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Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney speaks to supporters during a rally at the Cox Pavilion, UNLV, Friday Sept. 21, 2012.
By Tovin Lapan (contact) 
Published Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 | 3:02 p.m.
Updated Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 | 3:26 p.m.
Sun coverage
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney fired up a crowd of boisterous supporters Friday at a rally at UNLV’s COX Pavilion.
The former Massachusetts governor spoke to the crowd of approximately 3,000 for 20 minutes, mostly discussing the ailing economy and what he would do to help homeowners and the unemployed.
First Romney jabbed at President Barack Obama for comments made in an interview with Jorge Ramos of Univision this week.
“President Obama raised the white flag of surrender again yesterday,” Romney said. “He said you can’t change Washington from the inside, you have to do it from the outside. We are going to give him that chance. He’s going outside Washington.”
In an interview with Univision, Obama said one of the lessons of his first term is that “you can’t change Washington from the inside.” He went on to say that voters are more influential on lawmakers than other politicians, and the key to progress is leveraging the support of the public.
Romney offered a five-point plan for how he would improve the economy.
First, he said, he would open up more federal property for gas and oil production and limit Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Next, he said, he would pursue more trade agreements, especially with Latin America and confront “cheats” like China that are “stealing our jobs.”
Third, he said, he wants to reform job-training programs by giving federal funds for such programs directly to states so they can set up programs they think will meet local demands.
Romney then discussed ways to spur economic growth, arguing that capping federal spending and lowering the deficit will spur confidence among entrepreneurs in the U.S. economy.
Finally, Romney said, he would “lower taxes on all of the small businesses” and make credit easier to access for home buyers.
Romney said he wants to “take this big cloud off of small business” and repeal the Affordable Care Act, which was modeled after the health care act Romney helped enact in Massachusetts.
Prior to Romney’s speech, a trio of Obama supporters held a conference call to argue that Romney would further damage Nevada’s economy.
“Mitt Romney made that choice crystal clear when he wrote off half the country saying they see themselves as victims,” Obama for America National Press Secretary Ben LaBolt said. “You can’t be president of all Americans when you write off half of them.”
Sen. Harry Reid said Romney is out of touch with average Americans.
“He’s never seen a dad out of work; I have,” Reid said.
“I have trouble understanding audacity of Mitt Romney. (He’s) coming to my state as someone who is so out of touch with my state and talking as if we don’t know what took place in years past,” the Senate Majority Leader said. “He’s certainly out of touch with the middle class. It’s rich to hear Mitt Romney complain about people not paying income taxes.”
Erica Smit, 23, and Ryan Becklean, 23, two Boyd Law School students and registered Republicans, said part of the reason they attended the event was to show people that support from young voters is not exclusive to Obama.
Smit said he believes Romney’s business experience would benefit the country’s economy, and he is not concerned about the GOP candidate’s tax returns. Romney has been criticized for not releasing more of his tax records.
“I don’t care if he doesn’t pay a high effective tax rate,” Smit said. “I think that shows his business savvy. I think most people want to pay the lowest tax rate possible.”
About 20 protesters stood in the shade of a tree outside COX Pavilion and attempted to engage those waiting in line.
Erin Neff, the executive director of progressive non-profit advocacy group Progress Now Nevada, said many of those standing in line to see Romney are part of the “47 percent” that the Massachusetts governor was seen deriding as not accepting “personal responsibility” in a video released this week.
Neff said she saves $120 a year now that birth control is covered in her health insurance, and she saves $300 per month on her mortgage, thanks to a refinancing program. Both programs were initiated by the Obama administration.
“I vote with my pocketbook,” said Neff, who added that she has two children and her husband is unemployed. “Obama is the best candidate the middle class and for my pocketbook.”
Romney attended a private fundraiser at Red Rock Resort prior to the rally.
Friday’s fundraiser and campaign rally marked Romney’s sixth visit to Nevada since he became the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee in April. Romney has come to Nevada 16 times in the past two years.
How much is Sheldon Adelson gonna give his Super PAC today for this visit?
I hope somebody recorded one of those Romney-Adelson meetings and posts it on youtube..
The flip-flopping Romney stated in 2007 while campaigning for McCain "I don't think you change Washington from the inside. I think you change it from the outside." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20...
