Rick Perry’s Jobs Plan Falls Short, Romney’s Plan The Whole Shebang

By Jayde Wyatt | October 14, 2011 - 9:03 PM | 2012 Election, Economy, Jobs, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry 1 views

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Rick Perry unveiled a jobs plan today that mostly centers on the development of America’s energy resources. While energy development is a crucial step in boosting our economy and can strengthen our national security, for Perry being touted as the ‘jobs governor’, his plan is somewhat of a one-pony plan.

Mitt Romney’s comprehensive jobs plan addresses all areas of the economy and will lead to more than 11 million new private sector jobs in the next four years. He details ways in which to rebuild the foundations of the American economy on the principles of free enterprise, hard work, and innovation.

Romney’s plan emphasizes critical structural adjustments rather than short-term fixes. It seeks to reduce taxes, spending, regulation, and government programs. It seeks to increase trade, energy production, human capital, and labor flexibility. It relinquishes power to the states instead of claiming to have the solution to every problem.

Job one from day one: revive the economy and encourage job growth. On his first day in office, Romney will send five bills to Congress and issue five executive orders that will get government out of the way and restore America to the path of robust economic growth that we need to create jobs.

Governor Romney lays out more than fifty policy proposals across seven different areas: Taxes, Regulation, Trade, Energy, Labor, Human Capital, And Fiscal Policy. The specific proposals include fundamental tax reform, a significant overhaul of the federal regulatory system, innovative new approaches for opening foreign markets to American exports and for confronting China over its unfair trade practices, an aggressive commitment to developing America’s energy resources, and a dramatically reduced role in the economy for the federal government.

“Romney’s Campaign Predicted That His Overall Plan Would Lead To 4 Percent Annual Growth In The U.S. Economy, And Create 11.5 Million New Jobs Over Four Years.” (FoxNews.com, 9/6/11)

According to data cited by the Perry campaign, the timeline of Governor Perry’s estimate of 1.2 million new jobs is over the next thirteen years:

Governor Perry Estimates His Plan Could “Generate Up To 1.25 Million Jobs.” (Rick Perry, “Energizing Jobs And American Security,” RickPerry.org,10/14/11)

Wood Mackenzie Data Cited In Perry’s Plan Estimates That 1,262,035 Jobs Would Be Created By 2025. (“U.S. Supply Forecast And Potential Jobs And Economic Impacts, 2012-2030,” Wood Mackenzie, 9/7/11)

• This translates into 8,090 jobs created per month from the beginning of 2012 through the end of 2024.
• (1,262,035 / 13 years / 12 months = 8,090)

Wood Mackenzie Estimates That 668,462 Jobs Would Be Created By 2015. (“U.S. Supply Forecast And Potential Jobs And Economic Impacts, 2012-2030,” Wood Mackenzie, 9/7/11)

• This translates into 18,568 jobs created per month from the beginning of 2012 through the end of 2014.
• (668,462 / 36 months = 18,568)

Governor Perry’s “Jobs Plan” Consists Of Less Than 7% Of The Jobs Needed To Keep Pace With Population Growth:

A Common Estimate Of The Number Of New Jobs Needed To Keep Up With Population Growth Is 125,000 Per Month. (The New York Times, 7/8/11)

Perry’s estimate of 1.25 million jobs by 2025 – or 8,090 per month over that period – would create less than 7% of the number of jobs needed to merely keep pace with population growth.

• (8,090 jobs per month / 125,000 jobs to keep up with population = 0.0647)

Perry’s estimate of 668,462 jobs by 2015 – or 18,568 per months over that period – would create less than 15% of the number of jobs needed to merely keep pace with population growth.

• (18,568 jobs per month / 125,000 jobs to keep up with population = 0.1485)

Under Governor Perry’s leadership, jobs in Texas haven’t kept up with population growth either:

Over One Million Texans Are Out Of Work, Reflecting An Increase Of Nearly 140% During Perry’s Tenure. In August 2011, there were an estimated 1,036,563 unemployed workers in Texas. When Perry took office in December 2000, there were an estimated 434,408 unemployed workers in Texas.(Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 10/14/11)

The Unemployment Rate In Texas Is 8.5% – More Than Twice As High As When Perry Took Office. When Governor Perry took office in December 2000, the unemployment rate was 4.2%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 10/14/11)

The Unemployment Rate In Texas Has Been At 8% Or Above For Twenty-Four Consecutive Months. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 10/14/11)

The Unemployment Rate In Texas Is At A Level Not Seen Since June 1987 – Nearly A Quarter Of A Century Ago. (Bureau of Labor Statistics,www.bls.gov, 10/14/11)

In August 2011, Twenty-Six States Had A Lower Unemployment Rate Than Texas. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 10/14/11)

Perry’s jobs plan falls short. Romney’s plan is the whole shebang.

