Mitt Romney on Economy

Romney vows that as President he will pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. He says his main focus will be to grow the economy - helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He has a long record of opposing unions and supports a number of anti-labor practices.

Other priorities include:

• reducing excessive government spending and reform entitlements.


• further reducing taxes on several fronts.


• promoting trade


• utilizing market forces to bear in health
• care


• pursuing national tort and liability reform


• eliminating excessive regulations

Trade

Romney sees the Asian countries as models because they are on the move economically and technologically. Specifically he notes they’re a family oriented, educated, hard-working, and mercantile people.

To compete with Asia, Romney argues, we need to: ensure our children are educated; make trade laws fair and balanced; ensure our economy and tax laws welcome new investment (including technology); reform our immigration laws to bring in more of the brains from around the world; eliminate the waste in our government; and we have to use a lot less oil.

Romney believes if we act wisely, the emergence of Asia can be an opportunity - trade and commerce with these huge new economies can further strengthen our economy and propel our growth.

Protectionism may look good, but Romney argues it will kill the economy in the long run. What you have to do in order to compete on a global basis long term is invest in education, invest in technology, reform our immigration laws to bring in more of the brains from around the world, eliminate the waste in our government. We have to use a lot less oil.

Taxes

During the presidential campaign, Romney has sounded staunchly anti-tax.

• He vowed to fight to cut taxes for all Americans.


• He called on congress to re-impose a three-fifths (60%) supermajority requirement to raise taxes.


• Was the first 2008 presidential candidate to sign the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge."


• Vows to make The Bush tax cuts permanent.

Says he’ll lower tax rates for all Americans.

• Will make savings tax free for middle-class Americans.


• Will make reduce corporate tax rates.


• Will Fight To Abolish the estate tax.

Labor

Romney has taken an anti-labor position on several issues.

• He opposes requiring non-union workers to contribute to union dues


• Opposes secret ballots - He also opposes legislation permitting labor unions to organize businesses by taking away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine unionization.


• Opposes automatic paycheck deduction - As President, Romney vows to work to overturn existing federal policy that permits automatic paycheck deduction for federal employees' union dues.


• Favors “Right to Work” laws - Saying it “will never pass” at the federal level, Romney says right to work laws need to be implemented at the state level and encourages state to pass such laws, arguing they foster economic growth.


• Challenged unions’ political activities - In 2003 Romney challenged the voluntary payroll deduction program in which union members contribute 50 cents per week to a union PACs. Many of the PACs opposed Romney in the 2002 gubernatorial election.