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Subscribe to RSSTHE VILLAGES, FL -- With an audience of several hundred seniors hanging on his every word, Mitt Romney today told a town hall meeting here that Social Security was not a Ponzi scheme at all -- but that his chief rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, might make it something worse.
"I don't think the major problem is that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. I think the problem is keeping it from becoming a Perry Scheme," Romney said, debuting a new attack line to an audible reaction from the audience.
But Perry was not Romney's only target in his appearance at this sprawling retirement and golf community today, as the former Massachusetts governor also leveled some harsh words at President Obama.
In beginning an answer in which he went on to broadly criticize the president for his "failing leadership," Romney mocked the president's well-known campaign slogan.
"There's been kind of a change in attitude isn't it?." Romney asked the crowd rhetorically. "We've gone from 'Yes, we can' to 'Gee, I'm sorry, we can't."
That line, along with jokes about his growing brood of grandchildren and about having a drink on a lanai with a voter, earned Romney laughs from a very friendly crowd here -- some of whom had likely seen Romney speak before. Shaking hands and signing autographs after the event, he said he'd spoken around The Villages community more than a half dozen times since 2008. Moreover, the complex's owners, the Morse family, have been generous donors to Romney-supporting Super PAC "Restore our Future" as well.
But not everyone at the event was a supporter -- a group of some 35 demonstrators gathered outside to protest against any plans for cuts to Medicare. Romney addressed the protestors in an answer to a question on health care.
"I saw some signs out there, you may have seen them, that said 'Keep your hands off our Medicare'" Romney said, "By the way, there's only one person I know of that has cut Medicare. That's the president of the United States."
But Romney has praised House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's plan to privatize Medicare for future seniors currently younger than 55, in which they must purchase private insurance and receive a subsidy to help pay for it.
"I applaud Rep. Paul Ryan for recognizing the looming financial crisis that faces our nation and for the creative and bold thinking that he brings to the debate. He is setting the right tone for finally getting spending and entitlements under control. Anyone who has read my book knows that we are on the same page," Romney said in a statement last April.
Praising Jeb and Marco
Of course, no Florida campaign event by a GOP presidential candidate would be complete without a dash of praise for former Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen. Marco Rubio -- and Romney touched both bases.
Asked about education reform, Romney said that while he believed education should be managed at the state level, he said he had also consulted the former Gov. Bush about the issue and considered him an expert.
"I don't know anybody who is a better governor, and an expert on education, than Jeb Bush." Romney said.
And Romney will be able to be lean on some of that expertise as well. This morning, his campaign announced the support of Jeb Bush's Chairman of Florida's state board of education, Phil Handy, who had previously been the Florida chairman of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's campaign.
Asked twice about the possibility of Rubio's name appearing on a Romney presidential ticket, Romney twice demurred, saying he did not want to be presumptuous, but offered kind words for Florida's junior senator, who enjoys rock star popularity among many conservatives.
"You've got a good senator here in this state, no doubt about that." Romney said. "He would certainly be someone that anybody would be proud to be associated with."
And Romney also had kind words for another Republican whose name, we learned today with finality, will not be appearing on any presidential ballots next fall: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
"Competition is always a good thing, and he would be a very fine contender and an excellent competitor if he were in the race." Romney said of Christie, responding to a shouted question after the event.
Asked why he himself was running again -- and why anyone would even want the job -- Romney gave the credit, or the blame, to his wife, Ann.
"It was my wife, by the way, she was the one who said, 'You've got to run again.' I said, 'You've got to be kidding me.' You've got to run again! You've got to run again! Because the country needs you." Romney said, again, to laughs.
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Too amusing!
It's like a pedophile hiding his maps of the local playgrounds...
It can be argued that "starve the beast" Teabaggers are even more idiotic than war-mongering corporate welfare, starve the middle class establishment Republicans. Certainly calling Social Security an unconstitutional Ponzi Scheme is out there, and Paul Ryan Hoods plan to steal from Medicare for the elderly to give more tax breaks to the rich is really diabolical.
But if seniors and any other American want programs like Social Security protected and strengthened then they need to vote for Democrats. Romney isn't going to champion anything from the New Deal, or that doesn't help corporations in some way. But you go ahead Romney, and please continue to point out to seniors that the Teabaggers want to push them off a cliff--at least that part is true.
