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Subscribe to RSSTROY, MI -- Mitt Romney sought to explain his opposition to the 2009 auto industry bailouts before an audience in his native Michigan, a state where the industry looms large.
A day after a debate in nearby Rochester, where he was forced to defend his consistency on the bailout, Romney renewed his defense.
"What's happening tears at my heart," Romney said. "I know what that city can be."
Romney, who had opposed bailouts for General Motors and Chrysler in 2009 and had favored a managed bankruptcy process instead, also turned around the old phrase: As goes GM, so goes the nation.
"I sure hope that's not the case," Romney said. "Because General Motors went bankrupt, and I don't want to see the nation follow down the same path Detroit went down, but the same policies you're seeing, that were so misapplied here in Detroit, will take the country in that kind of direction."
Romney, who spent most of the speech waxing nostalgic about his childhood in suburban Detroit and campaigning for his father, who served as governor in the 1960s.
His talk of autos was a more serious moment in a campaign stop more full of Romney waxing nostalgic about things well-remembered: swimming in Michigan's great lakes, campaigning with his father in years gone by and his favorite lines from the poem "Men to Match My Mountains," Mitt Romney was asked to weigh in on things forgotten.
In this case, the former Massachusetts governor was put on the spot about the third agency slated for cuts forgotten by Texas Governor Rick Perry at last night's debate.
But Romney, whose sparring with Perry headlined the last debate three weeks ago, was cordial toward his campaign rival.
"I wish him the very best," Romney told reporters.
Asked how he felt about last night's CNBC debate, here in Michigan, where he was raised, Romney said he was satisfied with his performance.
"I was very pleased with the debate," Romney said. "I thought I got most of my points across pretty well."
But how did he feel about Perry, Romney was asked?
"I've got worry more about me than about anybody else," Romney responded.
Romney's speech at a Polish-American cultural center to a rally of some 150 supporters and a handful of family members was a warm one. He toned down much of his usual criticism of President Obama, although did not drop it entirely, and offered none for his GOP rivals, preferring instead to connect with the crowd using shared memories of Michigan. Romney even asked the high school band in attendance if they could play the University of Michigan fight song." To the approval of a handful of Michigan State fans in attendance, the band leader said they could not.
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Both political parties fear the other party will take the country to route of gm. Gm did not keep up with the times. They made gas guzzlers in the time of $4/gal gas prices. Mr grover & the gop want higher per capita fossil fuel consumption. Obama is green. Who is the real future.
Now thanks to Obama's policies GM & the banks can pay for their own failures & "Bailouts" --- Something conservative candidates won't ever mention!
In fact.. Conservatives in Congress are active in overturning regulations that prevent future "Bailouts"!
What was Mitt's solution to GM's problems? --- Oh yeah, "Let them Fail" & cost thousands more job losses for "America's Families"
Yea, right Jim. BHO's solution was to kill all the stock and bond holders and the small town dealerships. He did a good job on that. The fact is, that had they been allowed to file bankruptcy, they would have been leaner and stronger now instead of taking care of the overpaid union thugs just for their vote. But, in signing a deal with the devil, they have insured that they will eventually fail. Because we TAXPAYERS will not bail them out anymore. PERIOD!
Please do not forget selling Hummer to the Chinese, Chrysler to the Italians. That is the jobs bill that the President has passed off shoring of jobs
Gotta love the socialist spin by clowns such as Eric. "Waiting for the stock to go up to take profit" WTF? GM's stock has dropped about 42% in the last 12 months. US taxpayers already own millions of shares (@$39.00 per share) that has lost millions in value. Meanwhile our socialist president has elected to vote present (again, like he most often did as a junior senator in Ill.) on the Oil pipeline project that will create over 20K high paying jobs for political reasons only. This, just to appease the wacko green enviromentalist and not piss off the unions that want the jobs. Way to go Barry, way to GO! What a disgrace!
"Socialism" again dude?
Every conservative President you can call a "Socialist", especially Ronald Reagan who delivered "Pure Socialism" to the Ukraine!
Conservative policies destroyed the basic element's of Capitalism, fairness, competition, incentives & reward --- It's now the worst kind of "Socialism for only the Elite"
So Ole' Let The Fall Mittster, has little problem with America's production power collapsing.
On the other hand, the Ole' Mittster has little problem with $million and $billion dollar wages for for the non-producing Financials, Bankers, Commodity Frauders, and War Profiteers.
Doesn't matter. I've hear the Mittster say he was a Supply Sider. That is enough for me. Nyet! Nein!
"Nyet! Nein! you say --- Cain is still crying "Nein! Nein! Nein!" & still totally disrespecting America's women!
Since all the other conservative candidates seem to be exposed as ridiculous,,, my question is this;
Will the Tea Party put their support behind Romney, the only conservative who isn't one of their own?
@Jim-#57: The answer is yes. The Tea Party is republican at its core.
Unless TP runs a 3rd party candidate. If that happens, the party of the R's will kill them.
John,,, About those bailouts --- Obama's policies made sure companies can pay for their own "Bailouts" themselves
Why is it that every conservative candidate wants to overturn that? Why is it that conservatives in Congress are trying to eliminate regulations that prevent "Bailouts"?
