Romney touts personal responsibility

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SAN DIEGO, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- With Election Day 45 days off, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spent Saturday fundraising in San Diego and campaigning by podcast.

Romney used his podcast to tout "personal responsibility, the dignity of work and the value of education," and pushed his five-point economic plan: building energy independence, opening markets, cutting the deficit, helping small businesses and making sure Americans have the work skills they need.

"Efforts that promote hard work and personal responsibility over government dependency make America strong," Romney said. "When the economy is growing and Americans are working, everyone involved has a shared sense of achievement, not to mention the basic sense of pride that comes with the paycheck they earn.

"Over the last four years, however, these kinds of opportunities have been in short supply.

"Under President Obama, we have a stagnant economy that fosters government dependency. My policies will create a growing economy that fosters upward mobility.

"Government has a role to play here. Right now our nation's citizens do need help from government. But it is a very different kind of help than what President Obama wants to provide."

He said if not for House action, the Obama administration would have removed the welfare work requirement.

"As president, I will keep the work requirements in welfare and get our economy growing again, creating good jobs, higher take-home pay and more opportunity for all Americans," he said.

"The dreamers and the entrepreneurs, not government, built this economy, and they can once again make it strong. My course for the American economy will support their efforts. It will encourage private investment and personal freedom. Instead of creating a web of dependency, I will pursue policies that grow our economy and lift Americans out of poverty."

The Los Angeles Times reported Romney spoke at a $25,000-a-ticket fundraiser attended by 650 people at the massive estate of Ada Regan, who told how her husband emigrated from Canada and with just $100 started a business that built the heat shield for the lunar landing module.

"That's what he did, without a high school degree, immigrant comes to this country, builds an enterprise that employs him and provides for his family and employs many other people," Romney said. "I'm astonished at the American experience, at how powerful the American dream has been in the lives of people across this country, and, how in fact, they did build their business with the help of others. That is the nature of America."

Romney, who attended a $100,000-a-person fundraiser Friday night, was to address about 1,500 people who paid up to $50,000 each to attend a fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Saturday night.