Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was welcomed to the East Valley with chants of "U-S-A" as he made a stop on the campaign trail at the Mesa Amphitheater Monday night.
"Washington has a disease," Romney said. "People go to Washington and they believe it's for the government. I believe America is of, for and by the people, not the government."
The stop is an important one for Romney, as the Arizona primary nears and national support for Romney seems to wane. According to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Institute, Romney trails Rick Santorum by 2 percentage points.
"I want the one who has the experience, the knowledge, the track record and the ethics," said Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. "The only one who fits that description is Mitt Romney."
During his speech, Romney played up his business experience and insisted he has a staunch conservative record.
"The other four guys have spent their lives only in politics," he said, emphasizing his business principles and experience leading outside of government.
Romney said that he doesn't plan to make a career out of his time in politics, even if he wins the presidency.
"I'm going to go to Washington and get the country turned around. And then I'm going to go home," he promised the cheering crowd.
That's an ideal quality in a candidate, said Steve Steele, a life-long Mesa resident who waited for three hours with his wife to see Romney, the first time either had attended a political rally.
"He's a deep thinker, not a career politician," he said.
During Romney's time as governor, he said he created a balanced budget, a "rainy day" fund, brought Massachusetts public schools to number one in the country and led the fight to stop same sex marriage in his home state.
"We enforced immigration laws to get those illegals out of our state," Romney said.
If elected, he plans to save Social Security, repeal "Obamacare" and stop America from becoming a "European-style welfare state," he said. He also plans to build new aircraft and increase the number of troops in the military.
Romney stated that he believes his family, faith and business experience make him the optimal candidate.
"My father believed in America; he became governor in a state that he sold aluminum paint," Romney said, explaining that his family came from humble beginnings and mirrors the American dream.
Romney focused much of his attention on negative remarks about both Obama and his Republican competitors.
"This election is about more than replacing Obama," said Romney, who said Obama went back on his campaign promises to keep the unemployment rate below 8 percent and create a balanced budget.
"Let's not nominate a guy who hasn't run anything and isn't a leader," Romney said.
While some seem skeptical that Romney has the support of Republican voters, the crowd at the Mesa rally cheered emphatically at Romney's every pause.
"This might be the time for Romney," said Susan Kastanis, a Gilbert resident who attended the rally, saying that four years ago voters held Romney's Mormon faith against him.
"People don't understand it," she said of the LDS religion, which she also follows. "But this time they seem more accepting, but let's see if that's accepting enough."
A few thousand supporters attended the event, some waiting hours to get in the amphitheater. Outside, supporters of Ron Paul waved signs and chanted.
Contact writer: (480) 898-5645 or sspring@evtrib.com
IceCat posted at 5:48 am on Tue, Feb 14, 2012.
want the one who has the experience, the knowledge, the track record and the ethics," said Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. "The only one who fits that description is Mitt Romney."
1) What kind of experience is Mayor Smith taking about? Romney has no national or international government experience. Quit after one term in MA because he knew he couldn't get re-elected.
2) Knowledge? of what?
3) Track Record? Running Bain Capital? Running for President for the past six years?
4) Ethics? Hiding money in off shore bank accounts so he wouldn't have to pay taxes on it.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 6:42 am on Tue, Feb 14, 2012.
I see a sea of shining, well-groomed, long-sleeve shirted men (not a tattoo or body-piercing in the lot) and modestly dressed women (no spandex or mini-skirts here).. applauding every sentence that their handsome brother speaks. Just like Obama's Mentor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright's Sunday sermons....Mitt Romney will be...."preaching to the Choir"....as they say.
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is quoted as saying..."I want the one who has the experience (does the good Mayor mean Romney's work with the bribe and scandal-ridden 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in Utah ?), the knowledge (is the good Mayor referring to Romney's knowledge of every tax loop-hole in the books, the "Off-Shore" accounts in the millions, the trusts in the hundreds of millions, the charitable deductions to the Mormon Church ?), the track record (which track record...Romney has flip-flopped so many times no one including Romney himself knows where he stands on any issue ?), and the ethics (what "ethics" did Romney show when he took deferrment after deferrment after deferrment for more that 5 years to get out of Military Service to his Nation during the Vietnam War ?)...The only one that fits that description is Mitt Romney (..now the good Mayor is 100% accurate there)".
lectricheart posted at 10:16 am on Tue, Feb 14, 2012.
