Romney insults 47% of americans because they are poor.

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

[QUOTE="Abbeten"]I feel like the worst part of thing in this rant is where he says "[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." That is some truly awful sh*t right there.Abbeten

He means his campaign...he's not going to convince them through his campaign to vote for him since they'd be voting against entitlements meant for them.

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

[QUOTE="Abbeten"][QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

He means his campaign...he's not going to convince them through his campaign to vote for him since they'd be voting against entitlements meant for them.

SpartanMSU

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

[QUOTE="Abbeten"][QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

He means his campaign...he's not going to convince them through his campaign to vote for him since they'd be voting against entitlements meant for them.

SpartanMSU

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

If it's a legitimate concern then he needs to work his trickle-down voodoo. We'll do politics like the old days, if he can make it rai...I mean make jobs then he can be our leader.

There seem to be a good deal of things that he said before the campaign that he didn't want to get out. Ooops.

[QUOTE="Abbeten"][QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

He means his campaign...he's not going to convince them through his campaign to vote for him since they'd be voting against entitlements meant for them.

SpartanMSU

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

It is something worthy of debate. So do you think that Republicans were right to push things like the Earned Income Tax Credit?

[QUOTE="Abbeten"][QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

He means his campaign...he's not going to convince them through his campaign to vote for him since they'd be voting against entitlements meant for them.

SpartanMSU

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

He just condescended horribly to half of America. And he wants to be their president. That is reprehensible.Abbeten

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

Romney is pretty much going to be anothe Mccain in terms of election resuls because of this.

I got confused by the quote.

Are the poor the only ones that want the government to do more?

JoGoSo

Interestingly enough it could be argued that the rich benefit more than the poor from government. It is the rich who benefit most from the various wars in the Middle-East, for example. The rich benefit more from the very existence of government, after all, who is going to protect their private property without some form of government?

I train to kill for the government.

You're goddamn right I expect the government to take care of me in return.

Great, now I have to come to terms with the fact that I am a bum.

[QUOTE="Franklinstein"]

Interesting article, "Fact-Checking Romney's statement"

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57515033-503544/fact-checking-romneys-47-percent-comment/

"The same data shows that in 2011, 78,000 tax filers with incomes between $211,000 and $533,000 paid no income taxes; 24,000 households with incomes of $533,000 to $2.2 million paid no income taxes, and 3,000 tax filers with incomes above $2.2 million paid no income taxes."

So, I guess he just forgot about those guys...

InEMplease

And everyone ignores this. Typical politics.

*yawn*

Politicians being politicians.

I find it funny. People here on OT seem to get mad when they hear in words the things they already know to be true. Everyone complaining right now knew Mitt Romney held these views. Where is the story?

*yawn*

Politicians being politicians.

I find it funny. People here on OT seem to get mad when they hear in words the things they already know to be true. Everyone complaining right now knew Mitt Romney held these views. Where is the story?

hoola

hey you know what, romney im not voting for you or obama , you two can go take the next train to the bottomless pits of earth

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

[QUOTE="Abbeten"] He just condescended horribly to half of America. And he wants to be their president. That is reprehensible.jimkabrhel

Realisticly, there's nothing wrong with that. Politically though not the best choice of words, although he didn't know this would get out I assume.

However, it's a legitimate concern when almost half of Americans able to work pay nothing in Federal income taxes. It's something that needs to be debated and put in the public spotlight.

It is something worthy of debate. So do you think that Republicans were right to push things like the Earned Income Tax Credit?

I'm not a Republican nor a Romney supporter...

I honestly don't know what to think of Romney. Looking at his biography, it seems like his life was pretty messed up while in France due to trying to convert a bunch of wine-loving French people to Mormonism, where alcohol is forbidden. That and he defended a woman from a bunch of French thugs.

Honestly, I don't know what to think of him.

I honestly don't know what to think of Romney. Looking at his biography, it seems like his life was pretty messed up while in France due to trying to convert a bunch of wine-loving French people to Mormonism, where alcohol is forbidden. That and he defended a woman from a bunch of French thugs.

