists:
The defeat of this radical and violent faction of Islam must be achieved through a combination of American resolve, international effort, and the rejection of violence by moderate, modern, mainstream Muslims. An effective strategy will involve both military and diplomatic actions to support modern Muslim nations. America must help lead a broad-based international coalition that promotes secular education, modern financial and economic policies, international trade, and human rights.

2. Competing with Asia:
China and Asia are on the move economically and technologically. They are a family oriented, educated, hard-working, and mercantile people. We must be ready and able to compete. This means ensuring our children are educated to compete in this new market, our trade laws are fair and balanced, and our economy and tax laws welcome new investment. If America acts boldly and swiftly, the emergence of Asia will be an opportunity. Trade and commerce with these huge new economies can further strengthen our economy and propel our growth. If America fails to act, we will be eclipsed.

3. Stopping Runaway Spending:
The Federal government must stop its borrowing and spending binge. The debt is a burden on our economy, our currency, our foreign policy, and our future. This is beyond pork barrel spending. We must address entitlement programs - not just to save money - but to give Americans confidence in their future.

4. Getting Immigration Right:
Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.

5. Achieving Energy Independence:
We must become independent from foreign sources of oil. This will mean a combination of efforts related to conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification, and finding more domestic sources of oil such as in ANWR or the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

6. Affirming America's Culture and Values:
American values are at the heart of America's historic rise to world leadership. These include, among others, respect for hard work, sacrifice, civility, love of family respect for life, education and love of freedom. To remain a superpower in the world we must continuously and vigorously reaffirm these key components that have led to America's greatness as a country.

7. Simplifying the Tax System:
America's tax code is a labyrinth that imposes an enormous and unnecessary burden on our citizens and employers. Keeping taxes low and simplifying the code will grow the economy and enhance our competitiveness.

8. Investing in Technology:
Our national investment in technology comes from both the private and public sector; however corporations today spend more on tort liability than they do on R&D. While the government already invests heavily in defense, space and health technologies, it is time to invest substantially in technologies related to power generation, nanotechnology, and materials science.

9. Extending Health Insurance to All Americans:
The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms.

10. Raising the Bar on Education:
Today's schools are falling further and further behind world standards. It is time to raise the bar on education by making teaching a true profession, measuring progress, providing a focus on math and science, and involving parents from the beginning of a child's school career.