Romney: Laying people off is is hard to do

During a speech in Miami to the Latin Builders Association, Former Gov. Mitt Romney talked about his role in laying off employees, while he worked in the private sector. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee has lately hit Romney hard on this issue, attacking Romney's business credentials.

“Do you understand how businesses work? They don’t all work; that’s the nature of the risk of return," Romney said. "Nobody likes laying someone off. It’s awful. No one likes laying someone off. Someone who thinks you’re bad person, because you’re laying somebody off doesn’t understand. You feel that. It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done in business, was asking someone to be let go. Letting somebody go, it’s awful. Feels terrible. It’s an indication that business isn’t doing well. You don’t lay people off when you’re growing, you lay people off when you’re not growing...But you recognize it’s the only way you can go forward and hopefully turn it around."

Comments

Romney should know: he's the expert on laying people off.

And McCain is the expert on growing bloated bureaucracies that never shrink in size.

I'm ready to vote.

[Brian]

I'm voting for the expert at laying people off. This government needs some serious downsizing.

I wish I could take back my vote after the New York Times endorsement of McCain.

that's right Mitt, as long as the business makes enough cash to fill your pocket. In theory, every person that you laid off should have been recalled when you turned it around. Otherwise it is just plain "fired". BS is still BS even with geled hair and veneers.

10:58,

Please tell me you're not a Republican.

Clearly you've never owned a business. Or if you did, it's bankrupt.

You've got to prune a tree to help it grow healthy. Sometimes you have to cut jobs to help a company grow. There is a period of job cuts, but a healthy company can add a lot more jobs then a stagnant or dying company can. Dominoes was headed toward bankruptcy, but Mitt helped them around. There are over 150 other companies that Mitt helped save.

Hey communists there are no guarantee's in life (except death and taxes) and nobody should feel like once they get a job it's theirs for life. People get layed off sometimes, get over it!

Romney has certainly put more people of work than any other candidate

I am sure he hated laying them off, but I bet he never gave up his salary for the good of the business.

11:48 - you first - why don't you give up your salary - oh wait you're one of those who'd rather tell others how to live than mind your own business

Why are you bitter that Romney is wealthy? Do you support McCain or Huckabee?

I'm so tired of the media picking a sentence or part of a speech to make candidates look bad.

Is this a "reporting blog" or an "opininion blog"?

Bain and Mitt helped to grow locations (hint: you need NEW employees in them) Staples, Domino's, Sports Authority, and etc. Why not REPORT (not opine) the whole story?

10:42 - You don't even know what you are talking about... McCain has lead the way in opposing govt.spending.

Your Boy Romney did nothing to help Mass. Under Mitt Romney, economic growth in Massachusetts trailed the nation, job growth was third-worst in the country, taxes went up $700 million per year and 200,000 people left the state.

11:51 - Mitt I didnt realize you were blogging. I thought you would use your - I am so rich I can buy the election fund to get young staffers to do this for you.

I guess its true you really will do anything to get elected.

[Chris]

There's a big difference between owning a company and having to lay off some of your employees and being handsomely rewarded for having a business that specialized in laying off people.

Way to go Republican party! Let's nominate a guy during the upcoming business recession whose success in the business world came from laying off people.

A good business grows. Therefore a good businessman won't need to layoff workers, he needs to recruit them.

[Dave]

I agree with the Brian 10:51 AM. I am voting for Romney because he will fire people.

Dave - he will only fire people when he is unsuccessful. Didn't you read his comment?

Mitt probably didn't receive a salary at Bain. How do you know he did? Have you seen any of their records?

MANY CEOs don't receive a salary or get a salary of $1. Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger have had the same salary for years on end.

When Mitt was working for the people of Mass. he took NO salary. Is that highlighted anywhere?

[Dave]

The government IS unsuccessful.

Romney came in when companies were already failing and turned them around. I'm voting for him because I hope he can do the same thing in DC.

12:06 - you raise an excellent point. You show when Mitt fails he doesnt take a salary.

Afterall his economic track record in Mass was terrible.

