From The Road
January 14, 2008 2:23 PM

Romney Lays Out Auto Industry Recovery Plan

By
Scott Conroy
Topics
Mitt Romney
(CBS)
From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

DETROIT, MICH. -- As he battles for undecided voters with John McCain and Mike Huckabee a day before the Michigan primary, Mitt Romney laid out an optimistic vision for the struggling domestic automobile industry.

"If I am president of this country, I will roll up my sleeves in the first 100 days I'm in office, and I will personally bring together industry, labor, congressional and state leaders," Romney said. "And together we will develop a plan to rebuild America's automotive leadership."

Speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, Romney proposed a five-fold increase in national investment in energy research, fuel technology, material science and automotive technology.

Over the past few days, Romney has tried to distinguish himself as the GOP candidate best able to turn around Michigan's bleak economy. Romney's strategy has been to highlight his experience in the business world, calling for a reexamination of existing and pending CAF? standards, and to counter John McCain's assertion that some of the jobs that have left the state are not coming back.

"We also have to stop Washington politicians from imposing enormous unilateral energy costs on American manufacturing, including automotive manufacturing," Romney said. "For example, the McCain-Lieberman bill pending in Congress unilaterally imposes new high energy costs on U.S. manufacturers with no safety valve. The Energy Information Agency estimated that this bill would raise electric rates by as much as 25 percent and gasoline by as much as 68 cents a gallon. And their estimate of the cost in U.S. jobs: 300,000 jobs."

Since his disappointing second-place finish in Iowa, Romney has refocused his campaign's message by highlighting pocketbook issues and by highlighting his background as a Washington outsider who can bring a businessman's perspective to national government.

"Innovation and change present the opportunity for transformation, and the burdens on American manufacturing are largely imposed by government," Romney said. " … Washington politicians look at Michigan and they see a rust belt, but the real rust is in Washington."

  • Scott Conroy

    Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.

Add a Comment
by allenfuller-2009 January 15, 2008 2:30 PM EST
giantrobot2, you''re not helping by spamming comment fields with your message about 60" TVs.

We get your point, but the FairTax should be about more than that. It is more about helping people get out of debt, be able to live a decent life, and start to get ahead.

It''s about eliminating the waste of time and effort required to comply with our horrible, complex tax code.

It''s about leveling the playing field so our domestic industries like the auto industry can compete equally with foreign companies.
Reply to this comment
by allenfuller-2009 January 15, 2008 6:37 AM EST
giantrobot2,

You have a very apt nickname.

Please stop spamming every article with the message about the FairTax giving everyone 60" TVs or whatnot. It''s not helping.

I agree with the FairTax but it is so that 1) American industries will be on a level tax playing field with foreign companies, 2) common people can get more of their paycheck to pay for essentials and get ahead, and 3) we eliminate the high costs of compliance with the tax code and the meddling that the government does using tax as a lever.
Reply to this comment
by allenfuller-2009 January 15, 2008 6:18 AM EST
giantrobot2, you''re not helping by spamming comment fields with your message about 60" TVs.

We get your point, but the FairTax should be about more than that. It is more about helping people get out of debt, be able to live a decent life, and start to get ahead.

It''s about eliminating the waste of time and effort required to comply with our horrible, complex tax code.

It''s about leveling the playing field so our domestic industries like the auto industry can compete equally with foreign companies.
Reply to this comment
by giantrobot2 January 14, 2008 9:55 PM EST
Alert *** Alert *** Alert ***

Question:
Would you like to own a brand new high definition 60" LCD / Plasma TV with reclining chair with large cup holder for your cold beverage of your choice?

Answer:
Huckabee! He is the ONLY candidate out of the presidential field willing to implement the "Fair-Tax" system.

Look at your paycheck and see how much they are taking out of your paycheck for taxes... go ahead go look at it now.

Now take the cost of a brand new 60" LCD / Plasma high def TV and reclining chair (& cup holder) and divide that number by how much taxes they are taking out.

Example:
$3,000 (TV cost, chair) / $325 tax holding each week = 8 weeks

That''''s it, only 8 weeks to get this great deal!!!

But if you vote for any other candidate it will take years to save up for this! Say you put away $10 each week, well that''''s 4 years!

So if you want to become poorer then vote for McCain, Romney, Thompson, Guiliani, Paul, Clinton, Obama, Edwards..... but if you want to become richer vote for Huckabee!
Reply to this comment
by marinepatriot January 14, 2008 8:27 PM EST
Michigan Romney Backer Switches to Huckabee
by John Gizzi
Posted: 01/14/2008

As most polls of likely primary voters in Michigan now show a near-tie between Republicans Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain, the Romney camp got a jolt Saturday as a key backer announced he was switching his support to Huckabee.

With three days to go before the primary, State Rep. Fulton J. Sheen of Allegan County, introduced Huckabee at the Amway Grand Hotel and announced he was changing to the former Arkansas governor from native Michigander Romney. In an exclusive interview the evening before his announcement, stalwart conservative Sheen -- namesake-nephew of the legendary Roman Catholic bishop in the 1940%u2019s and %u201850%u2019s -- said that Romney%u2019s attacks on Huckabee%u2019s Fair Tax proposal convinced him to switch to the Arkansas man.

source
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24432&page=1&cp=1#hec95554

I am jumping up and down!!!!!!!!! Huckabee all the way!!!!!!!!!!
Reply to this comment
by mytech-2009 January 14, 2008 7:10 PM EST
Mitt will create jobs, Mitt will create programs that create the foundation for a brighter future. Mitt has the vision America needs! Welcome to a new America under Mitt
Reply to this comment
by marinepatriot January 14, 2008 6:58 PM EST
You mean a person that buys elections and America?

(per Newsweek) http://www.newsweek.com/id/91664

"Romney had hired Warren Tompkins as a South Carolina consultant. Known admiringly in the political trade as "the god of hell," Tompkins is legendary in the state as a disciple of the late Lee Atwater, an old Bush-family operative and perhaps the most renowned modern practitioner of campaign dark arts. The old Atwater attack machine may have been switched off, or at least turned down. Still, Tompkins, who has always denied authorship of the nastiest attacks on McCain in 2000, tells NEWSWEEK that he doubts the state''s primary will suddenly become a model of civility."
(source Newsweek)

http://www.newsweek.com/id/91664
Reply to this comment
by acorn160 January 14, 2008 6:57 PM EST
If Romney is your team leader, then your team will be successful! Yay Mitt!
Reply to this comment
by jimbotag January 14, 2008 6:37 PM EST
This is what AMERICA NEEDS a person that knows business and how to compete in the world.

We need to be safe, absolutely! but we also need to have progress, investment in the future and jump start the American Dream!

Go MITT!
Reply to this comment
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...