To view Mitt Romney’s jobs plan book Believe in America: Mitt Romney’s Plan for Jobs and Economic Growth click here.

► Jayde Wyatt

The Juicy Details of Romney’s Middle Eastern ‘Learning and Listening Tour’

By Aaron Gundy | January 14, 2011 - 4:17 PM | 2012 Election, Foreign Policy, Mitt Romney, National Security, Statements 1 views

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Though Romney furnished a written statement in response to the Tucson tragedy, some are wondering why Romney hasn’t uploaded a lengthy facebook video statement on the matter. Some are saying Mitt’s been a tad bit silent, even distant — and they’re right. For the past week or so, Governor Romney has been meeting with the most powerful figures in the Middle East, sleeping in military barracks, test driving innovative electronic vehicles, headlining leadership conventions, and simply absorbing the input of concerned citizens and foreign dignitaries.

It’s always hard to trace Romney’s steps; the guy just never stands still for too long. The best attempt I’ve seen, though, comes from the Boston Globe’s Farah Stockman. Considering Romney has declined press interviews, the info Farah managed to scrape up is really quite intriguing. Here you are:

KABUL, Afghanistan — Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney traveled aboard a private jet, slept in a trailer at a US military base, and met with this war-weary nation’s top leaders. But the most telling moment of Romney’s whirlwind foreign tour this week might have come when he stood before 120 young Afghans and talked about the benefits and potential dangers of democracy.

Speaking in a capital partly destroyed by personal militias, and rebuilt, in part, by opium profits, Romney said: “Democracy opens the door not just for good people but also for bad people. There will be those who will use freedom to take from others for themselves.’’

Romney’s advice: “Look for good leaders and support them…. Make sure the nation knows good from bad.’’

Far from the sometimes-boiling partisan atmosphere back home, Romney sought to present a more nuanced side of himself during what his staff described as an important listening and learning tour — one that is bound to be seen as another step in his preparation for a likely second run for the presidency.

Yesterday, Romney had breakfast with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he is scheduled to meet today with Palestinian Authority prime minister Salam Fayad.

He is seeking advice on foreign policy matters, asking questions of foreign and US military leaders.

Throughout the trip, Romney has avoided public events and the press.

Mitt Romney at a conference with future leaders of Afghanistan. IMAGE COURTESY: The Boston Globe

Indeed, Romney spent most of his three days in Kabul asking Afghans what they think about the challenges ahead, according to Lorne Craner, president of the International Republican Institute, the nonprofit group that supports political engagement overseas and that organized Romney’s travel to Afghanistan.

Romney arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday and held a discussion about governance with six Afghan governors, most of whom head provincial governments that are struggling against a Taliban resurgence and a faltering economy based on the illegal opium trade.

On Tuesday, he spoke to the Afghan Youth National Service, a nationwide organization of 18 to 35 year olds that includes several new members of Parliament.

Romney also held private meetings with some of the most powerful people in the country: President Hamid Karzai, US General David Petraeus, and US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry.

Mitt Romney meets with General Patraeus and US troops in Afghanistan

On Monday night, he dined at the home of Ashraf Ghani, a former Afghan finance minister who is now chief adviser to Karzai and cochairman of the committee charged with transferring security from NATO and the United States to Afghanistan by 2014. During the dinner, Romney fired off questions around the dinner table to Ghani, a former World Bank official.

Ghani said many of Romney’s questions focused on how to ensure the best relations between the two countries, as if he were a head of state.

“His questions were that of a United States leader, with an eye to the highest office of the land,’’ Ghani said. “But he was engaged, thoroughly prepared and was really looking to learn. His attitude was one of engagement, not of preaching from a position that was fixed.’’ (emphasis mine)

…

During his speech Tuesday before an attentive audience, Romney urged his listeners to communicate their successes in government reform to the public. He urged the young Afghans to find their “own personal way of serving’’ their country.

But one questioner quickly turned the tables on him. “Are you running for president in 2012?’’ asked a man in a yellow turban, through an interpreter.

Romney reverted to political mode with his stock answer: “I have not yet made a decision about running for office again.’’

Looking forward to see how this trip guides Romney’s foreign policy talking points moving forward to the debates. Ahh… the debates: so close, yet so stinkin’ far away. I can’t wait.

-Aaron Gundy- Follow @AaronGundy on Twitter

~Update from Ross
Romney’s most recent tweet: “Visited Sderot, Israel where rockets land–inspired by Israeli courage.”

Also, Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney met Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who aides say plans sessions with all the serious potential 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls.

Netanyahu’s office said the two “discussed a series of issues, including advancing the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, which will be based on security, and the challenge to the international community posed by the Iranian nuclear program.”