His ideas are better than President Obama’s. Yet the 160 pages and 59 proposals also strike us as surprisingly timid and tactical considering our economic predicament. They’re a technocrat’s guide more than a reform manifesto. … Mr. Romney seems to understand that the private economy will inevitably produce millions of new jobs—in industries and companies we can’t predict—when it resumes growing at 3% or more. … Where the Governor is less persuasive is on the larger issues of taxes, spending, entitlements and trade. Here he ducks and covers more than he needs to. … By far the most troubling proposal is Mr. Romney’s call for “confronting China” on trade. … Starting a trade war is a rare policy mistake that Mr. Obama hasn’t made, but Mr. Romney claims it is a way to faster growth.