President Barack Obama Friday launched series of attacks on proposals Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney has put forth as his vision for the future of the country.
Obama, speaking at a rally in Virginia, mocked what he called Romney's "sales pitch" for the Presidency, first calling into question Romney's economic plan.
"He wants you to believe that somehow he'll create 12 million jobs, cut taxes by $5 trillion, even though it favors the wealthiest Americans," Obama said. "When folks who don't actually work for Governor Romney start crunching the numbers, it turns out the tax plan doesn't add up, jobs plan doesn't create jobs, deficit plan doesn't reduce the deficit."
Quoting an economist at the New York Times, Obama said that Romney's jobs plan was actually a "snow job on the American people."
"Virginia, you've heard of the New Deal, you've heard of the Square Deal, the Fair Deal," Obama said. "Mitt Romney is trying to give you a Sketchy Deal."
Obama said that Romney's plans essentially boil down to a single point: that wealthy Americans would get to live by a different set of rules that other Americans.
"If he offered you that deal when he was in corporate finance, you wouldn't give him a dime," Obama said. "So why would you give him [your] vote?"
He added, "This same philosophy that's been squeezing the middle-class family for more than a decade -- the same philosophy that got us into this mess. We can't go back to that."
To keep America moving forward and not going back to that governing philosophy was the reason, Obama said, he was running for a second term.
"I believe that the biggest issue in this election is how do we rebuild a strong middle class and provide ladders for opportunity," Obama said. "Are we going to make sure that we're a country where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules?"
And while the economy is clearly the most important issue of the election, Obama said, it is not the only area in which Romney proposes to move backwards instead of forwards.
"It's bad enough that my opponent wants to take us back to the failed economic policies of the past," Obama said. "But when it comes to issues critical to women -- the right to make your own decision about your health -- the right to be treated fairly and equally in the workplace -- Governor Romney wants to take us to policies more suited to the 1950s."
Obama added, "He may not have noticed, we're in the 21st century. And in the 21st century, a woman deserves equal pay for equal work."
With just over two weeks until the election, Obama said that the choice between the candidate who would move the country forward rather than backwards has never been more clear.
"In 18 days, you can choose between top-down economic policies that got us into this mess, or the middle class-out policies that are getting us out of this mess," Obama said. "In 18 days, you can choose a foreign policy that gets us into wars with no plan to get out, or you can say let's end the Afghan war responsibly … Let's focus on making sure that we're building America."
He added, "That's what's at stake, Virginia. That's why I'm asking for your vote. I believe in you. I need you to keep believing in me. I want to finish the job."
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News