If you’re looking for praise of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech, don’t turn to John Stossel. He shares his ambivalence with Human Events readers.

The Republicans did some good things in Tampa, like showing two debt clocks and allowing speakers like Ted Cruz to say, “Rights are secure only when government power is restrained.” But then Mitt Romney spoke. He said nothing of significance.

“Believing in America” means objecting when politicians claim they solve our problems. Romney said he has a “plan to create 12 million jobs.” Huh? Why not 13 million? Why not 50? Promising 12 million is an absurd conceit. When politicians say, “Yes, we can,” we should say: No, they can’t! Government fails, but individuals succeed.

The Dems are worse. What do they stand for? They say they believe in a progressive, liberal society, but to them that means a giant government that pretends to solve problems, causes new ones and then spends even more to appear to solve those problems.

I say “appear” because they never actually do it.

President Obama came in full of promises. What’s he accomplished? He expanded George W. Bush’s dangerous debt. Government spending sets peacetime records. He proposed nothing serious to bring Medicare under control. He didn’t curtail our role as world policeman — on the contrary, the administration routinely bombs several populations by remote control. Military spending continues to grow.

Here’s what I wish Obama would say this week:

“I was wrong to expand government the way I have. I overreached. Modern liberalism put us on an unsustainable course. I will save America by restoring limited government that keeps the peace but then leaves free people alone.”

Hey, I can hope.