SPIROU TO ROMNEY: “Stop offending Greece and the Greek people!”
In a blistering open letter to Mitt Romney, Republican candidate for president of the United States, former New Hampshire Democratic Leader Chris Spirou tells Romney to “stop condemning and using Greece as an example, every time you went to deflect the domestic economic debate in the Presidential Campaign”.
Romney on five different occasions this year in campaign speeches compared President Obama’s domestic fiscal policies to those of Greece.
In a CNN Live event aired in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 1st, Mitt Romney said: “You are not going to get entrepreneurs and businesses of all kinds to invest in Ohio and invest in our other states in America, put their life savings to work here, unless they know that they are not headed to the place Greece is in.”
Spirou a Greek American and a long time political leader in the state of New Hampshire in his letter asks Romney:
“Why did you choose to pick on Greece and its citizens, Mr. Romney? What is your obsession with Greece? You know well, that similar, if not worse governmental economic crises exist today in many other countries in Europe. Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and other European nations have faced and are facing huge governmental economic difficulties, many beyond their citizens’ ability to handle.”
“Tell us, Mr. Romney, why do the current governmental budgetary difficulties of Greece stand out for you? Is it because you are afraid to compare President Obama’s successful economic policies of the past three and a half (3 ½) years with the disastrous domestic economic policies he inherited from your political hero, President George W. Bush.”
And Spirou continues: “Let me ask you, Mr. Romney. Did the political leaders of Greece hand over to President Obama in 2008 an economically destroyed America? Is that what you are trying to imply in your statements?”
“Did the governments of Greece and the Greek citizens cause America’s economic meltdown in 2000-2008, Mr. Romney? Did the domestic economic policies of the governments of Greece cause nearly twenty (20) million Americans to go on the unemployment lines and the soup kitchen rolls?”
“Were the governmental economic policies of Greece, responsible for the disintegration of one of the largest banks in the United States, Lehman Brothers, which caused economic destruction in America, not seen in our country since the 1920s, Mr. Romney?”
“Tell us Mr. Romney. Greece and its citizens caused the auto industry in America to go out of business? You recall America’s auto industry, Mr. Romney, don’t you? That’s the auto industry, which in 2009 you said «let it go bankrupt».”
“Let the auto industry go “bankrupt” is what your solution was in 2009, Mr. Romney. Let the auto industry go “bankrupt”, while hundreds of thousands of our fellow hardworking Americans were losing their jobs, their homes, their investments, their savings, their families and many their lives.”
“Mr. Romney, I don’t know what is the cause of your obsession with Greece and the Greek people, other than seemingly basic racist tendencies. I want to remind you however, that the Greek nation and the Greek people have been staunch friends and allies of the United States through thick and thin. And we, Greek Americans have been true American citizens second to none.”
Mr. Spirou concludes by saying: “Mr. Romney, it looks as though, one of your biggest concerns, as a candidate for President is that with Barack Obama president, America will end up having the same domestic economic problems as Greece is having. Well, let me tell you, Mr. Romney, what the biggest concern most of us, Greek Americans who will vote come November, 6, have. We are concerned and we are scared that with Mitt Romney president, our beloved America will end up having a second domestic economic meltdown, similar to the meltdown our country experienced under President George W. Bush.”
“Mr. Romney, we don’t want to return again to the days of George W. Bush. The eight years of George Bush’s presidency and the days he left behind were a thousand times worse for America and its people, than the problems Greece and its citizens are going through these days.”
Chris Spirou was New Hampshire’s House Democratic Leader, Democratic Party Chairman and Democratic nominee for governor.
