Romney Kicks Off Fundraising with Dismal Poll Numbers

As Mitt Romney kicks off his Presidential fundraising today in Boston, he'll have to hope his would-be supporters aren't aware of how dismally he's doing in the polls. A CBS survey of possible Presidential candidates in the first week of January looks really bad for him.

From a few days ago, on Ankle-Biting Pundit:

"... The big surprise is how bad former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s numbers are. They are, frankly, almost bad enough to bump him out of the first tier of candidates. While very few people have formulated an opinion of him (15%), those that have formed an opinion do not appear to like what they see. His Fav/Unfav is 5/10. In the biz, we say his numbers are “upside down.” I cannot stress enough how bad these numbers are."

Mass. Legislature's New Media Policy Is Absurd

OK, so now we're open to prosecution for posting something from the Mass. House of Representatives web site? Come and get us! We think we're violating the new "USAGE" POLICY of the Massachusetts House of Representatives by reprinting their "USAGE" policy on our blog (see below). And we'll be guilty in the future if we reprint the text of a bill. Or use excerpts from PUBLIC hearings from their "HouseTV" website. Unbelievable! (Thanks to our friends at Catch of the Day Video News for this tip.)

Government "of the people, by the people, and for the people"? Not in Massachusetts! What are they trying to hide? Who are they trying to silence?

We hear that the Connecticut legislature has started a similar media web site, but that state recognizes that anything that happens in their capitol is the PEOPLE'S BUSINESS! And their Legislature’s media documents belong to the PEOPLE. As it should be here.

In the recent past, you could watch State House proceedings on WGBX Ch. 44, but not any more. Now the State House will broadcast some proceedings live online. That's the good news. (See its new media page.) Up till now, they have not adequately documented or archived sessions and hearings -- not even the most important sessions, such as Constitutional Conventions. (And most hearings will probably continue to be undocumented.) The bad news: The citizens/taxpayers cannot download anything posted on its site for ANY USE without permission from the legislature!

See the new Mass. House media “usage” regulations:

USAGE
MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ELECTRONIC MEDIA DOWNLOAD AND REUSE POLICY

By downloading electronic media (hereinafter, "media") from the Massachusetts House of Representatives "website", and/or any related web pages, domains, and servers (hereinafter, "the website"), website users (hereinafter, "users") agree to the following terms and conditions:
"Media" may be defined as (but not limited to):
Text, as contained in .html, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and other applicable document formats
Streaming audio
Streaming video
Audio files, as contained in MP3, WAV, WMA and other applicable file formats
Video files, as contained in MP4, WMV, AVI, MPEG, MOV, and other applicable file formats
Media downloaded from the website is for private use only; the Massachussetts House of Representatives reserves all rights to all downloaded media.
No downloaded media may be reposted or re-used in its entirety in any application without the express written consent of the House of Representatives.
No excerpts of downloaded media may be edited or incorporated into other productions without the express written consent of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Use of any media in the context of political advertising or communication is expressly forbidden.
Usage of VHS or DVD copies of programming ordered from the website is governed by the Broadcast Videocassette Distribution Policy (for discussion purposes).

Hey, guess what: MassResistance does NOT agree to these terms!

Romney Polls 4% Among Republicans

Gov. Mitt Romney handing over symbols of government to

Gov.-Elect Deval Patrick.

They must only be SYMBOLS, because the book of STATUTES he's handing over does NOT include a statute legalizing "homosexual marriage" in Massachusetts -- yet everyone pretends it's "legal"!

[Photo: thebostonchannel.com]

So Romney has formally opened his "exploratory" committee for his presidential campaign. As of about 9 pm on 1/3, the "unscientific" Channel 5 poll on his chances of becoming President had 40% saying poor, and 33% saying extremely poor (out of 366 votes). Where does he think he's going with only 4% in a national poll (down from 5% a month earlier), according to Gallup?

Gallup Poll. Dec. 11-14, 2006. N=425 Republicans and Republican leaners nationwide. MoE ± 6.