The business tax climate ranking fell 11 spots under Romney, forcing employers to take their jobs elsewhere

[Slick Mitty]

Dave - he couldn't turn Mass around - why would he be able to turn the massive bureaucratic federal government around?

Not only that he polls terribly against hillary and obama - so I doubt we would ever have the opportunity to find out.

[Dave]

12:06

What about the $3 billion dollar surplus that Romney built? The state was $2 billion in the hole when he took over. Even if he raised the fees $700 million.

If you don't like Mitt then who do you support? McCain?

[Dave]

Slick Mitty,

Who do you support? It's easy to throw rocks from the shadows.

Mitt's speach was fantastic... the speech was on economics... Guess there is always more then what the press reports

MITT IS GOING TO SEND THEM ON A MISSION INSTEAD:

The Mormon Church : A Cult of Christianity
Theologically, Mormonism - the so-called ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ is a cult of Christianity.
Given that the theology and practice of the Mormon Church violates essential Christian doctrines, Mormonism does not represent historical, Biblical Christianity, is not a Christian denomination, and is not in any way part of the Christian church.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/16137/mormon-prophet-urges-more-membership-in-us-canada#tools

12:31 PM Huckabee supporter?

[Mary]

I also thought Romney's speech was fantastic.

[Slick Mitty]

Giuliani - a tax cutter and someone who knows how to turn around a govt.

[Slick Mitty]

Economists at the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and Northeastern University called job growth under Romney ‘anemic’ and economic growth among ‘the worst in the country.’

If you're voting for Mitt because of his so-called "business acumen" don't throw away your vote. He raised taxes in Mass., the state's rating fell and in private enterprise, he specializes in buying companies, firing everybody selling off the pieces of the company and depositing the profits offshore. Good for Mitt. For America? Not so much.

McCain is the ONLY Republican who can beat either Hillary OR Obama. Look at the statistics.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html

[Not so sMITTen]

Good call 12:47.

First Read at MSNBC offers a more complete report of what Mitt said today. Here's an excerpt (note the final sentence):

Indeed, Romney may be on a roll with his overall economic message and the drilldown, as the primary calendar hurtles toward Feb. 5, when the Golden State holds its primary along with nearly two dozen others. Per the AP yesterday, both “California and Florida have been particularly hard hit by the housing slump.”

The story ended with stats on layoffs in the construction industry in both states; Romney’s rivals have criticized him for laying off employees in his own business background. Today he repeated a number of times how “awful” it was for him to let employees go -- and reminded the audience that it’s a sign of a business doing poorly, something he’s learned how to handle.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/25/609148.aspx

Hey Mitt: Patria o muerte!

i'm all for firing people to keep the business profitable. That's how the world works, my only point 11:05...since you are clearly a regular Donald Trump...is don't polish it up by calling it "laid off". I just want the end of the BS.

Isn't "laid off" for cutbacks due to the economy and/or market conditions while "fired" is for underperformance or doing something you shouldn't be doing?

Mitt created thousands of jobs across the country with Staples, Domino's, Sports Authority, and etc.

Mitt Romney was endorsed for President this afternoon by a board member and 1st Vice President of the largest Repbulican Women's Club in the state of Florida.

And more to come.

The ramificaitons of this endorsement for Mitt Romney will be felt statewide.

Go Mitt go!!!!!!!!!!

Mitt also made his fortune buying companies, tearing them apart, FIRING all the employees, selling the pieses and depositing the profits offshore. Good for Mitt. Bad for America. (Mot to mention the FIRED workers.)

[Stu]

Here's hoping Mitt fires most of Washington!

2:15, Your read the Huckabee talking points well. Unfortunately, the facts are against you.

[Gene Smith]

PLEASE, y'all, vote for Mitt.

I can't wait to campaign against somebody in a down economy explaining how hard it is to lay people off while he's stuffing his pockets with millions of dollars.

Bring him on.

Gene, who do you think will turn the economy around?

[Aquaserpent]

I have never met a Republican Politician that was worth a dam. The only improvement in this race is Clueless Gorge is not in it.