In his continued clean-up tour after the release of a damaging, secretly recorded video, Mitt Romney says "government has a role to play," in the economy after all. That role, though, should consist of getting out of the way, or creating "the space" for Americans to succeed, according to an Op-Ed the Republican nominee for president wrote in USA Today Wednesday.
My policies will create a growing economy that fosters upward mobility.
Government has a role to play here. Right now, our nation's citizens do need help from government. But it is a very different kind of help than what President Obama wants to provide.
My experience has taught me that government works best when it creates the space for individuals and families to pursue success and achieve great things. Economic freedom is the only force that has consistently succeeded in creating sustained prosperity and lifting people out of poverty. It is why our economy rose to rival those of the world's leading powers -- and has long since surpassed them all.
The Romney campaign has continued to defend the remarks made by the candidate in the video released by liberal magazine Mother Jones Monday in which he called 47% of the electorate "dependent upon government" and unable to take "personal responsibility" for their lives.
Although, Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan describe the comments as inelegant and "inarticulate," they—along with a number of conservatives— have sought to shift the conversation toward a debate on government's role in society and how each political party differs on setting that course.
Without mentioning the video, Romney defends the "personal responsibility" remark by writing: "Since our founding, America has promoted personal responsibility, the dignity of work and the value of education. Those values made our nation the hope of the earth and our economy the envy of the world."
But that is not up for debate. What is, are the loose facts of Romney's comments as already pointed out, and the whether or not Romney's latest remarks demonstrate a lack of feeling for those worse off. Romney argues that "instead of creating a web of dependency," he will encourage "private investment and personal freedom."
Read the full Romney Op-Ed here and USA Today's rebuttal here.
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By ethnic cleansing? clearing out the poor? What space, and how is it made?
It is apparent that Romney will say anything at this point. Romney would not know the truth if it hit him in the face. Please give me a break!!! This behavior is not presidential. A potential president do not insult and/or belittle half of the electorate. It is wrong. This man refuses to produce his tax returns and he has the nerves to insult the American people about not paying taxes. This man pays less tax than the poor and elderly. Where is his responsibility to America? Is it in China or India? How about the Swiss bank accounts and the Cayman Island account?
Love the response and the fact you backed it with real facts. These are the things we needed to come out so we all know who and what we are voting for. Anyone can say one thing behind closed doors in front of friendly faces but a true candidate would speak the truth and back it with facts. If Mitt meant what he said he should own it and make a case for it, not turn around and try to reword it.
Where are his facts to back his claims? What real steps is he going to take to get people working other than forcing people off assistance. Is everyone going to end up working at a fast food place or Walmart? Oh wait then people would still need food stamps and medical care. Still does not add up. Oh well LOL
Can we please have real journalistic reporting and opinion pieces (try and make believe you’re not biased at least..)-this is pure peddling for the Obama campaign-truly sickening.
You don't need space for me,I am not one of your victims as many many are not your victims. Obama/Biden are doing a great job we don't need to switch horses in the middle of the stream,stay out of our space you will wreck it.
@Mary Louis
Tell you what's truly sickening...your republican party! Also tell that to Fox, Rasmussen and the rest of that sleazy right-wing neo-nuts who biased non-journalism is on the air almost 24/7 railing and insulting Obama. All of the supposed guest speakers are employed by fox. What a conflict of interest and cronyism that is.So take your neo-ultra right-wing azz to Fox news and post your comments. They will welcome you with open arms. Hmm..maybe you're on the Fox payroll to come post here.
Like Mitt said you are not going to get some of those out there to believe what you are saying. Why respond in anger? Just let old Mitt do himself in and sit back and watch the fire works. I guarantee it is going to be one heck of a show. LOL
... Mitt is absolutely right. A quick look at the historical data makes it abundantly and painfully clear that Romney and those like him have been creating loads of empty space between the rich and the middle-class (many of whom are now the poor), since Reagan. Conservatives decry anything they can argue as smacking of the redistribution of wealth in this country. But for the Clinton years, the monumental shift of wealth upward, to the rich, in America has been unprecedented over the past 30 or more years. The reason: Government (the same government conservatives tell us-in public at least- that they want less of) controlled by conservatives, has been biased toward the rich. The system is "rigged". Romney and those of his ilk know it, and the rest of us (the 47%) are being played for fools. There is absolutely nothing wrong with "capitalism" the concept. The problem is, has been, and always will be "capitalists". Left to their own devices, uncontrolled and unrestrained certain (all too many of them) will lie, cheat, steal and worse to achieve... profit without limits. To these parasites "Greed is good"!
It is just amazing that so many people are surprised by all this. A person worth over 200 million dollars thinks most people are leaches and bums go figure!! The real issue is what does he have to offer that is better than what we have now? This is the real debate we should be having in this country. I do not care if Romney or the Pres promise we will all have a new house and millions of new jobs if they can not explain how they will make it happen.
This whole elect me because I am not the other guy crap is old and needs to be retired. How are you going to bring back jobs or create new ones? What are you going to do about health care to make it work better and cost less? So far all we have is one side of the argument. The affordable health care act, and stimulus plan.
What does Mitt want to do?? Anyone know? It is not enough to say I ran a company and now I should run the country. Should the guy who owns the gas station down the street run for a US senate seat? Of course not!! Mitt needs to get out of the boardroom a little more often and talk to real people on both sides of the voting block. Hear what they have to say, see how they live, learn what they care about, and figure out how you can make their lives better. Do not play us vs them. You want to unite the country start there!!