12/11-14/06; 11/9-12/06
John McCain 28% ; 26%
Rudy Giuliani 28% ; 28%

Condoleezza Rice 12% ; 13%

Newt Gingrich 8% ; 7%

Mitt Romney 4% ; 5%
[+ others all at 2%, 1% or less]

Also, Human Events reported last month in "A Primer on the 2008 GOP Candidates":

... Mitt Romney is an interesting character. Although he is the outgoing governor of the very liberal state of Massachusetts and was named as one of the Top 10 RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) less than a year ago in HUMAN EVENTS, he's not as liberal as he might appear at first glance.... [A]ccording to recent polls, even if you set aside the debate about how conservative he is or isn't, the "Mormon issue" is starting to look like an insurmountable obstacle to his candidacy. According to Rasmussen Polling, 43% of Americans and 53% of Evangelicals say that they, "wouldn't consider voting for a Mormon candidate." For good or ill, that probably means that Romney is unelectable.

Today's Marriage Amendment Vote Defeat for Homosexual Lobby

So, contrary to all expectations, the Legislature actually voted twice today to push the marriage amendment forward into the next session. Some observations on the day at the State House:

(1) It is unlikely that the vote would have happened today had it not been for the pending lawsuits against the 109 Legislators who were refusing to follow the Constitutional requirement to vote on the citizens' petition. These lawsuits are part of a more assertive, confrontational approach certain pro-family activists have been advocating for the past few years.

(2) Governor-elect Deval Patrick was lobbying today at the State House for the Legislators to again adjourn, and defy their constitutional duty to vote on the citizens' petition. So he's already proven he doesn't respect the Constitution. Not a good start. From the AP story:

Gay rights activists and Democratic Gov.-elect Deval Patrick called on the Legislature to let the measure die without a vote....

Earlier in the day, the governor-elect, who supports gay marriage, met with the leaders of the Democratic-controlled Legislature to argue against a vote, calling it a "question of conscience." Patrick charged that the amendment process was being used to "consider reinserting discrimination into the constitution."

"This is not just another question for popular decision. This is a question, under the equal protection clause, about what freedoms the minority is entitled to," Patrick said.

(3) This was a major blow to the GLBT lobby. Arline Isaacson appears to be barely holding back her tears in the AP photo. But instead of MassEquality closing down (as they speculated they might do after their "victory" in November), we'll have to put up with them for the foreseeable future. Millions will flow into the state to fight the amendment.

(4) The homosexual activists outside on the street had apparently been given orders to tone down their thuggish behavior, after reports and videos of their behavior in November. They were fewer in number and relatively subdued. Inside (in the Gardner Auditorium) after their defeat, they sang defiant songs including "We Shall Overcome" -- still trying to make us believe this is a matter of civil rights, rather than the normalization of perversion.

SJC Admits It Could Not Have Forced "Gay Marriage"

We'll remind the nation one last time before he leaves office: Governor Mitt Romney was responsible for starting homosexual "marriage" in Massachusetts. Last week's ruling by the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court implicitly confirms that their Goodridge ruling alone could not have begun the "marriages".

The Court acknowledged last week that it cannot order the other two branches to do anything, that separation of powers means it cannot order the Legislature to vote on the marriage amendment (even though Article 48 of the state constitution clearly states they must vote).

Meanwhile, all the fuss today is over the Legislature's dereliction of its constitutional duty. But what about Romney? See today's WorldNetDaily for a summary by John Haskins, writer with MassResistance. From "Family group: Mitt Romney chose 'gay' marriage; Activist says Massachusetts court admits it couldn't force change" (WorldNetDaily, 1-2-07):

" ... Mitt Romney, no less than anyone, is subverting the Constitution day by day, having ordered public officials to solemnize sodomy marriages though they remain illegal," Haskins told WND. "On Mitt Romney's order alone, town clerks and justices of the peace are compelled to violate the Constitution they swore to uphold and the statute – which remains among the Massachusetts General Laws."

He said the early advice from conservative activists – for Romney to just ignore the court's conclusion – was the right one. "Hiding in Wednesday's ruling like an elephant in a courtroom is still more proof that Romney had a choice. The court has admitted, as it does whenever it really doesn't want to order the Legislative or Executive branches to obey the Constitution, that it actually can't."