I would like to make a plea to those people in Arizona. When it comes time to make your mark on the ballot please do it with an open mind.
Take a good look at Romney and think about the fact that his super-Pac has given more money to his campaign that any other candidate. When a group of people can throw that much money into campaign, they must really want something in return. Take a look at who is backing this man and decide if these are the people you want running our country. This man can’t win a debate with Obama on Obama care because Obama care is based on the same format as Romney care was. Obama will throw that in his face right off the bat, and ruin his creditability.
Santorum is preaching out of the other side of his mouth in his run for the nomination. He vows to cut spending and get the budget in line while in the past he voted for spending earmarks and raising the debt ceiling. The people of Pennsylvania didn’t like him, and voted him out because he is said to have done nothing for the state and lied to the people.
We all know about Newt. His ethics and morals just don’t meet the standard that the people of the United States look for in a leader. You just can’t believe the things that spew from his mouth. He has been in Washington too long, and is on a lot of corporate pay lists.
Ron Paul. People call him a kook. But if you take a good look, he is the only one that has any idea of how to really shrink the government, get the budget in check and regain our personal freedom. How many of you have really looked around to see how much the government has control over us as citizens? Would you like to have more of your hard earned money? Or would you like to spend your money the way you want to? Would you like to know your sons and daughters aren’t thousands of miles away, fighting a war we have no business in? And they are the ones that are protecting our borders? Do you want the U.S. to continue spending billions of dollars trying to buy the friendship of a country that hate us now, and will hate us for eternity? Ron Paul isn’t a very good orator, but if you look past the media rhetoric and listen to the man, he makes much more sense that any of the rest. Of course the media and the status quo ignore him. They are very worried about him. He is the one that will change the government and put a lot of them out of a job. It’s time the warmongers and the pocket stuffing politicians stand in the unemployment line for two or three years like the rest of us. Vote Ron Paul 2012. Thank you.
mariapar posted at 5:51 pm on Tue, Feb 14, 2012.
MESAGE TO ROMoNEY: ENJOY THE BEATLES AND LEARN !!
Santorum campaign song ! SPREAD
Paste in new page:
http://tinyurl.com/882dwja
MONEY " CAN'T BUY ME LOVE " … OR THE NOMINATION !
We the people LOVE
FAITH, FAMILY AND FREEDOM = SANTORUM ( This name means SAINT'S SPACE)
The passionate conservative, and NOT the fake plastic Bishop/prince, will get the nomination.
SANTORUM will send Obama home !
Santorum is consistent with his ideas and plans, he will survive the character attacks
http://tinyurl.com/7qyvvee
Valentine GOP cartoon-
RE-POST
mariapar posted at 5:53 pm on Tue, Feb 14, 2012.
VALENTINE TO ROMoNEY: ENJOY THE BEATLES AND LEARN !!
Santorum campaign song ! SPREAD….
http://tinyurl.com/882dwja
MONEY " CAN'T BUY ME LOVE " … OR THE NOMINATION !
http://tinyurl.com/7qyvvee
Valentine GOP cartoon-
DaneMuhlig posted at 11:56 am on Mon, Feb 27, 2012.
~Mormonism Not Christian
Mormonism [Church of Latter Day Saints] is not Christian is because it denies the doctrines
of Christianity. Mormonism denies that there is only one God, Jesus is God in flesh,
forgiveness of sins is by grace, Jesus rose from the dead physically.
God, One of Many Gods, is An Exalted Man, Who is Married with Many Wives
Mormonism teaches that God is a an exalted man, that he used to be a man on another
planet and he is only one of countless gods and that God is married and he brought one
of his wives to this world and produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth.
God Had Sex with Mary
Mormons say God had sex with Mary and produced Jesus! According to Mormonism there
was no virgin birth. "The Father came down from heaven...and begat the Savior of the World;
for He is the Only Begotten of the Father which could not have been if the Father did not
actually beget him in person...The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of
our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood." (Brigham
Young, Journal Of Discourses, Vol. 1 page 238 and8:115)
Man Can Become God
Mormons believe that man can become God! "The Lord created you and me for the purpose
of becoming Gods like Himself." Brigham Young (Journal Of Discourses 3:93).
