Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (CNN) - A jobs report showing lukewarm hiring in June is a "kick in the gut" to American workers, presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney said in New Hampshire Friday.
"It's consistent with what I've heard as I've gone across the country and met with families in their homes, in cafes and restaurants and in break rooms," Romney said. "American families are struggling. There's a lot of misery in America today, and these numbers understate what people are feeling and the amount of pain which is occurring in middle class America."
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Romney made remarks and took some reporter questions at Bradley's Hardware in downtown Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, about a mile and a half from the Romney family's lakefront home. The candidate, along with his large extended family, has spent the last week there on vacation.
READ MORE: Republicans pin blame for flat jobs report on Obama
In his comments, Romney slammed President Barack Obama, his opponent for the White House, as not doing enough to foster growth and encourage employers to hire workers.
"The highest corporate tax rates in the world do not create jobs," Romney said. "Highest regulatory burdens in our nation's history - those do not create jobs. Trade policies that have not opened up new markets for American goods, particularly in Latin America, those don't create new jobs. Failing to effectively crack down on China for cheating and stealing American jobs, that has not helped."
"The president's policies have not gotten America working again, and the president's going to have to stand up and take responsibility for it," Romney continued.
Obama, who is traveling on a bus tour through the Rust Belt, was expected to react to Friday's jobs numbers at his first stop in Ohio. Romney mentioned the tour, asking, "How do you go across Pennsylvania and Ohio and not talk about being serious about creating jobs through manufacturing policies that make America more attractive for investment and growth?"
Romney said as president, he would use different strategies to help remedy the dire economic straits many Americans face.
"It doesn't have to be this way," Romney said. "The president doesn't have a plan. He hasn't proposed any new ideas to get the economy going. Just the same old ideas of the past that have failed. I have a plan. My plan calls for action that will get America working again and create good jobs, both near term and long term."
Romney emerged from his campaign break on July 4th to march in an Independence Day parade, but has otherwise held no public events. Romney's son Tagg accompanied his father to the hardware store for his statement.
Bradley's Hardware, which has stood on Railroad Avenue in Wolfeboro since 1950, is a family owned business that employs twelve people.
Answering a question from a reporter about taking a vacation during the heat of the campaign, Romney responded that he wanted more Americans to be able to take breaks.
"I'm delighted to be able to take a vacation with my family," Romney said. "I think all Americans appreciate the memories that they have with their children and their grandchildren. I hope that more Americans are able to take vacations, and if I'm president of the United States, I'm going to work very hard to make sure we have good jobs for all Americans who want good jobs, and as part of a good job the capacity to take a vacation now and then with their loved ones."
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Another Republican in the White House would be a ‘kick in the face and stomp on your throat’ for any American who is not a multi-millionaire.
Yet the poor uneducated White GOP bigots will still vote for Romney.
This fact is truly fascinating.
And you have to offer, what specifically?
Obama blames Romney for outsourcing, yet in four years in office, he himself has done nothing to stop the flood of jobs to Asia. Lying hypocrites, both of them.
If Mittens is elected, we wil be living in tents, but it won't be a vacation.
Mitt Romney......the pioneer or should I say the guy behind sending American jobs overseas is now complaining about job creations in the USA. And he is blaming the President for this. Unbelievable!!!! This guy is a joke!!!
The King of outsourcing reacts to jobs report, unreal.
Crocodile tears
Vulture capitalism needs more jobs to offshore outsourcing, but Obama didn’t crate enough jobs so blame Obama
Coulda been an 80k net jobs lost. Give mittens a chance and it will be!
He criticizes then spews generalities as solutions. No substance.
What he mant was the Chinese people for whom he provided jobs get the vacation. Hey, they're still jobs, right
You have to call the economy what it is – pathetic. 40 months of unemployment over 8%. Gas prices are up from $1.78 when Obama took office. Obama's budgets have never been passed – even with the democrats in control of congress. Obama has not reduced deficits and has increased debt by $5 trillion. . . .
28 consecutive months of job growth, and Mittens keeps on with the gloom and doom. At least he still has his $9 million home on the lake, his $12 million home with car elevators in California, and his money overseas. Just like the middle class.
"I have a plan. My plan calls for action that will get America working again and create good jobs, both near term and long term." PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, tell us your plan Mitt!!! Be specific! Herman had the 9-9-9 and had no problem trying to sell it. What are you selling, Mitt? Are you just that empty store with a "COMING SOON" banner in the window that's been there for a year? WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? Personally, I plan to get myself through the workday while remaining reasonably alert and on task and highly productive in order to produce products to make people feel some kinda way. Know what that means? NOTHING! Give us specifics Mitt. Stop waiting for your handlers to tell you how to feel and what to say..
Mitt Romney and the GOP should be banned from critizing anyone when it comes to the economy and jobs. They screwed both up and has been blocking the presidents efforts to fit it. It is just as obvious they listened to his promises and made their mind up to prevent him from accomplishing them. People should wake up and stop being foolish, Mitt Romney and the GOP do not represent you, they represent a small group of billionaires who's goal is to work you for low wages, no benefits and strip you of any rights to complain. Independent data shows a dangerous amount of the countries wealth belings to this small group of people. The sad thing about it is the number of people who seem to be saying take all of it – rights too! Think, if their trickle down theory worked, why has all the wealth ended up in their hands. A flip – flopper is nothing but a liar trying to tell a believeable story......
Go ahead and try to have him really describe his plan. What incentives to whom? How will they actually work? In truth, it's the same old crap.
I'm just a plumber, not a capitalist, so I don't see how in hard times, you can increase revenue by firing hundreds of thaousands of public employees, turn them loose on a weak economy (adding to the unemployment roles), then cut taxes to make sure there is not enough money to go around.
And since that didn't work, lets do it again. keep firing employees, burden the remaining workers and cut taxes (revenues) and somehow pretend that this will bring economic valhalla.
There is no plan other than petty name calling
....I'z can't believe it. My plan of huge deficits, increased taxes, craming Obocare down everyone's throats and 100+ rounds of golf don't seem to be working them their jobs.
What's could be wrong....? Beware, cauze those slippery Republicans will tell you all bad, bad thigs about. But I want all you'z sheep to keep voting for us Democrats!
I'z a promising....Hope and Change are just right around th corner.
Love ya all,
Obo
"The president doesn't have a plan. He hasn't proposed any new ideas to get the economy going. Just the same old ideas of the past that have failed. I have a plan. My plan calls for action that will get America working again and create good jobs, both near term and long term." Really? I'd love to hear it Mitt.
He does NOT care about American families. He cares about businesses. He's pretending to understand what "struggling" means, but he hasn't got a clue.
Mitt "The Ripper" Romney says, "Corporations are people my friend!"
Ok Mitt, What is your plan? All i hear is ill fix it, tell us how you will fix the world problems, and dont just say lower taxes for company's, that has not worked in the past...
Bain outsourcing jobs to foreign countries was also a kick in the gut to American workers, but he had no problem with that as long as money went into his pockets (and then to the Caymans).
Ugh, I hate politics.
Obama has failed.
Time to move on.
What is Romney's plan? Offshore jobs? Fee hikes rather than taxes to increase revenue? Decrease tax base for companies making record profits and not hiring new employees? Deregulate industries making recort profits but not hiring.
Actually, Romney hasn't put forth a plan. Just criticized Obama. What happens after he's elected (god forbid)? Who does he criticize then? Obama?
Hope and Change!!!
If anyone knows about clinging to the old ideas of the past that haven't worked, it's Mitt Romney. Try again, pal.