Uh, yea right Jim. BO had done a great job of supporting companies such as Solyndra, Fisker, Sunpower, etc to help his cronnies, making sure they were put first in line ahead of the taxpayers for the bankruptcy they knew was to come. Gm does and still owes this country billions that we will never receive. Their stock has and is dropping like a rock. They are down over 42% in the time since they wiped out the stockholders the first go around. But, hey, you can have them. As a former loyal GM owner, 3 vettes, a gmc truck and a buick, I will never buy a GM product again. Always did love those ford mustangs
one big reason i think the republicans are going to do badly in 2012 is they have no positive message. it's all doom and gloom. they have old ideas that have failed. people are starting to understand all of this as the polls are rising in obama's favor and the generic congressional ballt has shifted greatlt towards the dems except for scott rassmussen who is a republican operative. folks this thing will be over before it starts. ok you can flame me now but that won't help the election for you , just make you feel good about yourself.
I have a thought on this day,honoring our vets. Every person who wants to go into politics must first serve in some branch of the military for a minimum of two years before entering any National political position. The reason I submit this is that the greatest Americans in our history have served to make this country great,and I would totally trust the judgement of someone who has made that sacrifice. God bless our greatest Americans,the vets,and God Bless the USA.
Great idea, I'd support a mandatory 4 year service starting as an E-1, but I'm afraid too many would oppose it from all sides of politics... Keep in mind those same greatest Americans also helped create the situations our nation is now suffering from.
God bless our veterans & the USA
True,but I can't stand the thought of someone with Five draft deferrals sending our soldiers to war for NO reason AGAIN.
Yep,,, We will always regret that fatal error --- It created the greatest US military strategic failures in our nation's history... Conservatives still can't figure that one out. Seems to me their candidates are repeating the same errors with their idea of strong foreign policy
Never having served,I can't help but think of a young 18 year old who was anxious and willing to serve his country,and signed up,was shipped to a foreign country,told to storm a beach,and never even made it out of the boat.That is heroism,and those who send him or her into that,should fully understand the reality of war.
In 2008 Romney promised unemployed auto workers that if elected, he would bring back and restore the American auto industry to East Michigan. Within weeks he was against saving the industry that remained from financial ruin. Romney has no real convictions when it comes to politics and his ego. The character challenged vacillater cannot be trusted to follow through on any one of the eight positions he has on each issue.
Imagine a Commander In Chief that on any given day might attack, surrender, stagnate, withdraw, or join the other side.
Rominy is worried U.S. could go same route as GM??? What, with help from all of us be saved from bankruptcy, loss of jobs and financial ruin and emerge as a strong, productive entity??? Thanks, mitten, for yet another reason why you and the rest of the TeaBaggers are a complete and utter failure when it comes to any idea on how to govern. If I ever win the lottery and am among the richest 1% of our country I'll give you losers another look. In the meantime we need leaders who are concerned with all of us and not with just lining their own pockets.
So Reversable Mittens doesn't want to see the US go in the same direction as General Motors? You mean up? As in huge profits? Hmmm....
When will the Republican party stop putting morons up for election?
When will the dummycrats get a Real American to run? This knucklehead is nothing more than another Chicago Crook. (That votes present when the tough issues are voted on)
"What's happening tears at my heart" - Right
If Romney beleives this so dramaticaly, then why in hell didn't he do something to stop the GW Bush Administration for allowing (actually putting) our economy in the desperate straits we are in?
Instead he repeats the BIG REPUBLICAN LIE, that the Obama Administration is spending too much and taxing too much. The TRUTH is that the Obama Administration was forced to spend Trillions of Dollars to save our economy and the world economy from the ECONOMIC DISASTER the GW Bush Administration sunk our country and the world into.
Gee now what did the GW Bush Administration do to cause the ECONOMIC DISASTER, deregulated banking, investment, insurance, set up prescription drug coverage without any means to pay for it, entered two wars without any means to pay for them, drasticaly cut taxes for the wealthy and large corporations such that the United States Treasury would have less funds to pay for the wars and drug coverage, while banking, investing and insurance leveraged themselves into oblivion and collapsed requiring substantial taxpayer bailout.
Mr Romney, please tell the truth, not the BIG REPUBLICAN LIE!
You do know that the dummycrats were in charge of the house and senate during the last two yrs of the Bush administration don't you? Then the first two yrs of BHO's term when they could have done anything they wanted? You do remember that don't you. Or, do you have selective memory like many of your leftist friends?
So like gm, the political parties need to position the country for the future - mr grover & the gop betting on more fossil fuel usage per capita & obama going green. Who is right. I think obama will be. Because the population of the world increases 350% every 80 years.
obama's green crap is going to provide job's how's that going so far?
Anybody but obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well "Romulian Romney" proved that his Cognitive Disabilities is still an issue. His political and economic fiip-flopping is another sign of his continuing Behavioral Disabilities. Again!! Now when "Romulian Romney" leaves the GOP "Debate Of The Clowns." He puts on his clown outfit. Gets into his Romulian Bird Of Prey, and goes politically flip-flopping on to another destination. "Romulian Romney" does not know economic policy however, he understand "Corporate Greed" very well. Poltically he thinks that changing his policy positions is clever, however this is just making him out to be a functional illiterate. On Social Policy, this "Romulian" is even more mentally confused. That is fact!!