Romney is Obama lite.
Well the GOP is just doomed if they keep trying to push Romney and Perry. They might as well just give up and start trying to mold their candidate for 2016.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
TruePatriot-445959
Hey stupid didn't obama take like 500 billion or so from medicare for his obamacare??? what are you stupid or what wait don't answer that we know the answer already.
So you are ok with obama taking 500 billion or so from medicare that's okay because your socialist leader did it.
do us a favor if you have a gun put it in your mouth and pull the trigger.
The Villages? Nothing like picking a friendly venue...
The place is a white cauldron of Tea Party types. In fact, it's a "company town."
Oh. And there's those dang tax issues too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages,_Florida
No wonder Romney wanted to make a stop there and address the faithful...
Gee, I'm sorry- did I miss the part where people were forced to live there?
Look, you could not PAY me to live in one of those communities- but who am I-o r you- to ridicule or otherwise question their choices?
This is still a free country- people get to choose where they live. If you have a problem with the community, do what I did-
Buy elsewhere.
No Joe:
I've been there. Won't go back...and certainly won't buy.
My point is not that people were forced to live there. It's that it's an isolated, insulated, unrepresentative community. By choice.
Where is it written that Americans do not have a choice? I thought that was a big deal for liberals.
I'm no candidate for one of those communities- my husband and I bought our second home in Key West. That was our choice.
That's the beauty of America- and I would not be happy if a candidate decided not to speak there because of its diversity- anymore than I would be happy with one who chose not to speak somewhere where, by choice, there was no diversity- certainly, of age.
Freedom. It's the American way- even if you- and I- find the choice not our thing.
NJNB -- You're missing the point, and no number of posts trying to explain this to you will make a difference.
No JBNJ:
And a good choice it was. Not one I would have expected from you, given the diversity and (I think) the relatively liberal political environment there.
TruePatriot, you honestly think the democrats are for the middle class? Let me give people some examples. Under the healthcare bill the following will happen: If you already have healthcare coverage and it is over $8,000, you pay a tax. Most people will fall under this. A company will cancel healthcare and pay the fine for not covering their employees. Saving thousands per employee. Who suffers, the middle class that lose their coverage. Now you have to purchase insurance yourself or pay the penalty or is it a tax? We have heard both ways from the democrats. The democrats want to move your benefits over to taxable. This will cause most middle and lower class taxes to go up, by thousands. The democrats want the cap and tade tax for energy. This will cause people's utilities and gas to go up by an average of 50%. Who does this hurt? The seniors, middle class, and poor. The democrats want to tax you by the mile driven. Where do most of the lower income and middle income live? In the suburbs, since they cannot afford a house in the city. So, now seniors, lower income, and middle income have to pay another tax. For any person to state that the democrats are looking out for the poor, seniors, and middle class is not an accurate statement. They are looking out for the unions, who of the over 1700 waivers given for the healthcare bill, 40% of it is for union members. Also, when the union members compromise about 10% of the workforce.
Mark-384387
Don;t forget that when you sell a home obamacare will tax your profits on that home 3% of gross yep you loss 3% extra to oabamacare so some illegal can have health care or a 47%er who pays no fed tax can live off your back.
5T:
BS. That has been thoroughly debunked.
http://attackmachine.com/blog/2011/05/14/debunking-the-real-estate-sales-tax-in-obamacare/
Social security is a major issue for senior citizens in this election, however, many citizens rely on income from municipal bonds. There are major differences in how Obama and Romney plan to change the tax code as it applies to income from municipal bonds. For example, Obama has proposed limiting the amount of tax-free interest a person can earn. The differences are covered in more detail in the following article
Why Obama Could be Better than Romney for Muincipal Bonds
The country needs you?
Did Romney watch tv today, or yesterday or last week when the media was salivating over a possible Christie run?
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Romney, The Quiet Extremist written by Michael B. Keegan
In the most recent illustration yet of Romney's quiet acceptance of the Radical Right, he is scheduled to speak at next week's far-right Values Voter Summit, a Washington get-together sponsored by designated hate groups the American Family Association and the Family Research Council. At the event, Romney will take the stage immediately after AFA spokesman Bryan Fischer, a man whose record of outspoken bigotry is so shocking he would be an anathema to any reasonable political movement. Fischer wants to deport American Muslims, says gays are responsible for the Holocaust and claims Native Americans are "morally disqualified" from controlling land. He also claims that non-Christian religions don't have First Amendment rights - among the faiths he has singled out as exceptions to the free exercise clause is Romney's own Mormonism. I have called on Romney to distance himself from Fischer's bigotry before handing him the microphone on Saturday... but don't hold your breath.