Big deal Ms. Neff and Senator Reid
So out of touch with reality. The bulk of forclosures in Southern Nevada are the result of investor unloading, the bulk of unemployment is constuction boom era out of work transients. This guy is so lost how can we expect him to lead our equally lost congress!
Erin Neff's new glasses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8JCuFW0J...
Since Romney has no plan, bashing Obama has been his campaign from day one. Problem is most of what he says is a lie.
Critical of the President. What would you expect? It is politics as usual, and the One Percenters are demanding representation. I'll just be glad when the election is over. Romney's lack of a credible, consistent message may sink his campaign.
Romney's taxes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8JCuFW0J...
Romney's taxes? oops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kut9MuIhD...
@ Erin neff... " you vote your pocketbook?"... Obama is the best for the middle class????.... How is that true....??? What does he do for middle class? The way you help the middle class is by creating the environment for job growth!!M. ... News flash. You have to create room for big businesses to grow...nd or small ones..... Think of this....suppose he slammed big business with taxes but cut taxes for u and me? We' d see a very nominal amount in our pychecks....yet those tax breaks given to businesses allows the to grow and hire more people!!! That how you help the middle class you moron.
If those magic tx breaks from Obama were significant that would be one thing..but tax breaks to the masses is spread thin and nominal to us individually....but given to big business , hellooooo that's how we grow.......economy is crappy because biz is down...so less jobs....tax breaks to someone making 40,000 a year does nothing...and is only a few dollars more a month.......it won't make a difference...idiots.
Point one: Reducing EPA regulations on gas and oil is very much against the interests of people, even if it is great for profits of gas and oil corporations.
http://www.propublica.org/article/trilli...
Point 2: Is he aware that Latin America increasingly doesn't want anything to do with trade agreements with the US? Experience has taught them they get the short end of the stick that puts the lives of their people and businesses in danger.
Of course, Mexico may be different now that the PRI has stolen that election and is returning to power. They can pick up where they left off, robbing the country blind.
China??? Romney is going to bite on a finger that feeds or fed him, as well as all those businesses outsourcing to China? LOL
Point 3: Job training based on state job demands? That doesn't seem like a real good benefit for unemployed workers, but surely for states business community, by locking workers into place.
Imagine a glut of newly trained employees for a limited diversity business market, such as the tourist industry in NV. That glut will send wages down as the businesses have the employees by the neck.
If I were unemployed and wanted to train for in a field that offered me the best opportunity for now and in the future, anywhere, I would prefer a federal job training program that didn't limit my ability to relocate for the kind of job skill I had an interest in making a life choice, and which offered the most opportunity for advancement.
Current census statistics show an increasingly mobile society, and that would make sense in an economy where people must go to the jobs since the jobs aren't coming to them.
I suspect that after the election, the jobs market will begin to open up. The hoarding of trillions of dollars by business due to "lack of confidence" will suddenly start to loosen up and we will be on the move again, in spite of Romney not being elected.
Part of the current state of lack of jobs is due to businesses trying to influence the election in their favor, hoping Romney will win and open the flood gates of profits for them.
As I read various articles about business prospects, it seems that things start to look up after the elections, no matter who is elected.
Perhaps we are being held hostage by business right now. However, in the long term, it doesn't benefit them to continue to do so.
You have to have production and profits to exist. If business doesn't hire people to produce, you don't provide spendable income for people to buy products, and your profits decline. Some businesses close.
It appears we are currently experiencing a strike by business, at the expense of the economy of our nation, in a demand for higher profits. The leverage is for support of Romney in the election.
If Romney loses, business gets over it and moves forward, or bites off it's own foot.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
FACT"..OBAMA IS COVERING UP HIS STUPIDITY AND CAUSING MORE COUNTRIES TO HATE AMERICA AND CAUSING AMERICANS TO DIE.
Click on the video below for the facts"Obama allows the radical Islamic Muslim Brotherhood to take over Egypt and Lybia. The Muslim Brotherhoods stated goal is to destroy America from within and to destroy Israel.
Obama gives the Muslim Brotherhood $1.5 BILLION Dollars a year !!! Obama has invited the Muslim Brotherhood leadership to the White House !! Al-Queda attacks the US Consulate in Lybia and murders 4 Americans including dragging the dead body of an American ambassador thru the streets and Obama says it was just a spontaneous crowd mad about a movie that came out. Al Queda admits to pre planning this complex attack for 9/11 far in advance using RPG's & heavy guns. The FBI, CIA all say it was terrorism and an act of war YET Obama says its no big deal just some people venting about a movie.
