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Romney Campaign Press Release - "You Didn't Build That": He Said It, He Meant It

July 25, 2012

"When President Obama declared that Americans didn't build their businesses, he wasn't saying anything extraordinary — he was just saying what he actually believed. After three and a half years of liberal policies that have grown the size of government, President Obama's record is clear. We tried it his way, and middle-class Americans have paid the price. Our country deserves a new direction — and a president who doesn't devalue hard work and entrepreneurship." —Amanda Henneberg, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

President Obama Said It — "If You've Got A Business, You Didn't Build That":

President Obama: "If You've Got A Business, You Didn't Build That. Somebody Else Made That Happen." OBAMA: "Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn't get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Roanoke, VA, 7/13/12)

President Obama Meant It — He's Consistently Sided With Government As The Answer To Solving Our Nation's Problems:

In June 2012, President Obama Said There Has Been "A General Consensus That The Market Couldn't Solve All Of Our Problems On Its Own" "[Obama] (f)rom June: 'Yes, there have been fierce arguments throughout our history between both parties about the exact size and role of government — some honest disagreements. But in the decades after World War II, there was a general consensus that the market couldn't solve all of our problems on its own.'" (Aaron Blake, "Obama's 'You Didn't Build That' Problem," The Washington Post, 7/18/12)

In 2009, Obama Said "Only Government Can Break The Vicious Cycles That Are Crippling Our Economy." "[Obama] (f)rom 2009, before his stimulus package passed: 'Only government can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy, where a lack of spending leads to lost jobs which leads to even less spending.'"  (Aaron Blake, "Obama's 'You Didn't Build That' Problem," The Washington Post, 7/18/12)

We Tried President Obama's Policies And They Haven't Worked:

CBS News: We Are Experiencing "The Worst Economic Recovery America Has Ever Had." CBS' SCOTT PELLEY: "Good evening. This is the worst economic recovery America has ever had. We'd been looking for hopeful signs, but today the chairman of the Federal Reserve threw a cold splash of reality on those hopes." ("CBS Evening News," 7/17/12)

"The Ranks Of America's Poor Are On Track To Climb To Levels Unseen In Nearly Half A Century..." "The ranks of America's poor are on track to climb to levels unseen in nearly half a century, erasing gains from the war on poverty in the 1960s amid a weak economy and fraying government safety net." (Hope Yen, "US Poverty On Track To Rise To Highest Since 1960s," The Associated Press, 7/22/12)

More Than Twenty-Three Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed Or Have Stopped Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 7/7/12)

The Current Number Of Long-Term Unemployed Americans Is "Staggering," With "The Average Length Of Time The Unemployed Have Spent Out Of Work" Climbing Steadily Higher. "The numbers are staggering.  The ranks of the long-term unemployed swelled last month from 5.1 million to 5.4 million, and those individuals now account for 42.8% of the unemployed.  Meanwhile, the average length of time the unemployed have spent out of work has climbed steadily higher — and older Americans have been the hardest hit." (Charles Riley, "Long-Term Unemployment Crisis Rolls On," CNN Money, 6/11/12)

"The American Job Machine Has Jammed" And Has Settled Into A "Summer Slump For The Third Year In A Row." "The American job machine has jammed. Again. The economy added only 80,000 jobs in June, the government said Friday, erasing any doubt that the United States is in a summer slump for the third year in a row." (Paul Wiseman, "US Economy Adds 80,000 Jobs In Another Weak Month," The Associated Press, 7/7/12)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - "You Didn't Build That": He Said It, He Meant It Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/302040

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