Factbox: Who is Mitt Romney?

4 Jan 2012, 3:38 pm   -   Source: SBS
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The Harvard-educated businessman has fourteen grandchildren and a personal fortune of US$250 million. (Getty)

The Harvard-educated businessman has fourteen grandchildren and a personal fortune of US$250 million. (Getty)

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has officially declared himself a Republican presidential candidate.

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Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has officially declared himself a Republican presidential candidate.

The Harvard-educated businessman has five children, fourteen grandchildren and a personal fortune of US$250 million. He is a Mormon.

However, despite his relative youth (he's 64) and charisma, his support base has never crept above 25 per cent.

Some analysts attribute this to his attempts to please too broad a spectrum of voters, which causes him to 'flip-flop' on major issues.

On taxes, Romney says he plans to:

- Scrap taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains for those earning less than $200,000
 - Eliminate the death tax
 - Reduce corporate income tax to 25 percent
 -Transition from 'worldwide' to 'territorial' corporate tax system

He also plans to repeal the universal health care program that  President Barack Obama fought hard to implement.

 A statement on Romney's website says:

"[He] will rebuild the foundations of the American economy on the principles of free enterprise, hard work, and innovation.

"His plan seeks to reduce taxes, spending, regulation, and government programs. It seeks to increase trade, energy production, human capital, and labor flexibility.

"It relinquishes power to the states instead of claiming to have the solution to every problem."

There is controversy over his stance on abortion,with allegations he used polling in order to determine it.

The Democrats have slammed his most recent swing to an anti-abortion stance.

On his blog, Romney describes himself as 'pro-life', saying abortion should be 'limited to instances of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother'. He says he would repeal the crucial Roe v Wade ruling which legalised aboriton in the US in 1973.

Here is one of Romney's campaign videos:

US elections , Mitt Romney , Republicans , Republican Primaries

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Your Comments

mr

peter - from sydney , 1 year

just as Australia was founded by convicts and we still have that anti authoritarian steak the USA was founded by religious lunatics , so its only natural he is a Mormon,, like most Americans everytime he washes the dishes he will bring up Jesus etc.

responseto pete

oldskool - from perth, 1 year

Yes Pete, a real intelligent comment- you are correct Pete- south park did indeed "deal with these clowns" as you can clearly see, south park was the final death knell for Mormonsim, and yes it was all because of south park. Pete you are a bigot

Mormon

pete - from perth, 1 year

a Mormon!, didn't South Park deal with these Clowns?.

opinion

CRe - from Malmö Sweden, 1 year

"yea, na lets just keep letting the little man pay $10 000 for a broken arm, and the sick to stay on the streets, if you can afford medical then good on ya. let's bomb iraq.. i mean, iran..whoever, don't block that sea route and what's this you say about some place called serial? uprising? i'm uprising with all my bank buddies. bah!-rains and it pours of wealth and prosperity in america. greed//oh i mean god is on our side! down with the infidels, and up with the new building at gitmo!"

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