_____________________________
We won't hold our breath Mr. Keegan.
Romney is not a moderate.
-continued-
Romney is still trying to have it both ways -- to retain what little is left of his "moderate" persona while cheerfully appeasing the most extreme elements of the corporate and religious Right. He is banking on being able to get through the primary with both of his personas intact. Unfortunately for him, it's not working.
Romney wears his pro-corporate politics with the pride of a Koch brother. He told an audience in Iowa recently that "corporations are people" -- a bold statement, even for a multi-millionaire who made his fortune partly on the profits from outsourcing American jobs. And he hasn't backed down from his claim -- in fact, he keeps repeating it.
Romney may think that corporations are people, but he seems to think that they deserve more care and concern from the government than working, tax-paying, family-feeding citizens. His economic plan calls for the vast deregulation of financial markets, whose lack of constraints in the Bush era led to the catastrophic economic collapse from which we're still digging our way out. In contrast with his policies as governor of Massachusetts, where he helped close a budget gap by eliminating $110 million in corporate tax loopholes, Romney has now signed a pledge rejecting all efforts to raise revenues by making the wealthiest pay their fair share in income tax or closing loopholes that help companies ship jobs overseas.
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The last thing working Americans need is Romney.
I thought it interesting that the media wanted Christie to run. The same Christie to wanted to take a baseball bat to someone who disagreed/questioned him.
I don't know what's worse in this country -
a media who doesn't care about working people
Republicans
or those who for some reason support Republicans.
The Christie affair by the media was a fiasco.
Like the Huffington Post is ever without bias. The article about Romney is not completely factual, and it is inflammatory in some cases.
Romney will make an excellent President.
Except Seniors: that is Romney's position today. If he senses that he will have to shift to that position to satisfy the "teabaggers", watch him scramble to catch up and say how wonderful Perry and Ryan's position are.
Mitt...your waffles are excellent! Especially with some good syrup to sweeten them up!
Romney will make an excellent President.
Romney 2012!!!
Sunflower:
Doubtful. But I find it interesting you would pick Romney over the "favorite son" in Texas. Isn't Rick P going to carry his home state?
Why don't we all face stark facts, the word everyone shutters at, HEALTH CARE RATIONING, is going to have to occur sooner or later. You shouldn't be doing Gamma Knife treatments on people with metastatic brain tumors and the patient will be expired 2 months later, needs to STOP. Can't give expensive drugs to late stage kidney dialysis patients whose previous renal transplants have failed, needs to STOP. Can't do 18 rehab knee visits for a teenager that had a knee injury, when 12 will be sufficient, with instructions to do self-rehab will work, needs to STOP, this goes on thousands of times per day,because some physician or health practice is making $$, that could save billions of dollars. Also need to get Americans in physically fit condition, out of shape needs to STOP. Doesn't matter what Romney or anyone says about Medicare. If we don't get these costs under control, the medical dilemma in America will eat our pocketbooks! The philosophy to medicine needs to change. Medicare is fine, the model of care in this country is the problem
Good article, & VERY TRUE. The time, fellow center-RIGHTISTS, moderates, Independents, Reagan Dems, etc. IS NOW. We should begin coalescing NOW. The irrational, reactionary, anti-Romney crowd will continue tearing their vote apart between Cain, George W. Perry, Bachmann & Paul.
THIS is how Romney WILL WIN IOWA. Latest poll their backs me up. ROMNEY HAS BEEN BEATING OBAMA IN NATIONAL & BATTLEGROUND STATE POLLING SINCE DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. His appeal is vast, articulate, so refreshingly intelligent, qualified, credible, etc.
ROMNEY turned a huge 3 BILLION $ state budget deficit into ALMOST A 1 BILLION SURPLUS. ROMNEY CUT taxes 19 times. ROMNEY helped add over 50,000 jobs to MA as Gov. ROMNEY helped lower MA unemployment 1%.
ROMNEY IS WHO WE NEED!
ROMNEY/RUBIO 2012.
He waffles alot though