Romney unveils jobs plan, gets slammed by Huntsman

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is rolling out an economic plan today that includes 59 ideas based on limiting government interference in the market to stimulate growth.

Released just days before President Obama plans to deliver a speech on job creation before a joint session of Congress, Romney's plan hits well-tread Republican territory. It includes ideas like eliminating the capital gains tax for "middle-income" taxpayers and instituting other tax reforms, scaling back regulations, standing against some union interests and expanding domestic energy production.

The former Massachusetts governor will unveil the full plan today in a speech in Las Vegas and previews the plan in a USA Today op-ed. Among the 59 ideas he has to revive the economy, Romney writes in his op-ed, are 10 "concrete actions" he plans to take on his first day in office.

Romney's plan is similar in many respects to proposals from other GOP candidates, but its unveiling also opens up the candidate to attacks from his opponents.

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman recently introduced his own economic plan, and in a Wall Street Journal op-ed today, he endorses a number of ideas that Romney proposed -- expanded free trade, tax and regulatory reform and changes in energy policy. However, in a blog post today, Huntsman's campaign charges Romney can't be trusted to turn the economy around, given his record as governor.

Romney, Huntsman battle for independents in New Hampshire
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"The American people should hope the vision and policies [Romney] puts forth for our nation are the antithesis of what he implemented during his one term as governor of Massachusetts," Huntsman campaign manager Matt David wrote in the blog post. "Because if Gov. Romney's record is any indication, his plan will markedly raise fees and corporate taxes, block the adoption of a flat tax, let the Bush tax cuts expire and strangle small businesses with new, onerous health care regulations."

The blog post contrasts Romney's record with Huntsman's record as former governor of Utah. Huntsman -- who trails well behind Romney and other candidates in polls of the GOP field -- also released a web video today that contrasts Huntsman's economic record in Utah to Romney's record in Massachusetts.

"Jon Huntsman quietly, thoughtfully led Utah to leading the nation in job creation... About the same time, another governor led Massachusetts.... [and] ended up 47th in job creation," a female narrator says in the web video, over an image of an abandoned, worn out baseball mitt.

Both former governors assail Mr. Obama for burdening the free market with too much regulation. Romney, in his op-ed, specifically says he'll eliminate "Obamacare," while Huntsman calls the president's Wall Street reform bill a "regulatory sin" and a "1,600 page monstrosity."

Romney specifically calls for offsetting any new proposed regulation by removing another regulation of equivalent monetary cost. He also calls for consolidating the 47 existing worker retraining programs, run by nine federal agencies, into one "rational system."

Romney calls for keeping marginal income tax rates and tax rates on savings and investment low. He says taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains for middle-income taxpayers should be eliminated.

Huntsman, meanwhile, suggests slashing tax rates at their base while eliminating tax loopholes. He proposes three base rates for individual taxpayers at 8 percent, 14 percent and 23 percent.

[tcato-2009]

I think there needs to be a plan but cutting corporation taxes...
Didn't Apple or someone just report that they had more cash on hand than the US treasury? Most corporations are holding on to lots of CASH these days and not hiring. The goal is to please wall street not the american work force....

[Henri_Rochard]

Romney "held up General Electric CEO Jack Welch and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs as "real deal" leaders in the U.S. economy".

GE is shipping jobs to China as quickly as possible and I don't think that Apple has has manufactured any products in the U.S. in the last 10 years.

Face it, Folks, the Dems AND the Repubs are screwing the U.S. Citizenry in any way possible.

[insightig]

You can tell they didn't have anything but came up with one at the last minute to "out do" the Presidents. But, as you can tell... again... this job plan is a joke and would not do anything but put out a large stimulus package... again!! What a bunch of "crackers" these guys are adding up to be.

[inketolstoy]

We are so lucky to have had brilliant progressives leading this country for the last three years. Look at the economic and cultural paradise they have created. Rave on my liberal friends, rave on.

[hsinco-2009]

It IS so much better than being 'lead' by war criminals!

[euge005]

True and if we just get rid of the anchor the GOP has placed around the nation's throat, we will realize the benefits of that progressive leadership. One point from the story, I can only hope no one is fool enough to seriously consider a flet tax. That is one tool the rich have in mind to keep increasing their proportion of the total wealth in this country. A guy making a billion dollars a year does not deserve to keep the huge portion he would if everyone paid a tax at the same rate. The folks making low end wages would be destroyed. Cain's 9/9/9. Tax plan is worse. IT sets a flat rate for incomne tax and establishes a 9% national sales tax. The billionaire would never buy enough goods or services to start to make up for the reduction in income tax. Another GOP idea to destroy the working class.

[AOCGUY]

The GOP Convention should be a blast (actually more like a cage match). Still not sure why some of these twits have come and continue to come to Florida. Just like four years ago our delgates won't be seated. Lord politics can be stupid.

[noloyalisti]

Is this a joke, a Republican with a jobs plan? These are the fools who work for big business that have completely failed America. They pushed for "free-trade" agreements and are rewarded for outsourcing jobs while paying little to no US tax.

We paid for massive tax cuts for the rich and lost jobs. And this idiot (as well as Perry) is STILL pushing this garbage on us.

[davidd5063]

What plan? It's the EXACT SAME plan GW pursued for 8 years - it didn't work then, and it won't work now. Problem is, everyone in the GOP parrots the EXACT SAME plan that has NEVER worked as the ONLY solution because it's the ONLY solution that benefits them and ONLY them.

[euge005]

And the guys that finance their campaigns were also Bush's owners, so who would expect and change? And who would you expect to start a new war of aggression more, Perry (Bush clone), Bachman (religious fanatic) or Romney? I doubt it would be Romnety.

[The Platzner Post]

Love the in fighting!!! What do you think of Teahadist Party's plan???

[noloyalisti]

These Republican fools are STILL touting tax cuts that have already failed to create any jobs. Do they think we are all stupid or something? Do they really want a slave worker state?

[Writenow4news]

To answer both of your questions: Yes...they do.