DES MOINES - On Monday, OFA-IA and Massachusetts elected officials will launch the "Wrong for Massachusetts, Wrong for Iowa" tour to discuss Mitt Romney's failed policies, record, and lack of bipartisan collaboration as Governor of Massachusetts. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, State Senator Marc Pacheco, Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan and North Adams Mayor John Barrett will criss cross the state sharing firsthand experiences of Mitt Romney's failed record as Governor of Massachusetts.
Mitt Romney's policies as Governor were wrong for Massachusetts and they would have been devastating for Iowa. During Romney's term as Governor, the state fell from 36th to a dismal 47th out of 50 in job creation, while the U.S. economy continued to grow. By the end of Romney's term as Governor, the state lost 40,000 manufacturing jobs, twice the national average and the third worst record in the country. Additionally, Romney raised taxes and fees on the middle class and businesses in Massachusetts while pushing through a tax cut that overwhelmingly benefited 278 wealthy citizens. Under Romney, the debt burden per person grew to the highest in the nation. Romney cannot escape the simple fact that under his leadership, Massachusetts's economic performance was one of the worst in the country in all key economic measurements- including job creation.
Mitt Romney has consistently misled voters on the campaign trail by touting his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion. Romney's record presents a stark contrast to his claims. Romney's office was rarely open to state legislators and Mayors. His style was reportedly marked by "disinterest in bipartisan collaboration" and "disengaged". As Governor, Romney often put his presidential ambitions ahead of his responsibilities to Massachusetts. The New York Times recently reported that during his four year term, Romney spent more than 400 days away from Massachusetts to cement his inevitable run for President.
President Obama has laid out a clear path to move our nation forward by investing in education, manufacturing, energy, innovation and infrastructure, and by reforming the tax code and paying down our debt in a balanced way that ensures everyone pays their fair share. President Obama has proven that he can deliver for the American people. He has rescued the auto-industry, ended the war in Iraq, and passed health care reform. Mitt Romney would return us to the same top-down failed policies that crashed our economy and hurt the middle class and would serve as a rubber stamp for Congressional Republicans' extreme agenda.
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