[CharlesWayneCT]

Ten Point Plan. Which points are good, which are bad?:

1. Repair the stimulus. Freeze the funds that haven't yet been spent and redirect them to immediate, private sector job-creation priorities.
2. Create tax incentives that promote business expansion and hiring. For example, install a robust investment tax credit, permit businesses to expense capital purchases made in 2010, and reduce payroll taxes. These will reignite construction, technology and a wide array of capital goods industries, and lead to expanded employment.
3. Prove to the global investors that finance America's debt that we are serious about reining in spending and becoming fiscally prudent by adopting limits on non-military discretionary spending and reforming our unsustainable, unfunded entitlements. These are key to strengthening the dollar, reducing the threat of rampant inflation and holding down interest rates.
4. Close down any talk of carbon cap-and-trade. It will burden consumers and employers with billions in new costs. Instead, greatly expand our commitment to natural gas and nuclear, boosting jobs now and reducing the export of energy jobs and dollars later.
5. Tell the unions that job-stifling "card check" legislation is off the table. Laying new burdens on small business will kill entrepreneurship and job creation.
6. Don't allow a massive tax increase to go into effect in 2011 with the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. The specter of more tax-fueled government spending and the reduction of capital available for small business will hinder investment and business expansion.
7. New spending should be strictly limited to items that are critically needed and that we would have acquired in the future, such as new military equipment to support our troops abroad and essential infrastructure at home.
8. Install dynamic regulations for the financial sector — rules that are up to date, efficient and not excessively burdensome. But do not so tie up the financial sector with red tape that we lose a vital component of our economic system.
9. Open the doors to trade. Give important friends like Colombia favored trade status rather than bow to protectionist demands. Now is the time for aggressive pursuit of opportunities for new markets for American goods, not insular retrenchment.
10. Stop frightening the private sector by continuing to hold GM stock, by imposing tighter and tighter controls on compensation, and by pursuing a public insurance plan to compete with private insurers. Government encroachment on free enterprise is depressing investment and job creation.

I would think that we'd have agreement on 2,3,4,5,6,7, and 10.

Item 1 might be good, the devil's in the details. Certainly freezing the current plan is good -- whether we should spend ANY money on "fixing" it depends on what the specific things are -- tax cuts would be nice.

I like item 9, but I know some conservatives don't support "free trade".

Item 8 might be good, we need to get rid of some regulation, again though the devil is in the details.

And of course, there may be things missing that should be considered.

Or we could refuse to discuss the list, or consider any of the suggestions, because of our personal animus toward the author.

[GOP_Lady]

I would be more than happy to discuss the ten items, Charles. Too many people are out of work in this country, and it is sad and very troubling. I'm getting concerned that 10% unemployment will become the norm. My brother-in-law has lost two jobs in the last four years. Mr. Romney has definitely thought this through, and most of it seems very good, upon first glance. I like the timing of this, too — on the day of the “White House Jobs Summit.” Whether it be Mr. Romney or another Republican, I would be eager to hear their solutions on the economy. It will not be an easy fix.

[GOP_Lady]

Here is a link to the Op Ed. I was so busy yesterday that I missed it.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/12/column-mr-president-heres-how-to-lift-our-economy.html#more

[Diogenesis]

Here is a picture of your RINO chameleon bastard imposing a bankrupt economy upon Massachusetts' citizens
as the carpetbagger imposes RomneyCARE, RomneyDeathPanels, and socialized medicine (all without a citizens' vote)
(before he fled out to the other coast
after also imposing gay marriage on the citizens, also without their vote).

[Jim Robinson]

If you named each and every government program, tax, regulation, unconstitutional program, treaty, etc, that needs to be cut, that would be great and you’d get no argument from me. It all needs to be cut. However, your 10 point plan would have to include about a million line items.

Just cut the spending, cut the taxes and cut the damned government already!!

