The Real Mitt Romney

Two posts today!

This email came to me by way of a good friend who happens to be a Ron Paul supporter. Now, he and I obviously don't agree on our candidates as I believe Ron Paul has a screw loose in his head when it comes to foreign affairs, but I really liked this story about Mitt Romney. I simply had to post it . . .

(Personal Journal Entry By Reed and Kathy Fisher of 11372 Luz Place , Westwood Neighborhood, San Diego, CA 92127 )

'Remember that big pine tree right in the front as you walk out the front door? It pretty well got cooked in the fire. In fact Brian Brockbank, Steve Chidester, Chris Odenwalder and Jeremy Dixon cut most of it down the first day we were allowed back in the neighborhood. But the trunk and the stump was too much to handle that day. Last week a brother in the Del Sur ward sent me an email and said he and some others would like to do something to help. I told him that one of the things on my 'to-do' list was to remove a tree stump from my front yard, but it was a pretty big job! He said they wanted to come and do it. I reluctantly said OK, but, 'I do not expect you to really get it out because it is a big root. It has been there for over 20 years.' So he called me to confirm and said that they were coming at 7:00am on Wednesday morning and his Dad might come too. I decided to go to Los Primos and get some breakfast machaca burritos and orange juice for the crew coming to work on my stump...so I was late in arriving. I drove in from Cabela because it gives me a better feeling entering our street as none of the homes at the top of Luz Place were burned. As I drove up I looked and saw several men down in the hole around the tree.

They were really going at it with power saws provided by the LDS Church. Then I got a Big Surprise. First I saw Matt, then beside him with chain saw buzzing away was a candidate for President of the United States!!! You guessed it. Matt Romney was there with his Dad, 'MITT ROMNEY', former governor of Massachusetts and Republican presidential candidate. He was actually in Levis and a blue T-shirt and tennis shoes, with leather gloves and goggles. He was really sawing away at my stump! Others who were there working were LDS Bishop Jim Davies, Greg Davis and 6 LDS Missionaries. Oh and I almost forgot the Secret Service bodyguards were nearby standing guard. The Mormon Missionaries were there because they have been reassigned to disaster relief projects all over San Diego where the fires burned. They got assigned by their leaders to come to our home that morning.

There were no local news media. Mitt and Matt Romney were just being good neighbors helping neighbors. Mitt was in Southern California for some meetings later in the day up in Riverside/San Bernardino. I can really tell that the Romneys know how to work and to work really hard. I looked over my shovel at one point and sweat was running down Mitt's face. When I suggested we stop for a breakfast burrito, I got a polite 'maybe later, gotta get this root out.' Mitt told me that this reminded him of taking out a stump on the ranch with his father, after it was too much his Dad (George Romney) said "Get some dynamite!" Well, Mitt attacked that old stump, cutting as many of the big roots as he could until it was well time past for he and Matt to leave for their meetings up north. I put a Machaca burrito in Mitt's hand and a glass of O.J. I could tell he didn't like leaving the job partially completed and neither did Matt. But I knew they had 'bigger stumps' elsewhere that day. Just before he left, those missionaries showed up. This is where faith takes over. God is always a partner in a good act of service I believe.

Well, you know how believing Mormon Missionaries are. So these six Elders from the Carlsbad California Mission said, "Br. Fisher WE WILL GET THIS STUMP OUT." You can tell these young men understand the principle of determination.) All were wearing their special disaster relief yellow T-shirts, provided by the church. It was an inspiring sight to see this' mass of yellow' wielding ax, pick and shovel on this stump. About this time a policeman patrolling the neighborhood pulled up. The Officer took one look at the stump and the tools and said 'you fellows will need more than those to get that one out'. A missionary responded, "That stump is coming out for sure." The Officer gave encouragement using the indirect method. "Do you really think you can do it? I am not so sure." The 'challenge was laid down' Officer Smith left and the Mormons went to work. No slackers among them. Later Officer Smith came back to check on the progress. And there was plenty of it, but still there was a ways to go. He said he had spoken to some other officers about the stump project on Luz Place and they wondered, "Could those Mormon boys get it out." Then the suggestion was made that maybe we could get a skip loader in the area to lend some assistance. A great idea! After the officer left I did observe a tractor going down a nearby street and flagged the driver down. He said he would come over later. He only had a limited time.

