Making his second Charlotte stop in a month, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized President Obama’s policies on the economy, saying Obama’s big-government approach has slowed the nation’s recovery.
“If I become president, I’m going to cut federal spending. I’m going to take some programs and get rid of them,” Romney said in a speech that lasted about 15 minutes on the plant floor at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry.
“(Obama) said he would measure progress on whether we’re creating new jobs or not,” said Romney. Yet, "we’ve had a record number of foreclosures.I see families really struggling. ...The right policies are going to put America back to work. Make us the economic powerhouse we’ve always been.”
Romney, wearing, a striped shirt without a tie, addressed workers at the manufacturing plant after being introduced by U.S. Sen Richard Burr. He commended the company for its “high wages, no layoffs and great service.”
“We’re going to keep America the hope of the earthwe’re going to get it done,” Romney said.
Hours before Romney spoke at a Charlotte manufacturer, Democrats launched pre-emptive strikes attacking what they called his “failed economic leadership.”
National Democratic spokesman Brad Woodhouse also criticized Romney’s hiring of advisers who worked for President George W. Bush.
“If you loved Bush economics you’ll love Romney economics,” Woodhouse said in a morning conference call. “They expect the American people to have amnesia about what state the economy is in today and what state the economy was in 2008. It’s obvious the economy is better today.”
The foundry is not far from Bank of America Stadium, where Obama is scheduled to accept his renomination in September.
A Gallup Poll released Thursday showed voters believe Romney would do a better job handling the economy than Obama. Sixty-one percent of voters said Romney would do a good or very good job of handling the economy, compared to 52 percent who said Obama would.
“President Obama can’t run on his record because the promises he made in 2008 haven’t come to fruition,” Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said Thursday.