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Subscribe to RSSTAMPA -- On a morning where job creation -- or the lack of it -- was the primary issue on the political spectrum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney promised that his plan -- not President Obama's -- would be the one to get Americans back to work.
"My plan radically restructures the American economy to do what it's done in the past," Romney told supporters at the opening of his Florida headquarters here. "Lead the world, create jobs, drive rising incomes, and make sure that America remains the strong nation that can defend ourselves and provide a future of promise and prosperity for our kids."
Romney also attacked the president's plan, set to be unveiled before a joint session of congress two days after Romney presents his plan.
"I haven't seen his, but I saw version one, two, three, four and five of his jobs plan and last month it came out with zero new jobs," Romney said, referencing today's newest employment statistics, which had the U.S. unemployment rate holding steady at 9.1% and a net-zero number of jobs created.
While Romney today did not provide any new details on his jobs plan, he once again hinted at several elements it is likely to contain.
"I will make business taxes competitive with other nations, eliminate burdensome regulations and bureaucracy, and support America’s workers instead of its union bosses." Romney said in a breakfast time speech to Hispanic leaders, gathered for the annual Republican Hispanic National Assembly meeting.
In that speech to the RHNA, Romney also focused heavily on immigration policy, including hitting the president for not addressing the issue more forcefully.
"Three years ago, candidate Obama promised to address the problems of illegal immigration in America. He failed," Romney said. "The truth is, he didn’t even try."
Some analysts believe a focus on immigration could help Romney create contrasts with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, whose support for allowing in-state tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants in Texas has drawn conservative fire. Romney addressed the issue this morning.
"As governor, I vetoed legislation that would have provided in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants," Romney said, "and I strengthened the authority our state troopers had to enforce existing immigration laws."
The nonpartisan Annenberg Factcheck.org notes -- and as First Read has pointed out -- that the state-trooper authorization to which Romney was referring was passed with just weeks left in his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, and was immediately rescinded by his successor before taking effect.
Romney's focus on the hot-button issue of immigration before a receptive, heavily Hispanic audience here underscores the importance of the state of Florida, in both the GOP primary, and the general election. Obama carried the state by just three percentage points in 2008; Bush won Florida in 2004, and since then the election of Republicans as governor and U.S. senator have given the GOP renewed hope of returning the Sunshine State to the red column in 2012.
Romney praised that new senator, Marco Rubio, himself a child of Cuban immigrants, as one of the country's "great leaders." In a few other nods to the largely conservative Cuban community here, he also praised GOP Sen. Mel Martinez, and mentioned derisively, as he has in previous stops, past praise given to President Obama by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Romney will return the state at least twice more this month, for debates here in Tampa and in Orlando. But based on the heightened importance of the state to his campaign because of the entry of Perry, he will likely to be making several more stops here.
"I think you will be the state that really sets the final compass," Romney said to his supporters at the headquarters event, just blocks from the site of next year's GOP convention. "Florida is huge."
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Romney's Plan
More tax cuts to Corporations that are sitting on 3 trillion, have had Billions in Profts, and are still laying off workers,
They know that if they can still make Billions with a smaller work force then why would they hire more people
of Course Corporations are people too , what a laugh
Romney just another Republican that will say anything to get elected, he has proved that over and over
Hes such a flip-flop on any subject
Just another super rich guy that wants more of our tax's dollars for his own
Will he give up his government pay, pension, and Health Care
It's easy to get frustrated with Republicans' complete lack of factual information and thinking ability.
The Mitt: "My jobs plan will radically alter my new house in LaJolla--I intend to hire 1.2 million laborers to completely tear down and rebuild my estate.
Also, with regard to any position I'v ever taken, let me emphasize the following: I was for it before I was against it and I was against it before I was for it. That should clear the air."
Jeez--this guy or Perry. Obama only has to help the economy improve a little and he's a two-term President.
So what's new about this economic plan? It's the same one that Bush used to get us into the greatest economic crash since the great depression. Cut taxes for corporations and eliminate regulations and protections for consumers and workers. Wow, that sounds like 1920's thinking. Hey Mitt, you gonna have Ron Paul as your running mate? He wants to take us back also. BTW, Repubs. The Bush tax cuts are still in place, where are the jobs? You know where they're at. In the pockets of corporate America and the Republican party.
TexasMike,
You're right on about Romney's economic plan. It will be the same old stuff that got us into the Great Recession. But he, nor the other T-Republicans, have the intellectual honesty to admit it. Besides, that same old economic plan embedded in the "trickle down" theory of economics has never trickled down monies to the middle class. Yet, they want to return to those good old days plus keep women, minorities, laboring folks, gays and lesbians, and members of the scientific community in their place.
