Romney enters critical phase, will talk up economic plan

[Zorro]

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney plans to talk up some specifics of his economic proposals as he enters a critical period of his campaign and tries to erase a small lead that President Barack Obama has built in the polls.

Romney's challenge is to keep it close until the campaign goes into its conclusive phase next month, when he and Obama met on October 3 for the first of three presidential debates that will dominate the final weeks leading up to the November 6 election.

In a race defined by the weakness of the U.S. economy, Romney needs to convince voters that they can trust him as the Obama campaign tries to raise doubts about the economic proposals he has offered, such as what government programs would he cut and how he would pay for a 20 percent across-the-board tax cut.

To that end, Romney advisers say the former Massachusetts governor plans this week to talk up the specifics of each of the five central points of his economic message: beefing up energy production and trade, improving education, cutting government spending and helping small businesses by, among other things, reducing regulations.

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-hits-obama-looming-fiscal-cliff-015703878--finance.html

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Well, because it was such a stunning success

clearly

[moriah]

4. I still want to know what tax "loopholes" he plans to close.....

.... as he is most certainly committed to reducing taxes for the top earners, I doubt they'll be at all popular.

Which is why he isn't talking about them.

[oldhippydude]

5. screw that wher's the taxes n/t

[C_U_L8R]

6. How about the specifics of your taxes

Evasive and deceptive. That's Mitt.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Mitt Romney, the ultimate one trick p(h)ony

BTW, where are your tax returns, Willard?

[cr8tvlde]

9. Haha ... two great minds, one single thought. Cheers.

[cr8tvlde]

8. I think we can safely say the final throes of death phase.

Where are the tax returns?

[Arneoker]

10. So he is a free trader, and a protectionist who hates "Chinese cheating"?

Not that I defend the Chinese government, their general lack of integrity is almost as bad as Romney's, which is saying quite a lot! Anyway, Obama has signed free trade agreements and has presided over a boom in energy production. Education is another matter, and a thoughtful politician might be able to best Obama with his own plan. Cutting government spending as a way to stimulate the economy? Hello! Fiscal cliff anyone? Now we do have a deficit problem for the medium to long term, but the idea that Romney would do anything about that is also a funny notion. Reducing regulations, in the right areas, might help a little. But we also need regulations, which anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to financial meltdowns, big oil spills, and mineworkers' deaths should be able to figure out. Anyway, if we turn to some European countries like Greece, Italy and Spain, which have many more, and much crazier, regs than the U.S. has, we hear actual realistic people saying that regulatory reforms are necessary, but the benefits of such reforms will take time to manifest themselves. So any kind of regulation streamlining program in the U.S., however well-though out (could we really expect something like that from Romney?), would have even more long-term, and modest results. (And the Obama Administration has their own ideas about that.)

Anyway, all Obama really has to do in replying to Romney on economics is say, "Been there, done that!" Which of course he is already doing. And it helps that Bill is saying that too. (Although Bill's hands are not completely clean.)

[budkin]

11. We're gonna see why he didn't want to talk details...

Because people won't like the details.

[speedoo]

12. Romney to get specific re. His plan? Dream on.

From the article:

"On Monday and Tuesday, Romney will talk about the United States' burdensome $16 trillion debt, Obama's role in making it bigger and ways to reduce it, a senior campaign aide said."

All he will do is continue to bash Obama. He won't be specific re. His plan, because he does not even know what the specifics are yet.

[neverforget]

13. He'll be vaguely specific on his vague plans

[Arneoker]

14. I think that you're wrong

He will be specifically vague on his vague plans.