At fundraiser, Romney says "big business is doing fine"

MINNETONKA BEACH, Minnesota (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared on Thursday to parrot a line used by President Barack Obama that Romney has repeatedly targeted on the campaign trail.

Speaking at a fundraiser, Romney said that "big business is doing fine in many places," a remark that sounded similar to Obama's now infamous proclamation that "the private sector is doing just fine."

The Republican candidate also waded into a discussion of offshore tax havens, a point of criticism that Democrats have seized on to assail Romney for his offshore holdings in places like the Cayman Islands.

Romney told the audience small businesses were struggling to deal with the regulations Obama had put in place. He said it was small businesses that were being "crushed" by the Obama administration.

"Big business is doing fine in many places," Romney said. "They get the loans they need. They can deal with all the regulation.

"They know how to find ways to get through the tax code, save money by putting various things in places where there are low tax havens around the world for their businesses."

In his remarks, Romney promised to champion small businesses as part of his five-point plan to ignite the American economy.

In a statement, the Romney campaign said the former Massachusetts governor "has long said we need to simplify the tax code, close loopholes and create a more level playing field for American businesses. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will be champions for small business, encouraging investment, entrepreneurship and innovation."

(Editing by Todd Eastham and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fundraiser-romney-says-big-business-doing-fine-020318049--business.html

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