Former Bush Aides to Lead Romney's Economic Team

U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney named an economic policy team Tuesday led by former top economic aides in Republican President George W. Bush's administration.

The former Massachusetts governor, due to unveil a job creation plan later Tuesday, named Glenn Hubbard, chairman of Bush's Council of Economic Advisers from 2001 to 2003, and Gregory Mankiw, who led the council from 2003 to 2005.

Both also advised Romney's 2008 presidential campaign.

Romney also named Jim Talent, a former U.S. senator and congressman who chaired the House Small Business Committee, and Vin Weber, a former congressman who most recently co-chaired former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's unsuccessful presidential campaign.

In a Nevada speech two days before Democratic President Barack Obama makes a major address on the economy and jobs, Romney will propose his plan to promote employment by cutting corporate taxes, reducing federal regulations and getting tough against China on trade.

Romney said in a column in the USA Today newspaper that his jobs plan would consist of 59 proposals, including 10 he would introduce on his first day in office.

``I will not stand by while China pursues an economic development policy that relies on the unfair treatment of U.S. companies and the theft of their intellectual property,'' Romney wrote.

Romney was the early leader in the race for the Republican nomination to challenge Obama's bid for re-election next year, but has fallen behind Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Obama's job approval ratings have plunged as the country has grabbled with a sputtering economy and unemployment stuck at just over 9 percent.

Two polls released Tuesday showed Americans are unhappy with Obama's handling of the economy and jobs. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Obama's overall job approval rating at a low of 44 percent. An ABC News/Washington Post poll showed six in 10 Americans rated Obama's performance on the economy and jobs negatively.