Romney 2012
Believe in America
Hart Plaza, Detroit
July 2nd, 2011
Thank you for coming. It’s great to be back home in Detroit.
You know, I had people telling me to host this event back in Massachusetts, or Utah, or even New Hampshire, but there’s no place I’d rather host this than the place where it all started, here in Detroit Michigan. I’m not gonna lie, things here have changed a lot since my childhood here about three centuries ago (laughs), but one thing hasn’t — the amount of unbelievable determination the folks of Detroit and the great state of Michigan have.
Over the last thirty years, I can't tell you how many times I've heard a situation is hopeless. But I've always enjoyed proving them wrong. It's one of the lessons I learned from my Dad.
My father never graduated from college. He apprenticed, as a lath and plaster carpenter, and he was darn good at it. He learned how to put a handful of nails in his mouth and spit them out, point forward. On their honeymoon, he and Mom drove across the country. Dad sold aluminum paint along the way, to pay for gas and hotels.
There were a lot reasons my father could have given up or set his sights lower. But Dad always believed in America; and in that America, a lath and plaster man could work his way up to running a little car company called American Motors, and end up Governor of this great state.
For my Dad, America was the land of opportunity, where the circumstances of birth are no barrier to achieving one's dreams. It simply breaks my heart that since my dad passed nearly twenty years ago, I feel less and less able to say that.
Just four years ago, our nation faced one of the greatest economic dilemmas we’ve witnessed in our history — places like Detroit were hit hard, and folks in Washington and across the country were quick to call the situation hopeless. But I think we have something in common in that we both like to prove them wrong. Back in 2008 Barack Obama promised us great hope, and we listened. But after America gave him our support, President Obama broke his promise.
When President Obama took office, the economy was in recession.
He made it worse. And he made it last longer.
Three years later, over 16 million Americans are out of work or have just quit looking. Millions more are underemployed.
Three years later, unemployment is still above 8%, a figure he said his stimulus would keep from happening.
Three years later, foreclosures are still at record levels.
Three years later the prices of homes continue to fall.
Three years later, our national debt has grown nearly as large as our entire economy.
Families are buried under higher prices for food and higher prices for gasoline.
It breaks my heart to see what's happening in this country.
It doesn’t have to be this way. President Obama’s new campaign for the Presidency is nothing more than an attempt to continue a status quo that simply has not worked for America. Turning around a crisis takes experienced leadership and bold action. For millions of Americans, including many in this great city, the economy is in crisis today, and unless we change course, it will be in crisis for all of us tomorrow.
Government under President Obama has grown to consume almost 40% of our economy. We are only inches away from ceasing to be a free market economy. I will cap federal spending at 20% or less of the GDP and finally, finally balance the budget.
I will insist that Washington learns to respect the Constitution, including the 10th Amendment. We will return responsibility and authority to the states for dozens of government programs - and that begins with a complete repeal of Obamacare.
From my first day in office my number one job will be to see that America once again is number one in job creation. You know, if you want to create jobs, it helps to have had a job. I will make business taxes competitive with other nations, modernize regulations and bureaucracy and finally promote America's trade interests. It's time for a president who cares more about America's workers than he does about America's union bosses.
The people of Michigan and the United States deserve an America that works for them, where opportunity is abundant, and where the government is responsible. To accomplish that America needs a leader with the experience and determination to get the job done.
Twenty-seven years ago, I left a steady job to join with some friends to start a business. Like many of you, it had been a dream of mine to try and build a business from the ground up. We started in a small office a couple of hours from here and over the years, we were able to grow from ten employees to hundreds.
My work led me to become deeply involved in helping other businesses, from innovative startups to large companies going through tough times. Sometimes I was successful and helped create jobs, other times I was not. I learned how America competes with companies in other countries, what works in the real world and what doesn't.
I left my business in 1999 to help put the Salt Lake City Olympics back on track. And when the Games were over, I came home to Massachusetts and served as governor.
I'd never held office before but I went at it like I ran businesses and the Olympics: ask tough questions and take on the toughest problems first.
When I took office, I faced a nearly $3 billion budget hole. My legislature was over 85% Democrat. The expectation was that we'd have to raise taxes but I refused. I ordered a review of all state spending, made tough choices and balanced the budget without raising taxes. That sent a message that business as usual was over.
At the end of four years, we consolidated agencies, cut programs, sold state property and cut taxes nineteen times. We balanced every budget, restored a $2 billion dollar rainy day fund and kept our schools first among all 50 states.
All of these experiences -- starting and running businesses for 25 years, turning around the Olympics, governing a state -- have helped shape who I am and how I lead. Of course, if I ran through a list of all my mistakes, Ann would find it hilarious, and we'd be here all night. But I've learned a lot.
I’d like to work for you, America.
I'm Mitt Romney, and I'm running for President of the United States.
