Free Enterprise

President Reagan is such an ardent advocate of free enterprise and of getting the government off the backs of American workers and corporations that it seems almost ridiculous for a prominent economist to charge that "all of this small government-big government debate (led by Reagan) is bull." But that is the accusation made by Robert B. Reich, whose 1983 book about industrial strategy, "The Next American Frontier," was a best seller.

It's come to this: Joe Biden compared Mitt Romney to a horse. The vice president, campaigning in New Hampshire on Tuesday, argued that Romney has it wrong when he tells voters that things "have gotten much worse" and that Obama administration policies are to blame. Biden was armed with a chart that showed monthly job losses that grew in the final months of the George W. Bush administration began to diminish after President Obama took office, and eventually turned into job growth.

Opening what could be a make-or-break campaign to win South Carolina's Republican presidential primary, Newt Gingrich defended his criticism of Mitt Romney's role as an investment banker in corporate buyouts that led to job losses.   "Criticizing specific actions in specific places is not being anti-free enterprise," the former House Speaker told a crowd that packed a banquet hall here in upstate South Carolina on Wednesday, rejecting Romney's suggestion that questioning his record as chief executive of Bain Capital was tantamount to attacking free enterprise.

It was Richard Nixon who brought me into the Republican fold. He was running for president, and I had recently arrived in California from Austria, which I'd left because the European socialist mentality wasn't big enough for my dreams. Growing up, I was surrounded by kids whose greatest ambition was to one day collect a pension. I didn't intend to spend my whole life dreaming about floating on a government safety net. One day, when Nixon was talking on the television, my liberal friend Artie translated bits of what he was saying.

What would a world without free enterprise look like? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the answer is as close as your local theater, where the "The Hunger Games" shows the perils of big government. The dystopian future nation of Panem, in which the movie is set, highlights the dangers of a lack of free trade, innovation and competition, the business group said. That would be economic competition, not the fight-to-the-death contest that gives the blockbuster movie its name.

Re Ned Manderino's letter on acting coaches (Letters, Nov. 24): I run a one-man acting business that uses a unique formula of study, marketing and networking to build its business. Part of the formula includes meeting and learning from casting directors in workshops. Any state invention to thwart my chosen efforts is tyrannical in nature and its advocates (this means you, Ned) tyrants themselves. Patrick O'Connor Pasadena

Iacocca sure knows how to thank America, by exporting more jobs to Asia. His commercials on TV thank America, but his actions with the Liberty small car in Asia really shows his thanks. The working American be damned. He, as well as many big industry managers, roll over and play dead, rather than fight. Why must we give up? WALTER and CLARINE TOLSON Compton

Your article on windsurfing lessons at Alamitos Bay was misleading. The article gave most readers the impression that the Long Beach Windsurf Center had complained about Wilfred Otaguro and other individuals teaching their friends how to windsurf. We did not. We did have a problem that same day with an illegal commercial lesson interfering with our classes, but this was two hours earlier and 150 yards away from Mr. Otaguro. The article also implied that we were against individuals teaching their friends to windsurf.

It appears that every time the Glendale City Council meets, it violates the rights of the citizens. This time I refer to your article, "Vendor Says He'll Stand--and Fight" (Nov. 27). Three cheers for Pablo Torres! He is just a hard-working man who wants to earn an honest living. I can't understand why Glendale officials are fining him and threatening him with imprisonment. I have worked in the Glendale Federal Building for 2 1/2 years and always see Pablo's catering truck nearby.

Re "Foreign policy close to home," Opinion, April 25 Saying the U.S. cannot afford "to keep putting Latin America on the back burner," Sen. Marc Rubio (R-Fla.) wants us to "enhance trade and economic ties. " Regarding Cuba specifically, we should find "new ways to increase connectivity among Cubans, and expand access to 21st century technologies on the island. " Why then does Rubio oppose lifting the Cuba embargo, which forbids the shipment of information-technology products?

The United States cannot afford to keep putting Latin America on the back burner as it focuses the bulk of its attention on Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The Western Hemisphere holds significant strategic interest for the U.S. - as well as enormous promise. Efforts should be focused in four key areas: building a democratic movement, enhancing trade and economic ties, cooperating on energy issues and building and strengthening security alliances. It's no coincidence that increased prosperity has followed in the wake of stronger democratic institutions in Latin America.

What would a world without free enterprise look like? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the answer is as close as your local theater, where the "The Hunger Games" shows the perils of big government. The dystopian future nation of Panem, in which the movie is set, highlights the dangers of a lack of free trade, innovation and competition, the business group said. That would be economic competition, not the fight-to-the-death contest that gives the blockbuster movie its name.

Rick Santorum joined the parade of GOP candidates seeking the Latino vote in South Florida on Friday, playing up his humble roots and interest in Latin American policy in front of a crowd at the Latino Builders Assn. in a ballroom in downtown Miami. He'd stopped at Versailles Restaurant, a magnet for politicians in Little Havana, on his way down, he said, checking off another box on the list of places to recruit Latino voters. A full 75% of registered GOP voters in Miami-Dade County are Latino, and Santorum's visit to Miami tops off two days of aggressive campaigning by GOP front-runners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in Miami.

Conceding his loss in South Carolina -- where he finished a disappointing fourth place four years ago -- Mitt Romney told supporters in Columbia that the Republican race was “getting to be even more interesting” and that the competition was only making "our campaign better.”  “We're now three contests into a long primary season,” he said. “This is a hard fight because there's so much worth fighting for. We've still got a long way to go and a lot more work to do. And tomorrow we are going to move on to Florida.

For much of the presidential campaign so far, Mitt Romney has tried to glide above his Republican rivals - - engaging  President Obama in his stump speeches while swatting away criticism from GOP contenders. But in sign of a tightening race in South Carolina, Romney shifted strategy during a midday rally at Wofford University Wednesday - needling GOP rival Newt Gingrich him as a lifelong politician and suggesting that he had little experience creating jobs. Arguing that Gingrich and Obama had taken the same line of attack by criticizing his work at the private equity firm Bain Capital - - which he likes to describe as an assault on "free enterprise" - - Romney pivoted to Gingrich's career in government and mocked job-creation claims made recently by the former House speaker.

Mitt Romney softened his attack on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at a second rally Wednesday at Winthrop University. He chided the former House speaker for criticizing his private-sector experience, but omitted his charge from earlier in the day that Gingrich had exaggerated his record on job creation. Still, for the second time Wednesday, Romney pivoted from criticism of President Obama, who he said wanted to “replace ambition with envy” and “cause class warfare,” to his Republican foe, who is gaining in South Carolina polls.

Opening what could be a make-or-break campaign to win South Carolina's Republican presidential primary, Newt Gingrich defended his criticism of Mitt Romney's role as an investment banker in corporate buyouts that led to job losses.   "Criticizing specific actions in specific places is not being anti-free enterprise," the former House Speaker told a crowd that packed a banquet hall here in upstate South Carolina on Wednesday, rejecting Romney's suggestion that questioning his record as chief executive of Bain Capital was tantamount to attacking free enterprise.