Mitt Romney's policies as President

[Lamplighter]

It's not the release of his tax returns or how he treats his dog,
but his philosophy and specific plans that can be examined and evaluated.

I'm assuming that the first topic should be: Jobs, jobs, jobs....
OK, what does Mitt officially say about how he will deal with jobs and economic growth ?

The official Mitt Romney website says this about Romney's "Human Capital Policy":

Mitt's Plan
Mitt Romney sees two important objectives that America can pursue
immediately to build on the extraordinary traditional strengths of its workforce.

The first is to retrain American workers to ensure that they have
the education and skills to match the jobs of today’s economy.
The second is to attract the best and the brightest from around the world.

Retraining Workers
Mitt Romney will approach retraining policy with a conservative mindset that
recognizes it as an area where the federal government is particularly ill-equipped to succeed.
Retraining efforts must be founded upon a partnership that brings together the states
and the private sector. The sprawling federal network of redundant bureaucracies
should be dismantled and the funds used for better purposes.

One particularly promising approach that Romney supports and
believes states should be encouraged to pursue is a system of
Personal Reemployment Accounts for unemployed individuals.
These accounts would facilitate programs that place individuals
directly into companies that provide on-the-job training
—as governor of Massachusetts, Romney helped create just such a program.<snip>

Attracting the Best and the Brightest
To ensure that America continues to lead the world in innovation and economic dynamism,
a Romney administration would press for an immigration policy
designed to maximize America’s economic potential.
The United States needs to attract and retain job creators from wherever they come.
Foreign-born residents with advanced degrees start companies,
create jobs, and drive innovation at an especially high rate.
While lawful immigrants comprise about 8 percent of the population,
immigrants start 16 percent of our top-performing, high-technology companies,
hold the position of CEO or lead engineer in 25 percent of high-tech firms,
and produce over 25 percent of all patent applications filed from the United States.

[Lamplighter]

I read Mitt's first action (Personal Reemployment Accounts)
as a give-away of government $ to companies that say they are "re-training" the unemployed.
Others have said that re-training is now free to the unemployed,
and this will be undermined by funding cuts, so the workers
will have to pay for their own training and (temporary) employment.

I read the second action as an immigration policy of bringing CEO's
from foreign companies into the country to run/control US businesses.
I find it hard to believe there is a true shortage of US men and women
who can manage or start up a new company, or invent something worth patenting.

[piercehawkeye45]

You can argue that we have shortages of Americans in the "science and engineering" field. A lot of professors and Ph.D. graduates start up their own companies.

I don't fully believe that though. I wouldn't be able to tell unless I have national statistics.

[ZenGum]

Foreign-born residents with advanced degrees start companies,
create jobs, and drive innovation at an especially high rate.
While lawful immigrants comprise about 8 percent of the population,
immigrants start 16 percent of our top-performing, high-technology companies,
hold the position of CEO or lead engineer in 25 percent of high-tech firms,
and produce over 25 percent of all patent applications filed from the United States.

So, if the US were to put more effort into innovation-related degrees...

To ensure that America continues to lead the world in innovation and economic dynamism

Continues???

Yeah, I know, it's bad politics to openly criticise your own country, but come on. Maybe something like "restore our position as a world leader"

[Clodfobble]

Well, strictly speaking, if they legally immigrate, become citizens, and run their companies from America... they are Americans, and thus "America" is still leading the world. That's always been our gig, skimming the cream of the crop off other countries. We're the charter school of the developed world!

[Spexxvet]

People who attain an advanced degree and relocate to a foreign country have the personal tools to excel at anything they care to.

[Cyber Wolf]

How do you retrain American workers when you keep cutting education funding and calling it necessary for budget balance?

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

I read the second action as an immigration policy of bringing CEO's
from foreign companies into the country to run/control US businesses.
I find it hard to believe there is a true shortage of US men and women
who can manage or start up a new company, or invent something worth patenting.

Considering his history of outsourcing as a business man, this isn't surprising. If a foreigner comes here on his own for a chance to work as a high level exec and he manages to get the job, fine. If the function of that part of the policy is that of an idea exchange, like an 'exchange student' program for executive level people, fine. But both of those are different than our President essentially putting up job notices in other countries and insisting they come here to lead.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

How do you retrain American workers when you keep cutting education funding and calling it necessary for budget balance?

Osama’s in 2010 wanted exports to double in five years. Already American exports have increased by over 50%. American industry is doing quite well oversea in some industries. For example, skyscraper architecture by Americans firms was once only done in America. Now, 15-20% of American skyscraper design is overseas. Large numbers of Shanghai skyscrapers are American designs. Is immigration partly responsible? Probably.

Eventually the demand for more employees occurs. Always long after a recession ends. But unfortunately, Cyber Wolf describes the problem. America desperately needs immigrants due to an America so entrenched on "No child left behind" as to reduce science taught to school children. For example, only 25% of teachers in math have a math or science degree. In middle school, the 25% who do have math training are mostly from the worst rated schools for math and science. Something like over 50% of the middle school math teachers never took courses in linear algebra or calculus.

A survey of prospective elementary and middle school mathematics teachers in 16 countries discovered that, without doubt, the worst trained prospective math teachers were American. Cited were problems created at the highest levels of education. No standards for what a math teach should know. No defined preparations program. Nothing from educaton management (ie "More Childs Left Behind") that would define quality or provide proper teacher training. But then America, especially in the past 15 years, has demonstrated a contempt for science. As demonstrated by the so many who know mankind is not creating global warming. And the so many who entertained stupidity such as Man to Mars, the destruction of America's space program, and drving quantum physics research from this nation.

Silicon Valley complains about the problem. Over 50% of the new engineers are ICs - Indian and Chinese. Number would be higher. But a xenophobic Congress foolishly wants less immigrants in America - stifling innovation in the Valley. America desperately needs immigrants.

[BigV]

Obama's?

[classicman]

Even *I* let that one slide. A few cites would be nice though.

[regular.joe]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

How do you retrain American workers when you keep cutting education funding and calling it necessary for budget balance?

Oh, that's easy....maybe we will just open up some camps.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Good idea Joe, everybody knows Homeland Security has already built the camps.

[BigV]

I heard a report that Mr Romney that he intends to increase defense budget by an additional two trillion dollars over a decade.

What the hell?????

Because why? Because we're... unsafe? Because we're going to be invaded? How much education could two trillion dollars produce? How much economic value would be returned for an investment of two trillion dollars in the young people (and less young) of our nation?

Here's your cite.

[classicman]

Romney's plan calls for linking the Pentagon's base budget to Gross Domestic Product, and allowing the military to spend at least $4 dollars out of every $100 the American economy produces

At least its based upon ... something?

I dunno, thats all I got.