Those Mormon Missionaries continued to hack away (I forgot missionaries are not allowed to use power saws for safety reasons, so this was ALL pick and ax). They finally girded the stump completely. The tractor came back as promised. He got way up under the root because the Missionaries did such a good job clearing out around the base of the root.

I watched as smiles, then cheers went up from all as that big old pine tree stump popped out of its hole. THEY DID IT! As the hole was being filled back in, Officer Smith drove back up. He came over to the filled hole a little amazed "Where is it," he asked?

I think I heard one of the Elders say, "Officer Smith, you should have been here 10 minutes ago. The heavens opened up, a light came down, and that big old stump was taken up!"

Well this is what I have to say -- Mitt and Matt Romney, Jim Davies, Greg Davis and those Missionaries efforts were fully rewarded. After all they could do, the Lord was not going to let their efforts go unrewarded. The tractor man came about the time the stump was prepared for removal.

This we must all remember. Out of small things proceeded that which is great! This was a memorable day for all of us.

-- That ends the journal entry for our California friends. This is the Mitt Romney everyone says is too polished, too slick . . . the man down in the trenches, doing quiet service for someone without any fanfare. If this couple had not chosen to share this story, it would have gone unnoticed, and may continue to do so. But I thought it was worth sharing.

Message from Governor Mitt Romney sent via Glenn Beck:

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January 29, 2008

Message from Governor Romney

I want my children and grandchildren - and yours - to live in an America that is safe and prosperous and free. Ten years ago, there wasn't much question about that: We had won the Cold War, our "new economy" was outpacing our rivals, the dollar was strong and markets were surging.

A lot has changed since then. But Washington hasn't. Washington is consumed with partisan battles and score settling. Driven by power and politics, Washington has been incapable of solving the challenges of a changing world. Oil prices soar, the dollar tumbles, schools fall behind those of other nations, health insurance eludes 47 million citizens, illegal immigration continues unabated, jobs migrate to Asia, and the specter of terrorism and Jihadism grows.

The challenges seem daunting, but Americans always rise to the occasion - we will overcome these as we have many others before. But for our children to inherit from us the great and hopeful America that was bequeathed to us by our parents, we must change Washington.

But what will be the direction of that change? Sens. Clinton, Obama and Edwards call for big government, big brother and big taxes.

The source of America's strength isn't government; it's the American people. Hard-working, opportunity-seeking, risk-taking, family-oriented, God-fearing, education-minded, freedom-loving American people have always been the source of our strength, and they always will be. The right way to overcome our challenges isn't to strengthen government, it is to strengthen the American people.

To do that, we must first strengthen the American family. I want our children to learn that before they have babies, they should get married: Every child deserves a mother and a father. I want to protect marriage as the union of a man and a woman. I will work to improve our schools, with better pay for better teachers, with higher standards, and with school choice that allows every child to have the opportunity for a good education. I will help every American obtain health insurance, not government-run socialized medicine, but free-market insurance that is affordable and portable.

I will work to strengthen our economy to provide good jobs for us and for our children. I will keep taxes down, killing the death tax and letting middle-income families save their money tax free. We must finally end our dependence on foreign oil by investing in new energy sources and new levels of energy efficiency. We must open foreign markets to American goods and assure that trade agreements provide a level playing field. And we must stop illegal immigration: The sanctuary state of mind must be replaced by the rule of law.

We must also strengthen our national security. I will add more troops to our military, with better equipment and armament and with better care for our veterans. I will invest in intelligence capabilities - by far the most effective way to prevent terror in the homeland. And we must win the war in Iraq and Afghanistan to make sure that neither becomes a safe haven for al-Qaida or other terror groups.

The best ally peace has ever known is a strong America. The aim of our foreign and domestic policies must be to keep America strong, to remain the world's economic and military leader. For our children to live safe and abundant lives, we must strengthen the family, strengthen the economy and strengthen our military.

I am optimistic about America's future. I have seen the goodness and resolve of the American people. Challenges make us strong. I will draw on my experience, my values and this vision of American strength to keep America the hope of the world, and the promise of a bright future for our children.