Obama apologized immediately for this movie and for 2 weeks has said it was just a random act. Now the Obama administration 2 weeks later is saying ofcoarse it was terrorism and still apologizing.
Obama'a apology tour and lack of leadership is getting Americans killed and causing more problems world wide than ever before.
CLICK FOR VIDEO PROOF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh-uTtmR7...
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
Point 4: In other words, THE AUSTERITY PLAN for the rest of us.
Add to that the removal of regulations on banks and investment firms, so they can continue the same gambling machine that caused the global economic crisis.
Point 5: Those banks will in turn make more loans available, with ???interest rates, so they have more of their own money to invest in the global market casino and power to manipulate global economies.
The rest of us can just wait for the results to appear in the next financial crisis, including the losses in all those privatized Social Security investment funds planned. No IOU's available.
The ACA, Medicare and Medicaid medical benefits could be remedied by instituting a single payer universal healthcare plan for all individuals. We could finally get control of the healthcare costs resulting from the healthcare industry casino.
In order for our economy to regain a functional health, we must start growing wages and get out of the stagnant growth for the last 30+ years. It has killed us to allow this disparity of stagnant wage growth and record profits.
Romney's plan continues the same and worse. His lack of specificity is dishonest. His management of his campaign reveals he is not qualified to manage our government. We don't need a corporate raider, or vulture capitalist to lead this country on behalf of the wealthy.
Not only must Obama be re-elected, but the Democratic candidates for the Congress as well, in order to break the Tea/Republican gridlock that has prevented us from making the progress that could have been made to get out of this economic straight jacket.
You would think that after what happened to Jefferson County, Alabama, that Dodd-Frank offered some protections for other cities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_C...
"The Dodd-Frank Act among other things included a simple reform. It required the financial advisors of municipalities to do two things: register with the SEC, and accept a fiduciary duty to respect the best interests of the taxpayers they are advising."
Doesn't seem to be an unreasonable regulation to me.
Our infamous Tea/Republican controlled House of Representatives have fixed that in HR 2827, by creating a loophole by amending the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to clarify provisions relating to the regulation of municipal advisors, and for other purposes.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blo...
This is just a drop in the bucket of what has caused financial havoc globally, and which will increase under Romney's plan to remove regulations from banking and financial investment entities, some of his big backers.
The vultures are loose and hungry.
The only man who goes to the Venetian and wins Mega Bucks every time. Wonder how much longer Sheldon well gamble on this loser.
"EGADS! What IS President Obama thinking! We'll never turn this economy around until my friends & I get to keep ALL our money! It's absolutely critical that we become beyond filthy rich...tax cuts for the top of the food chain is good for America, my friends! Why, I would personally spend more on reconstructing my lavish new Oceanside mansion in La Jolla than most of you losers...I mean good folks...earn in a lifetime! THAT is how to move this country forward!"
Rmoney/Ryan
'Cake is good for you'!
Who needs clean water and clean air anyway?
I'm very proud of Romney's interview at Univision, which was persuasive and inspiring. On the other hand, Obama looked like a squirming kid caught in a lie when he faced the barrage of good, hard journalism during his appearance at Univision. Eric Holder lied. Mexicans died. Jose Ramos is dead on when asking why Holder wasn't fired or why Obama has only released a small percentage of the papers regarding Fast and Furious.
Romney reresents the SAME BUSH/CHENEY/GREED that
destroyed our middle class and economy.
After the destruction that republicans caused our
economy, one would have to be a brain-dead moron
to vote for this heartless republican bully.
Romney promised to steal our health care.
Do any of you republican fools need health care?
Romney promised to kill Medicare.
You romney backers are ready to throw Medicare
into the trash can?
Romney only backs his rich, greedy friends.
DON'T BE STUPID.
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!
Who cares! Bishop Romney is not going to be president of the Free World.
Romney has it easy, if he can't be the failed incumbent, that is pathetic. If he wins he will go down as a great president, anybody could just doing the opposite of the failed current president. First order of business fire bernake the money printer and restore a strong dollar for a strong properly run country. Best medicine for the poor and working class, who are hurt most by a weak dollar policy.
