Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Friday called the latest lackluster jobs report a "kick in the gut."
Romney put the blame on the White House’s economic policies, saying President Obama has failed to create jobs and that it is time for a change.
"This kick in the gut has got to end," Romney said.
Romney said he would provide a new plan, if elected, that would lower tax rates, bolster growth and create jobs.
“My plan calls for action that will get America working again and create good jobs in the near term and long term,” Romney said shortly after the released of the June jobs report, which found the economy added only 80,000 jobs for the month.
Romney said he would implement new trade deals, especially in Latin America, and crack down on China. He also said he would focus on domestic energy production, including building the Keystone oil pipeline.
“Millions and millions of families are struggling and suffering because the president's policies have not worked for them,” Romney said at a press conference in New Hampshire, where he is on vacation with his family.
“And I represent a very different course. I have a better path — one that has been demonstrated time and again over our history to encourage job growth in this country.”
Democrats, including Obama, have argued that Romney's policies are just a redux of failed Republican initiatives that led to the 2008 financial crisis, massive job losses and the 18-month recession that started in December 2007 and officially ended in June 2009.
Following Romney's comments, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Romney’s economic plan “would not create one job, would not reduce the deficit one cent and could lead the United States into another recession.”
For more on Romney's comments, click here.
