If there was ever any doubt as to what Mitt Romney thinks about most of the people in this country (and about Barack Obama supporters in particular), it can be put to rest. Romney was caught during what appears to be a fundraising dinner at the Boca Raton home of controversial private equity manager Marc Leder saying unimaginably entitled, out-of-touch, and downright cruel things about the American people.
Romney has never tried to appear warm and fuzzy. He is a business man who made his (vast) living tearing other people down for his own gain. But even for a Master of the Universe like Romney, his off the cuff comments seem callous and breathtakingly unaware of his position.
Essentially, he believes he would have a better shot at being President if he were Mexican. He believes 47 percent of Americans are entitled moochers. And he believes Americans are too dumb to want to listen to "intellectual" arguments. This is the man you want to elect? See below:
Look, Romney doesn't have to be likable. He doesn't have to be a guy you want to get a beer with. George W. Bush was that and look how well that turned out. He does need to be HUMAN, though. And he has failed at that in the most basic way.
The idea that a man making as much as he has made in his life balks at people feeling entitled to, I don't know, FOOD seems so unimaginably out to lunch, it's like a joke about rich people. His clueless cruelty begs comparison to all kinds of entitled, out-of-touch wealthy people throughout history. Maybe we should ask Marie Antoinette how ignoring plight worked out for her. Oh wait ...
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I also take his comments personally. I am an Obama supporter and I have paid an ungodly sum to the IRS this year. I have never once taken any kind of government assistance. My family votes in the same precinct as Romney for god's sake. We aren't victims. We aren't entitled. And we don't expect government handouts.
We believe that it's the responsibility of those of us who were born into lucky circumstances and who availed ourselves of clean water, paved roads, good fire and police forces to give back. That might mean higher taxes. I would pay them. I am comfortable enough in my life and circumstances to WANT to pay taxes so that others might have chances at education, food, housing, and all the other things our taxes cover.
Moreover, as David Brooks said so eloquently in his column today in The New York Times:
The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are not big-government lovers. They are Republicans.
It's easy to dismiss Obama's supporters as whiny, entitled moochers. In fact, that couldn't be more wrong. The Obama supporters I know are all hard workers. Most have master's degrees or higher. Most are paying upwards of $30,000-50,000 in taxes in the past year.
You are wrong Mr. Romney. And because of that, you will lose. You should lose. A president who thinks like Romney is dangerous, indeed.
Do you find Romney's comments offensive?
Image via MotherJonesvideo/YouTube
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Comments 154
Mitt is is POS. Definitely doesn't have my vote, nor anyone I'm friends with. The only thing I want to hear out of his mouth is his concession speech in 7 weeks.
So there seem to be supporters of Romney's "truth" telling. It seems to me that any one that is getting government assistance is beneath those that are not, or so that is what I am seeing from the comments I have read. i believe that the majority of those people would like to be off assistance. There are circumstances that prevent that and I think Romney needs to pull his head out of his ass and stop talking down on people. He is a pompous jerk. He will never make a decent president, not in this country any way.
I think he's a jackass and only cares about the rich people and how they keep money in their pockets!! He should be making the wealthy pay higher taxes and help out the lower income families by letting them pay lower taxes. I do not like him and would never vote for him! Its my opionion and if you don't like it too bad don't read it!!!!!
The funny thing about what Mitt says that illustrates the disconnect between his supporters and reality is that it simply isn't true. A large proportion of the 47% do vote Republican, and among either the Republican or Democratic proportion, nearly half still deal with payroll income taxes. Then again, facts and mathematics have certainly taken a backseat for the Romney camp of late.
I have taken government assistance via temporary food stamps one time in my life. I have been blessed with assistance via family members in my downturns, but I have also paid 34% of my wages in taxes every year for the past 11years. I don't like those who use govt assistance for sole support, but I disagree with the concept that all govt assistance is a waste of money or everyone who uses it is a waste of space ~ sorry, that's what Romney sounds like.