@edgaracosta,
Romney changed positions, again, at Univision. He mislead the Hispanic audience.
Jorge Ramos was right to ask the.President hard questions and expect an answer, However, Jorge Ramos framed his questions to the President implying the President lied to Hispanic community on Immigration Reform. We did not hear Jorge Ramos hammer Mitt Romney about Romney's promise to veto the Dream Act, which President Obama fully supports, and has been blocked by the House Republicans. This did not go unnoticed by viewers.
Eric Holder was cleared by the Inspect General! The Committee on Oversight and Government Reformed agree with the Inspector General's report. The report also states the White House had no knowledge of Fast Furious, plus the Inspect General had "full access" to "all" documents.
Jorge Ramos credibility of equal time and fairness is high questionable. He appeared to be partisan.
In addition, the Hispanic community should be insulted by the sudden darker shade of Mitt Romney's face. The Hispanic community is not stupid! Mitt Romney either tanned or sprayed on face paint to appear darker to the Hispanic audience. This is pandering in the lowest order.
When you vote, you want to vote on the facts, not emotion or from a bias point of view. Do your homework before making your decision.
Romney came to Las Vegas to talk to a crowd for twenty full minutes.
Then he left.
Because he had other MORE important things to do.
Jon Ralston reports that Romney went to a private fund raiser at Red Rocks Resort. In attendance with their fat wallets were the Fertittas Brothers and Adelson.
Romney's SOLE purpose coming to Las Vegas was not to campaign, it was to raise more money.
I'm not fooled by this guy. Nor should anyone else. He's way more interested in money. Not people. I dare say he's not interested in the Presidency. He's only interested in the power he can wield to make himself and his friends wealthier if he is voted in. To him, it is the same as ascendancy to the throne. A business. One that he can rape dry.
Like I say, I'm not fooled. This guy gets in the White House, you can kiss the middle class goodbye. And for the women out there, you can kiss Roe Vs. Wade goodbye too. To be replaced by Romney Vs. Women. Ryan will take part in the plunder too. He'll be the ogre under the bridge, waiting for Medicare to walk across. So that he can jump up, pounce and eat it.
Obama/Biden 2012!
Romney/Ryan 1040s please! ALL OF THEM. Not just a bit here and there. The American voters out here want to see what you're hiding.
I do not see a big increase in jobs here in Las Vegas. Obama has been here countless times but no real improvement in the unemployment numbers. Obama is all talk and no show. Who needs that. At the end of the day we do not need someone giving scripted speeches written by someone in Washington, DC. We need someone who can genuinely create jobs. Change will be good for Las Vegas. I will vote for Romney this time. Obama failed me.
Those three people in the photo to the right of Romney (as we're looking at the photo - female black top, female pink top, male plaid shirt) sure have no problem buying food! Looks like those 3 are on Social Security and Medicare. Their doctors ever tell them to go on a diet? Would bet a $1000 are all diabetics.
Peacelilly
You should run for public office!!! Very thorough research every time.
More brain dead in the one of the dumbest states in the nation. Hopefully none of them signed in. Romney and his staff will convert all of them to mormon when they are dead. Could of had obama there, ron paul there for a trifecta of brain dead.
Every picture shows all white people...this is why Romney will lose. He changes his positions the way some people changre their underwear. He did 5 flip flops in front of Univision
Where is Sandoval? He was a speaker at the convention??? He is in China. How about Christy, Jindal and Santorium?? they are in Iowa getting ready for 2016. Pawlenty -he quit the campaign and is a lobbyist. Who is left Scott Walker? Scott of Floridah? Casick of Ohio? Brewer of AZ? Susana Martinez? All the Republican Governors are no shows. You don't see Heller there either do you?
heartprivacy Sept. 21, 2012 10:11 p.m.
Who needs clean water and clean air anyway?
`````````````
Nice :)
Det__Munch Sept. 22, 2012 7:13 a.m.
Peacelilly
You should run for public office!!! Very thorough research every time.
``````````
I totally agree! Peacelily you are awesome. Love reading your comments.
Edgar Acosta Sept. 21, 2012 10:34 p.m.
Edgar,
I would like to strongly encourage you to look at the comments from:
Longtimevegan Sept. 22, 2012 4:59 a.m.