I confess, upfront that, unlike so many here, I do NOT have all the answers to our economic problems. Nor does Romney.
I have yet to hear any candidate, including the President, tell us how we get our own economy pumping again without addressing the economic pile of poo that so many other countries seem to also be in. Our economy does not stand alone. (Not sure it ever did.) But I am SURE you won't really fix things here while things are still tanked in Europe. I'd like to hear some of these candidates address this issue. Instead of just banging each other and Obama endlessly.
Well said, everyone seems to think in overly simplistic terms. The economy and the problems of our country are large and complex. It will take a nuanced and multifaceted approach to fix them. The problem is no one seems to have the necessary attention span or depth of thought...
Somebody better do something and soon. The economy, AND the national debt.
Bush/Cheney were BUSINESS men......and boy howdy did they make a mess of the American economy, the EU economy and the Japanese economy......
Hey as long as they and all their friends got richer who cares right?
Idiots take every chance they get to attack Obama while they allow a "pass" to fellow idiot and interim moron Mit Romney.
Mit shouldn't have been allowed to reproduce or vote, much less run for ANOTHER office. Why is it only idots who believe in a magic man in the ski called god are politicians? Seems like religion and politics should be polar opposites. And in theory they are. Just not in practice.
Tax cuts for the wealthy DO NOT create jobs.
The wealthiest 1% saw their income rise 268% since 1979. Did jobs grow 268%? NO WAY!
In fact, during the most recent Bush debacle, jobs decreased while the wealthy made even more money!
Rich people make money, not jobs.
So when you hear Republicans squawk about tax cuts for the rich "job creators", know that it doesn't work, never worked, and never will work.
Why would you want to go back to the past instead of creating a future?
dirve risingi ncome- income shave fallen inder Bush and eve nmore so under Obama The econimsts at Challenge magazine estimated theat $1 Trillion in wages has bee lost..Michelle Bachmann plans to ask consgress to repeal the minimum wage laws. Wall Street by contrast got $144 Billion in bonuses!
The real question is whose incomes are going to be driven. At Bain Captial Romney lost more jobs than he created. As Governor his state ranked 47th in job creation..even Tim Pawlenty did better..and so did Sarah Palin.
Housing has fallen fromn 12% of the economyto 4%. Manufacuring has gone fron25% to 10% What benchmarks is Romney proposoing to use?
Banks today have about $2.3 trillion in excess reserves. Business has $2.4 tillion in corproate balnces heets. Plus they have $1.4 sitting overseas. So it is not a want of money; it is the want of using and utilizing. Mother Jones David Corn in this latest cites charts about the decline in investment in infrastuture.
The recent Hurricane underscores the need to massive rebuliding. While 45% of American plant capacity lies idle,companies get tax breaks for building new plants is state that have no skilled work force to sustain growth. This leave remains plants iindustries to pick up the burden-yet nothing is done to recpature the lost reveune fled to other states.
We should require a revenue recapture provison for state offering tax breaks to pay into to off set costs of departing plants and equalize tax burderns. we should tax bond issuesat the federal level to fund plant regrowth in states that have lot plants to other states-or require issuing state to set aside a bond issue portion to cover ths.
We should end off shore tax havens in the Cayman's .Bermuda and elswhere. We should force the Swiss to end bank secrecy and tax the tax cheats-and make their names public.
Nne of this of course will be in Romney'splan.
Instead will will see the stale old iideas trotted out one more time: more tax breaks for the wealthy and nothing for anyone else.
Right on, Arlin!
am not trusting any republicans after Bush and Cheney. lets take a read on what Romney wants to do, and then have him sign a contract to it. I grew up in Michigan and for a few terms, George Romney was Governor. Many people in the state respected him. I took that away, and feel that Mitt Romney can be effective, but he's got to sign the contract. Another note: one has to remember that in those years, with the Michigan economy going gangbusters, it also might have been pretty easy to be Governor.
Blah, blah...blah, blah, blah. Where's the plan for job creation? Romney will do the same old thing Republicans did to get us into this mess. Cut taxes, deregulate, and protect the rich and wealthy at all costs. However, with the T-Party folks, they will engage in draconian budget cuts which they didn't do in the 8 years of Bush, but actually increased government spending by 88% and the deficit to $10 trillion plus. Suddenly, they've gotten religious and want to scrap the New Deal and put the burden for repayments on the deficit on the middle class and laboring people. Come to think of it, wasn't Romney in charge of a hedge fund group, you know, those folks that buy companies, make 'em lean and mean by cutting workers to the bare bones, and then selling them off for big profits? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe not.
