Politics

Buddy Roemer threatens China with bear-killing analogy

Jamie Weinstein Senior Writer
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On Thursday, former Louisiana governor and long-shot Republican presidential contender Buddy Roemer warned about the economic threat to America from China — while standing in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

“China is the bear in the room eating jobs and no one pays attention,” Roemer claimed during a nearly hour-long address attended by just over a dozen members of the press and no other spectators.

“I will get the bear out of the room,” he promised.

“Why am I the only presidential candidate to see the bear?” Roemer pondered later in the speech, after giving a history of America’s failed trade policies.

Buddy the bear slayer didn’t merely come loaded with anti-bear rhetoric, but with a detailed list of protectionist proposals to strengthen America by weakening the bear, which he insisted was conspicuously “eating our jobs, eating our fortunes.”

Roemer’s economic plan includes allowing tax deductions for businesses only when they employ Americans and buy American products, and eliminating the foreign tax credit, among other initiatives.

Though Roemer said big corporations and economic elites will criticize him for his jobs plan, such a circumstance is unlikely considering how few people even know his campaign exists.

Roemer has so far been excluded from all the Republican primary debates due to his low poll numbers. When asked by The Daily Caller for a standard that debate organizers should use to exclude candidates, Roemer said his resume should qualify him.

“I’m the only guy runnin’ who’s been a congressman and a governor!” he exclaimed. “I’m a successful businessman, I’ll say that modestly, a bank of about $1 billion in size, no bailouts, during the toughest banking period since pre-Roosevelt.”

“It’ll happen,” he added, indicating his campaign would pick up steam and he would eventually qualify to participate in a future debate. “This is a long period of time. There are ten more debates scheduled! I need to make one or two, that’s all.”