@RebelJedi
More tax breaks for the upper class and large businesses? Just how profitable do they have to be, how many trillions do they have to have in the bank, how high does the Dow Jones have to go before they start hiring? Trickle Down doesn't work, and it never has. GE makes a $10 Billion profit every year and pays no taxes, how much more do they need in the bank before they start adding jobs instead of cutting them?
The federal deficit is directly related to the tax cuts for rich people.
This has been fully documented by congress and numerous agencies.
In addition:
RICH PEOPLE DID NOT PAY FOR THE WARS THAT PROTECTED THEIR INTERESTS. THE COST OF THE WARS WERE NOT EVEN IN BUSHIES BUDGETS.
What the US does NOT NEED is another RICH GREEDY Person as president.
I'll bet it takes at least $1000/month in pharmaceuticals to keep those three clapping and laughing. These people really need to learn about longevity diets - minimum calories, whole foods plant based menus. Unfortunately, these food groups are considered 'socialist' by the Steak and Lobster crowd.
The reason they don't listen to medical research and the predictions of epigenetics is because they don't like science: they are Republicans and employ faith instead of reason.
2 Corinthians 5:7 "We live by faith, not by sight."
Det__Munch & kepi, thanks for your nice comments.
I support using both sides of the brain whenever possible, over only one side, or neither side. :-)
Running for office will have to wait for another lifetime. :-) However, I have to say, if I were younger, I would be thinking of that, as anyone should who has cares about the People, more than money, power.
Our current problems demonstrate the US needs an inclusive, ongoing public discussion and education about different economic systems. It is almost never done.
Many people may not have a clue about economic systems. This allows the politicians an almost free hand to do as they please, pulling the wool over the eyes of the sheep, as both parties try to maintain the status quo in one form or another.
Our current system is not working, cyclically going from boom to bust.
It is like climbing a mountain, slipping and tumbling back down to the ground, or at minimum a significant lower rocky ledge, and climbing up again. It never ends. We can see this in history and the current down cycle. It is time we look seriously for another economic system.
Our current system feeds greed and selfishness, sets up inequality and division. Tied to our politics, it is abusive. Is our particular form of capitalism the only way?
I have no answers, but want to continue to learn. I think our nation needs to open a discussion, a time of learning, of exploring what might work better for us.
I am not referring to democracy. That is another issue. We currently don't have democracy in our capitalist system. We have democracy, of sorts, in our political system, but even that is failing.
We need stability, we need equality and equanimity. This benefits everyone. How do we achieve that?
I think it is worth an ongoing honest and open dialogue before we become a fascist nation. It can only happen with participation of all people, together with learned experts to help us all understand the positives and negatives of all economic systems.
This would be a true public service use of our media sources. Town halls could eventually contribute to the process.
I even wonder if we could have a body between our economic and politic systems that could protect us from the abuse of both?
Now, the question is, are the citizens of our nation truly concerned, courageous and willing to participate in such an endeavor?
Or are we fear driven, and more interested in just soaking in what the politicians tell us, in order for them to have the power to do as they please, and to benefit their own financial and power interests, and the shadows that have power over them?
If Obumma gets re-elected the Sun will report that he's inheriting a "really bad economy".
If Obama gets defeated, it will be Bush's fault.
NEVER TRUST A LIAR AND A CHEATER LIKE ROMNEY. The fact that Romney has been hiding his millions, if not billions of dollars offshore in tax haven countries in order to evade taxes for 29 years since his having founded Bain Capital in 1983 prove him to be not patriotic, if not technically a traitor. Romney had gotten away with prosecution for perjury by Securities and Exchange Commission to qualify as governor due to power, money and influence, has avoided prison and prosecution for tax fraud and felony tax evasion in having accepted the IRS Tax Amnesty deal, among other crimes and misdemeanors yet unprosecuted due to insufficient evidence. "Birds of a feather flock together," goes the saying. Having already shown his true colors in sync with obstructionist House Speaker John Boehner, and Ryan's budget plan to privatize Social Security, voucherize Medicare and end Medicaid, Romney has been obsessed and preparing since 1993 to be president and determined to buy the presidency at all cost, at our expense, with the backing of 32 billionaire donors (bribes) into his campaign of mass deception. Romney and Ryan do not have honest and ethical bones in their bodies. In any way, shape or form, Romney, tax dodger extraordinaire and deceitful,lying Ryan, both crooks and rotten to the core, cannot be trusted and are not fit to be president and VP respectively.