"Romney says his plan 'radically restructures the American economy'"
Doesn't matter, Mittens. You won't get the chance. President Obama has another term to serve. Try again in 2016.
If Obama wins in 2012, there won't be a 2016 worth running for!!!
This guy has all the credibility of the village idiot saying he's going to build a nuclear bomb. If he ever took office he won't get the cooperation of the Democrats, the tea party, or any Republican in his right mind. And the thought of Perry is even scarier than that!
Ron Paul 2012, the establishment has been prepping and grooming Romney (and Obama) so please be informed who you vote for and be smart enough to know that the media is bought and paid for and is only endorsing people that will NOT help the American people as a whole.
Ron Paul is a genuine woo-woo whacko who doesn't have the slightest chance for the nomination, much less the presidency.
radically ..yes he has that right..
To those who think Obama is inconsistent there is a big difference between standing firm and never changing your stance regardless of the situation. If you aren't smart enough to change when change is necessary then you will fail. If you only change because of political expediency or lack of backbone that's one thing but I don't want a leader that hangs doggedly with an idea when events dictate a better solution. You can rag all you want about Gitmo or the debt ceiling but Obama had no real choice when the rubber hit the road and he has taken heat for it. He realizes that the perspective of the President is quite different than that of a Senator and thankfully he acts in the Nation's best interest but the nit pickers always have trouble when they have to think beyond their narrow viewpoint.
"support America’s workers instead of its union bosses", meaning .....I will further enrich the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
The DEMS or the GOP will be unable to stimulate economy. Too late. Techonolgy will slowly kill job creation. Cheap labor abroad will continue to create a playing field that will create jobs abroad or create low paying jobs here with no benefits. Thirdly, America dosent build anything anymore. We are suckers, plain and simple. This economy has nothing to do with party or the PRESIDENT. Americans pay the lowest taxes of any industrialized nation on earth, we have the lowest tax rate in 50 years and the BUSH tax cuts have been in effect for almost a decade- no real job creation.
I firmly believe that returning to the economic, social and political policies of the late 19th century and early 20th century in America will make ALL of today's troubles go away.
The problem is that it will replace them with all of the troubles of the late 1800's and the early 1900's. Those who do not learn from their past are destined to repeat it.
yes when you resurrect corporations from the past..and not regulated them and let them be there own bosses..you will get the same medicine..of the great depression in due time
He is correct Elvis. Here is what corporations were prior to the Federalism that took over after states rights were destroyed in the Civil war.
Up to the mid-1800s,
Corporations had limited duration, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years -- they were not given forever, like corporate charters are given today.
The amount of land a corporation could own was limited.
The amount of capitalization a corporation could have was limited. This is crucial.
The corporation had to be chartered for a specific purpose -- not for everything, or anything.
The internal governance was very different -- shareholders had a lot more rights than they have today, for major decisions such as mergers; sometimes they had to have unanimous shareholder consent.
There were no limitations protections on liability -- managers, directors, and shareholders were liable for all debts and harms and in some states, doubly or triply liable.
The states reserved the right to amend the charters, or to revoke them -- even for no reason at all.
@!$%# tax breaks!! create money generating jobs, we're tired of our government BS!!
The Republican Plan is always the same, all the tax breaks flowing to the top 1%, all of the cash flowing to the top 1%, all of the power flowing to the top 1% and protect at all costs Tax Breaks for Corporations outsourcing jobs and using offshore tax havens and heap the tax burden on the middle class. They, the Republicans, cling to this failed economic model as if all of the sudden is going to start working. They keep proposing the same ideas time after time then act as if they have come up with something new. You would think that after 8 years of George W. Bush they would have figured out that their way of doing things just does not work. It has been lab tested and tested as a failure but that does not stop them from proposing it again and again.
The funny thing Rick is rich people can't elect anyone. Not one single politician on even the smallest town level. They rely on really greedy stupid voters to do that and it does not matter which party is in power. We have 50 million wage earning voters who don't pay any taxes but control what is done with the taxes others pay. Even their SS/Medicare deductions are refunded back through the Earned Income Tax Credits. They are then showered with unfunded food stamps, HUD housing, PELL Grants,free or reduced phone & utilities, free schooling, free medical/dental, free childcare etc etc etc etc....
The Indians were given "beads" to sell Manhattan. The lower class is given unfunded entitlements to sell out our government, its currency and most of all its taxpayers.