Jesus Was A Polygamist
The reason people "persecuted Jesus Christ, was because he had so many wives; there were
Elizabeth and Mary, and a host of others." [Journal of Discourses, Vol 1. ppl 345-346] "The
Scripture says the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with HIS TRAIN; I do not know who they
were, unless his wives and children." Brigham Young [Journal of Discourses,Vol.13.pg309]
Jesus and Satan Are Spirit Brothers
Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers. [Journal of Discourses, 93:21]
Salvation through Joseph Smith
"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God
without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the
certificate of Joseph Smith." [Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289-91]
The Bible Is Not Infallible and Is Not Reliable
Mormons teach that the Bible has many errors and is unreliable and was corrupted in
translation and it is not infallible.They believe their Book of Mormon is God's Word. It is
“the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion." Joseph Smith
Polygamy Marriages in Heaven
Mormon’s believe that you can be married to many wives in Heaven.
Baptism for the Dead
Mormon's baptize people in water on behalf of dead people for the forgiveness of their sins.
Mormon's Holy Underwear
Mormons have a Temple Ceremony where the person is given "Mormon
Underwear" that is to protect them against the Evil One.
Joseph Smith, Mormon Founder, Met Jesus
In 1820 Mormon founder Joseph Smith was 14 years old and he said God the Father and
Jesus met him outside of New York. Three years later he said an Angel named Moroni
inspired him to write the Book of Mormon, which is "another Bible" and "new revelation" of
Jesus Christ and it is about an ancient people who came from the middle east to the
Americas. The Mormons follow 2 other books, Doctrine & Covenants & Pearl of Great Price.
Joseph Smith Met John the Baptist
In 1829 Joseph Smith said John the Baptist appeared to him and ordained him.
Christians Are All Wrong...Their Creeds Are An Abomination
Joseph Smith said, Christians were "all wrong... all their creeds were an admonition."
Joseph Smith Greater Than Jesus
Smith said, "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has
ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam...Neither Paul,
John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I"
Joseph Smith:"I Am Impregnable...God is My Right Hand Man"
Smith said, "The whole Earth shall bear me witness that I, like the towering rock in the
midst of the ocean, am impregnable...I combat the errors of ages... I solve mathematical
problems of universities, with truth, diamond truth; and God is my right hand man...
you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves,"
Brigham Young, Mormon's 2nd Prophet, Creates New Scriptures
Young said, "I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out that they may not call
Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good a scripture"
Mormon Polygamy
After 1852, when the Mormon Church was openly practicing polygamy, the leaders of the
church were declaring that it was absolutely essential for exaltation. A revelation given by
Joseph Smith, "Ten virgins given unto him [Solomon] by this law, he cannot commit
adultery...therefore is he justified."
Joseph Smith A Polygamist...An Adulterer...and A Pedophile
Joseph Smith had 33 wives! He married several who were married to other men." Nancy
Marinda Johnson married Joseph Smith while her husband, Orson Hyde, was on a
mission to Jerusalem." Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, the wife of Adam Lightner,
said that Joseph claimed an "angel" came with a "drawn sword" and told him that if
he did not enter into polygamy "he would slay him."
Joseph Smith's youngest wife, Helen Mar Kimball, was 14 years old!!!!
Joseph Smith Wife Damned If She Doesn't Accept Polygamy
Joseph Smith prophesied his first and only legal wife Emma would be damned
or destroyed if she did not accept polygamy (Doctrine & Covenants 132).
Brigham Young 55 Wives and 57 Children
Brigham Young, the 2nd Prophet of Mormonism had 55 wives and 57 children!!
Must Commit Polygamy to Become Gods
Brigham Young said, "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are
those who enter into polygamy." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 11,269) "If you want to
become a god one day you must violate the already given law of God now.
"[Doctrine and Covenants132 Verses 62-63]
Must Commit Polygamy or You Will Be Damned and Not Enter God's Glory
"He that abideth not this law (polygamy) can in no wise enter into my glory, but
shall be damned, saith the Lord." (D&C,132:27). "Now if any of you deny the
plurality of wives, I promise that you will be damned." Brigham Young
Mormonism is Not Christian