Romney Promises Defense Spending, 12 Million Jobs
The Republican presidential candidate spoke to an invitation-only crowd of veterans in Springfield on Thursday.
Photos
Gov. Mitt Romney told veterans Thursday that as president, he would reverse the military cuts set to take place in the sequestration passed by Congress.
“I will stop it. I will not cut military funding,” he told an invitation-only crowd at American Legion Post 176 in Springfield.
“The first responsibility of the president of the United States is to protect the people,” said Romney. “You can’t do that with a weak, demoralized military. I will restore the strength of the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs. I want to have a military so strong no one wants to test it,” he said to loud applause.
Romney said the United States can’t continue to spend what it does not have. “I will make it my priority in my first 100 days to put America on track to balance the budget,” he said.
He also promised to create 12 million jobs by:
- Utilizing all energy resources in order to make North America energy independent.
- Seeking new markets for trade around the world. “I will finally do something with cheating China,” he said.
- Providing skills to success training programs for adults, updated to meet today’s technologies and linked to what employers need.
- Eliminating teachers unions in order to improve education.
- Balancing the budget.
- Championing small business with pro-growth tax policies, regulatory policies that encourage small business, and eliminating ‘Obama care’ so small businesses can afford to hire people.
“Gov. Romney has stated he would make sure funding is not taken away from the military and our veterans,” said Annandale resident John Sommer, who supports Romney for president. Sommer served 38 years in the military, including as an NCO Combat Medic in Vietnam. “I also believe he would take a strong stand in foreign policy, especially in the Mid-East where we have a lot of problems now,” said Sommer.
Leesburg resident Mackie Christenson is concerned about the economy. “I read somewhere that more than 70 percent of the unemployed are women,” said Christenson, wearing a pink ‘Women for Romney’ T-shirt. “Under Obama, more women have slipped under the poverty line,” she said. “Obama’s policies push women into poverty.”
Christenson, who serves as recording secretary for Loudoun County Republican Women, says she’s angered at the narrow-mindedness of people concerning the issue of contraception. “When did Romney ever say he was against contraception?” she said. “Romney is not a social conservative,” she said. “He goes along with the majority in the Republican Party, but that is not his emphasis.”
“The most important issues facing our country are the deficit, the economy and jobs,” she said.
Retired Chief Master Sergeant E9 Lonnie Eskeli spent 30 years with the Air Force. “I support Romney because I’m disappointed with President Obama’s policies and the way the county has gone,” he said. “I believe Gov. Romney would be a better manager of foreign policy issues and the economy. We’ve become less assertive than we probably ought to be, especially with the countries that don’t want us where we are,” he said. “Afghanistan, the Middle East, I’d be happy to see us get out of there.”
An Air Force captain from Springfield who did not want to be named said she supports Romney because he is more realistic that Obama. “At the moment the economy is the no. 1 issue,” she said. “The Administration is really struggling to make health care happen without the economy. Social issues are important, but getting the economy on track is more important,” she said.
“I think Romney falls more in the moderate camp [than Obama], so I’m putting my faith in that,” she said.
More from Romney's visit to Springfield:
Brandt Hardin
4:03 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
The dynamic duo of Romney and Ryan would drive the entire economy into a nose dive as long as it benefits the richest Americans. Income inequality is endangering the Middle Class and making paupers of us all who don’t have those millions upon millions of dollars. Read more about the role of Romney’s riches in this election and the power of his sacred undergarments at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/05/mitt-romneys-magic-mormon-underwear.html The working class of our country can’t AFFORD to allow this election to be bought and sold!
vicki keller
4:37 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Romney is a suck up to the wealthy. He will never have a clue about having a family and no money. Obama will take care of military if he has Congress behind him.
I am voting 100% Democratic
CD
8:00 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
I can not believe after doing any research on Obama and his cronies any one would vote for him but now you have four years of records to look at and it is even worse. He just spent $10,000 to send an apology commercial to the Middle East because of that film no one heard about till it was made something out of that it is not. Obama calls terrorism work place violence, he will not admit that the latest one on 9/11/12 was planned terrorist attack. He is more concerned about a made up "War on Women" then he is about attacks to this Country. When they attacked our Embassy they attacked our land. So one when you say he has no clue about having a family and no money I say he understands more about our Country than Obama. We are a Country based on Christian religious roots where we help each other out not because we are forced to spread our wealth but because we are people who want to help. Romney gave 100% of his inheritance from his father to charity, did not take a penny from running and saving the Olympics, did not take a penny as Governor. Romney knows how to make jobs and Ryan knows how to balance a budget we are looking at getting a CEO and a CFO. That is what we need right now.
Joseph Robert
12:27 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
Bottomline, Romney wants to take Medicare away from seniors, and hurting others who are poor or disadvantaged, so that he can help millionaires and billionaires earn and keep more money. He doesn't deserve the chance to lead his 53 percent or 100 percent of this great country.
Romney would be better suited to teaching tax evasion courses at a community college.
CD
12:55 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
@Joseph - You need to do your homework. Obama took $716 Billion from Medicare to pay for Obamacare. I do not know where you heard that Romney is going to take Medicare away from Seniors but that is not true. The plan does not change for anyone 55 years or older and if you are younger that 55 you would have a choice to stay on Medicare or buy into the new 401(k) type of plan. Currently, Medicare is going to go broke in 10 years.
Talking about Romney teaching tax evasion..... think again. Obama paid a lower tax rate than his secretary in 2011. Romney gave a higher percentage of his money to charity. By the way, Romney money is earned through investment so he is only taxed Capital Gains. Remember when you pay Capital Gains Tax it is already money you paid taxes on. So Romney is paying taxes twice on that money. Please also keep in mind that Romney did not get a salary as the governor of Mass as the CEO of the olympics and a missionary. He gave his entire inheritance from his father to charity.
Tom Cadorette
3:52 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
And he promises a pony for everyone, too! AND he'll keep Woodlawn Stables open by Presidential decree so we all have a place to keep them!
Kenyata
11:31 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
The beauty of living in this country is having a right to your opinion, and that includes a vote for which ever candidate you think will represent your best interest. This debate will definitely be a good one to watch to see who has a better plan for improving our current state of the nation. And which candidate is brave enough to raise taxes as part of the solution to some of the problems.
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