As long as the "entitlement junkies" are given their drug nothing will change. They will obligingly elect crook after crook with total disregard for the politician's voting record simply to save their entitlements. The lower class is only too obliging to the rich and corporations. The worse thing is the rich use middle class tax money to pay for their political "payoff" and it does not cost them a nickel. Not to mention the money is unbacked fiat currency created out of thin air.
If that 50 million were rising up to "take" the power away from the corporations and put it back with the small business community things would change. Unfortunately, they have to give up their "comfortable rut' and take a chance on change. It is painfully obvious they like their sure thing entitlements more than a chance at prosperity.
I mean we had a global meltdown ending in a depression with no investigations whatsoever and corporate bailouts were given out with blatant disregard for the taxpayers. What happened?? All the incumbents were reelected! If you want financial change then stop selling out for the cheap stuff and take a chance on change. Otherwise just shut up and watch the circus until it collapse very soon.
stop listing to the top 2 per cent of the top fat cats..do you really think they are going to help you people get reelected...they have failed the American way...just stop it.
You probably meant "listening" and "top 2 per cent of the top fat cats, like Obama", right?
There is no real plan items listed there in the article, just high level marketing hyperbole. Are there any actual details about what he intends to do?
Nop !! 911 and Bush/cheney already
'radically restructures the American economy
and Israel, I might add had a hand in it
My version of the Romney plan:
1 A a Marraige Amendment to allow up to four wives-so that divorce layers are minimized, and attorney can be used more constructively in finding tax l opholes.
2. Michelle Bachmann, since she laread IS a tax Lawyer willbe involved increating new tax lopholes structure azround "failyvaues". These include a new pregna t moms tax crediot..which is offets bythe new health care tax to fund pre-existing conditions coverage. The will also be the "pregnancy inceltive act" to encourge rprenancy within marriage;incontrat there willbe a pregnacy penalty act for those outside of marrage. This willake it revunue neutral-and not raise taxes.
3We will charge countires for ou r military presence abroad.this will create a new revenue sream that doe s not burned the america ntax payer. We will of course extend loans to those contires who require addition miltary goods; provided that all good be built inthes country under our new "Buyamerica" plan.
Of course critcs wil lsay some can't afford our serives. They will be able to p ay with low wage labor for importas to america. This will allow the Romney Adminstration to distribute those goods in state likeWest Virgina and Kentucky underour new anti-poverty planwhere people inpoverty helpone another.
4. We will open an new dialouge with Cuba. We will offer tax breaks inreturn for exculing Brazil fromDeepwater drilling concessions. We wiull expand port facilites along the Gulf coast to hanle cCubanoil refieries. We willa lso extend tax breaks to manufaucers who sell cars to cuba-priving the cars are all USA made, and that they use theoil refined at therefniers we proose to build.
We also willbe encouragin ga brach banking system in Cuba usingamerican ATMS and parntership with Banks like Well Fargo. We will allow wealth Management Funds to set up off shore accounts in Cuba, provingthemoney is used inCuba. This we trust will negatetheneed for foriegn assistance on th eromney adminstrations part. there are those who saythat the anonnymnity provisons of weath managment mayseemstrange, but we recognize thesentifiyof those concerns about dealingwitha former Communits state.
5. We are going to merge ourinterests with those of Mexico. This wil lextend capital punshment to drug dealers and elimnate theneed for border security andi mmigration issues. It will also raise minimum wages for Mexicans to American levels. It will allow us tolay off costlyborder patrols,and cut taxes.
It willalso increase Social security solvencey by prividng man ynew worker paying in to soial security,since th ebirthrate is higher there.this willsolve the babv yboomer retirment problem, boostingcontriutors and re-doingr retirment ages signifancly.
6 We will begin a new space shuttle program aimed at colonizing t he moon ina decade or less. We will reused the existing shuttleprogram the Obama ameinstration plans to scrap. This wil be part of our reuses, renew" program. We alsowil reach our to Democrats by endorsrin g sSn Ben Nelson's surgrey space center proposal-to allow medicineto move foward in being able to conduct surgery inouter space.this willbe in constonant wilth our new "factoies on themoon" proopsal,so that meical care acess will go hand in hand withmoonmining and infrastructre.
We will have new "Mine the Moon" Bonds and "Space Shuttle Transpotation Bonds" John Palson who orginated the "designed to Fail" bond program has graciouly lent us his expertise for this program.
In Addition we wil work with private enterprise to development moon based prision camps sununder contract justlike private proisionare inour 50 states. Our pilot program willinvolve re-location sex offender to themoon so they are no longer a threat to earth. this will be a joint federal-stateproject-since thereare far more state sex offeners than federal ones.
We believe theese proposals will generate us a prosporous future.