(Note: At this time, 11:37pm, Friday, the Columbus Dispatch has not included Romney's advice to students, "....borrow money from your parents....," in the article posted online. Why am I not surprised! Leave it to the Dispatch to only report what they think you should know.)
Mitt Romney went to speak at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Otterbein is a small, private university, with tuition set at $29,000/yr. (excluding living expenses). Approximately 3,000 students (see Otterbein.edu) are enrolled at Otterbein, a majority of them are white.
Otterbein has been visited by Republican candidates because it is viewed as a quiet, conservative school. When Romney was at Otterbein today, he brought along Gov. John Kasich.
Think Progress has part of the advice Romney gave students:
....If you’re young and you want to start your own business, Mitt
Romney’s has some advice from you: Borrow money from your parents. At a
“lecture” for students at Otterbein University in Ohio today, Mitt
Romney told students that, his friend, Jimmy John,
started a business by borrowing $20,000 from his parents at a low
interest rate. Romney suggested anyone in the audience could do the
same:
This kind of devisiveness, this attack of success, is very different
than what we’ve seen in our country’s history. We’ve always encouraged
young people: Take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from your parents, start a business.
Romney is completely clueless. If parents are out of work, or barely scraping by, how can they borrow money from their parents?
Not every student has a parent like Romney with tax shelters in foreign countries.
Not every student has a parent like Romney with a net worth of over $250 million.
Not every student has parents that own and compete with dressage horses.
Not every student has parents that own several palatial homes around the country or "...a couple of Cadillacs...."
I guess a guy that plans to put a car garage in his new house doesn't understand that some students don't even have cars, garages, or someone other than themselves to pay for their college education.
If you have a chance to look at the totally bored students sitting on stage behind Romney, you'll notice that they look tuned out, bored to tears, and as though they were forced to be there. (Since a majority of students at Otterbein are female, why are there an overwhelming number of males on the stage?????) Even though some people say that it was an enthusiastic crowd, don't believe it. Mitt Romney is out of touch and as exciting and compassionate as linoleum.