Other than that, he’s a liar. Romney has already proven exactly what he would do in office. He’s a big government constitution trampling socialist/fascist!!

[Peter Horry]

Post 26

Made a couple of comments and then a general commit. Thanks for posting

2. don’t like investment tax credits, just reduce the dang tax level. Also drives me crazy when states give millions of dollars in tax credits to Boeing and BMW while other businesses are struggling to make ends meet.

8. “Install dynamic regulations for the financial sector — rules that are up to date, efficient and not excessively burdensome”
This is crucial in environmental regulations. Businesses have to jump through hoops for a permit and fight every environmental group in court... more and more are deciding it’s not worth it.

Some of it looks pretty good, then some of it is the same old “pump money into the economy to stimulate it” that has been done repeatedly.

There was once a representative (state) in our local district that would have a colleague introduces his bill (so the story went) and then he would oppose it... it was said that this was the only way he could get it passed.

I suspect that, if Romney had this released and then came out against it that most of the posters would support it... or ignore it and continue with their little rant.

[org.whodat]

Dumb plan!!!

[crunk]

Pretty good list... and Reagan supported free trade. Romney is late added guest on Larry King - CNN tonite based on this timely slam of Obama’s job summit.

[CharacterCounts]

1. Repair the stimulus. Freeze the funds that haven't yet been spent and redirect them to immediate, private sector job-creation priorities.

This is a RINO solution.

A conservative would have said: Cancel the stimulus - its not the governments job to pick winners and losers by redirecting taxpayers money to any private sector entity.

This position alone tells where Romney is coming from and it's not good.

[CharacterCounts]

2. Create tax incentives that promote business expansion and hiring. For example, install a robust investment tax credit, permit businesses to expense capital purchases made in 2010, and reduce payroll taxes.

Again, a RINO position.

The correct conservative response would be. The tax system should be for collecting taxes and not for achieving other goals.

Just reduce the tax level for everyone including corporations which are already paying some of the highest corporate taxes in the world.

[CharacterCounts]

Prove to the global investors that finance America's debt that we are serious about reining in spending and becoming fiscally prudent by adopting limits on non-military discretionary spending and reforming our unsustainable, unfunded entitlements.

A small step in the right direction. He should have set a goal to eliminate the deficit by reducing government spending by at least 5% per year until foreign creditors are paid in full.

[CharacterCounts]

4. Close down any talk of carbon cap-and-trade.

Correct solution. Even a stopped watch is correct twice a day. He could have added that the rationale for Cap and Trade isn't supported by the scientific evidence.

[CharacterCounts]

5. Tell the unions that job-stifling "card check" legislation is off the table.

A half measure. The government needs to also stop the massive amount of subsidization it currently gives to unions.

Here is a good conservative position:

Presidents only are permitted to represent people for 4 years without a second vote of confidence. Why are current employees stuck with union representation that there grandfathers voted for in 1936. Every union should be required to have a new representation vote every four years.

Secondly, the private sector unions only make up about 7% of the labor force. Government unions represent a much larger contingent. Currently, the government is expanding its work force at record levels. This needs to be addressed since the current civil service system is corrupt with legislators providing all kinds of payoff to government unions, only to see money coming right back to them through campaign donations.

Until Romney addresses this scandal, he should not be taken seriously as a presidential candidate.

[CharacterCounts]

6. Don't allow a massive tax increase to go into effect in 2011 with the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.

RINOS say don't increase taxes in 2011. Conservatives say cut taxes and spending, today.

[CharacterCounts]

7. New spending should be strictly limited to items that are critically needed and that we would have acquired in the future, such as new military equipment to support our troops abroad and essential infrastructure at home.

Limiting spending is a half measure. Why can't he just say. "We need to cut government spending and I promise that I will not sign any budget that is not 5% smaller than the previous budget. He then needs to clearly delineate strict budget priorities, such as national defense and infrastructure always come before entitlements with no exceptions.