U.S. Won't Fade Like British Empire

Mitt Romney: I Won't Let US Go The Way Of UK

By Toby Harnden in Nashua, New Hampshire
Last Updated: 2:07am GMT 31/10/2007
Telegraph

The United States is in danger of becoming a "second-tier" nation like Britain and other European countries if Hillary Clinton wins the White House, according to Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential contender.

Although he gave a Hallowe'en warning of a "house of horrors" if Mrs Clinton is elected, the main bogeyman for the former Massachusetts governor's stump has become Europe, with Britain's national health service being singled out for special mention.

..."The question is whether we're going to become a stronger nation leading the world or whether we're going to follow the path of Europe and become a second-tier military and a second-tier nation."

European countries had chosen to "become a wonderful nation but not the world's power".

...He added: "For me what America should do is strengthen our military, strengthen our economy and strengthen our family structure so that we always remain the most powerful nation on earth. A world without America as the leader is a very frightening place."

At an earlier campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire, some 20 miles north of Nashua, Mr Romney spoke proudly of how Americans "threw off the reins of Great Britain" during the Revolutionary War of 1775-83.

"We also changed the relationship between the citizen and the state," he said.

"Prior to the declaration, the state was the sovereign, the Divine Right of kings and so forth, and the citizens were the servants and the declaration flipped that ... the individual became the sovereign and the state became the servant .

"And that, as they say, has made all the difference. America became a land of freedom and opportunity and liberties and we become the most powerful nation in the history of the earth."

Democrats, he argued, wanted to make the United States like Europe.

"Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama or John Edwards will take America in a sharp left turn towards Europe with big government, big taxes, Big Brother running your lives," he said.

"The other course, if you will, is the house that Ronald Reagan built, which is based upon personal responsibilities, individual liberties, strong families, love of country, strong economy, keeping government small and standing up to our challenges around the world. That is the course that has the most promise for America's future."

Mr Romney was a Mormon missionary in France in the 1960s and a campaign strategy document leaked in February revealed that criticising Europe in general and France in particular would be a central theme of his campaign.

The document stated that the European Union wants to "drag America down to Europe's standards" and added: "That's where Hillary and Dems would take us. Hillary = France."

There was even a plan at one time for "First, not France" bumper stickers to be produced by the Romney campaign...