"If there were no Massachusetts Constitution, no other proof of the high crime of Mitt Romney – this ruling proves that Mitt Romney had a choice and he chose wrong. He imposed homosexual marriage illegally, using the Goodridge decision as a smokescreen. No court forced anything on him, nor did they have any such authority, and that historic admission is implicit in this ruling," Haskins said.

Plotters Still Trying to Scuttle Marriage Amendment

THE GLBT LOBBYING TEAM:

Bill Conley, MGLPC ("on leave" after disgraceful arrest for sexual solicitation)

Norma Shapiro, ACLU

Arline Isaacson, MGLPC and Mass. Teachers' Association

Of course it's hard predicting the wily actions those with foul intentions are plotting. But when reading GLBT lobbyist Arline Isaacson's cagey quote in the Globe today ("Gay marriage outcome today uncertain," 1-2-07) . . .

"We don't know what's going to happen for sure, but it does seem certainly a possibility that a vote on the petition will take place.... Isaacson said supporters of same-sex marriage have not decided on a strategy for today's convention, mainly because legislators have been on holidays and it has been difficult to take a head count. She declined to discuss what tactics are being considered. But their most viable options include pushing another vote to adjourn the convention for the year or recessing it to midnight, when the session legally expires."

. . . we should bear in mind these words from Tom Lang, which appeared on a pro-GLBT hate blog on Dec. 28. (Lang is behind "KnowThyNeighbor", the initimidation site that posts all the marriage petition signers.) Keep them guessing, is Lang's message:

"... what is your opinion about us (the LGBT) announcing every move we are making politically? Handing out Profiles in Courage is great however do you feel that MEQ [MassEquality] should be doing press releases stating that we are asking leges to adjourn? I understand adjournment is the strategy but you understand the press and the otherside have a field day with this when it comes from its opposition. Aaron and I just yesterday took on Mineau and Paleologos on the radio. They threw in my face the BayWindows editorial which spelled out how much money the LGBT brought in for candidates and how these new leges "owe us."

"I mean think about it. This is a war. A war of strategies. Think about what happens everytime an embedded journalist leaks something during combat wars. I have always believed that it is best to keep the other side guessing...of course they find out but these announcements of strategies do us no favors."

(Now, Mr. Lang has asked to come on our MassResistance radio show on WTTT. Would he speak honestly about anything if we did have him on?)

The Globe is clear in its advocacy. Their lead editorial urges Legislators to refuse to vote again:

The SJC asserted clearly last week that the constitution directs the Legislature to vote on the substance of the amendment. But the court was also correct in saying it cannot force an independent branch to act. The only remedy for those who believe legislators are frustrating the constitution by refusing to vote, the court noted, is at the ballot box. Just so. Most legislators would take their chances with the voters in their own districts.... This is a moment for advancing civil rights, not retreating.

MassResistance Blog Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

And the LGBTQIP radical community -- and their allies in the pro-abortion/hate-America crowd, the corrupt Legislature and Court, and the mainstream media -- are not pleased.

They've tried to intimidate us into silence. They broke into our home, warned us to "leave", sent threatening (and apparently criminally harassing) emails, badgered us on our phones, deluged our mailbox with junk, taunted us at public events. They started several hate blogs targeting us. They ID'd us as a favorite adversary in their filthy LGBT newspapers.

Now, lest the our readers think this is an exaggeration, look at what else this community has done in the past two years. They've employed unconstitutional and dishonest maneuvers to block a citizens' petition to define marriage. They used fascist tactics to drown out their opposition's attempts to peaceably assemble, including setting up false assault charges. They enlisted sympathizers in radical city administrations and police departments to extort "protection money". They rioted outside churches, set up coffins in street demonstrations without permits. They poured millions into state legislator elections, stomping on any candidate who dared express support for traditional values. They formed a national coalition of well-funded, legally savvy extremist groups to go on an all-out attack against David Parker and parents' rights. They added transsexual indoctrination to their elementary school bag of tricks.

We will continue to expose the lies, deception, and corruption of these activists and their fellow travelers. But no, we will not open up this blog to comments. Just as you can't compromise with evil, you can't dialogue with evil. If anyone has a legitimate comment to make, they can figure out how to do that through our web site.