Honestly, I don't know what to think of him.

leviathan91

[QUOTE="leviathan91"]

I honestly don't know what to think of Romney. Looking at his biography, it seems like his life was pretty messed up while in France due to trying to convert a bunch of wine-loving French people to Mormonism, where alcohol is forbidden. That and he defended a woman from a bunch of French thugs.

Honestly, I don't know what to think of him.

DevilMightCry

[QUOTE="Ghost_702"]If you don't pay taxes and you aren't a student or mentally or physically incapable of work, then you are a scumbag. comp_atkins

[QUOTE="Ghost_702"]If you don't pay taxes and you aren't a student or mentally or physically incapable of work, then you are a scumbag. comp_atkins

I hate that number

[QUOTE="comp_atkins"][QUOTE="Ghost_702"]If you don't pay taxes and you aren't a student or mentally or physically incapable of work, then you are a scumbag. Ghost_702

The majority of people who don't pay income tax play federel payroll taxes and social security taxes. So they are contributing. A lof of the rest of the pie are seniors. So this lack of contribution argument is largely rubbish.

[QUOTE="Ghost_702"]If you don't pay taxes and you aren't a student or mentally or physically incapable of work, then you are a scumbag. wis3boi

He doesn't work...explain how his taxes should be so high

[QUOTE="DevilMightCry"][QUOTE="leviathan91"]

I honestly don't know what to think of Romney. Looking at his biography, it seems like his life was pretty messed up while in France due to trying to convert a bunch of wine-loving French people to Mormonism, where alcohol is forbidden. That and he defended a woman from a bunch of French thugs.

Honestly, I don't know what to think of him.

jimkabrhel

[QUOTE="jimkabrhel"][QUOTE="DevilMightCry"] Nothing wrong with converting people into a religion you believe in. It's part of Mormonism. DevilMightCry

He's an idealogue based on his talking points, though I'm in the camp that feels like he'll govern more from the center and not be so different than Obama.

There should be less fear from a Mormon President than a President who is in the pocket of the Evangelical right who want to turn this into an overtly Christian nation, not one that has taken Christian and other religious morals as a base.

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

this seems like people making things up or drawing baseless conclusions.

like always, misinterpretting a politicians words.

Guybrush_3

This is romney refering dirrectly to the 47% of people that don't pay income tax. Please tell me what I am miss representing here.

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter whatThese are people who pay no income tax

"[M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Congressional Research Service Report: Number of able-bodied adults on food stamps doubled after Obama suspended Work Requirement

http://washingtonexaminer.com/crs-report-number-of-able-bodied-adults-on-food-stamps-doubled-after-obama-suspended-work-requirement/article/2508430#.UFm26o1lREN

Isn't that guy running for president ?

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

You want the honest truth? Here goes:

Everyone wants the best deal for themselves. If Mitt Romney, or Republicans in general want to compete and win votes, they need to offer a BETTER deal than Obama and the Democrats do to the majority of Americans.

The Tea Party and the "Fiscally Responsible" GoP people do not offer a better deal to the majority. They, in fact, offer a worse deal. They want to take things away from people that are now being relied upon. Stabilizing the economy is not as important as maintaining the majority's benefits, at least to the people voting anyway.

Fiscal responsibility is important, philosophically. I agree 100%. We just can't give crap away for free with no revenue to support it.

But nobody cares about that except the minority of low-end wealthy people who are stuck in that $200K+ tax bracket where they pay more taxes than the middle class and more taxes %-wise than the upper 3% of the super-wealthy. Those are the people who are being "screwed" to keep the system up and running. But, as Mitt Romney so ineloquently put it, the 47% will not support making sacrifices on their end to "even things out".

Unfortunately for them, neither the GoP nor the Dems can figure out a way to produce alternative revenue that meets their contributions half-way to take some of the tax burden off of them WITHOUT tapping the middle class OR the super-wealthy campaign donors/CEOs/etc...

The GoP power base is largely made of and supported by those in that wacky $200K+ tax bracket. But they are not in a majority. Until they are, they will continue to pay more than the rest.

If the GoP wants to win votes and be heard, they need appeal to the Middle Class and Super-Wealthy, NOT the $200K to $1M bracket. They need to somehow figure out a way to keep the the status quo for THEM while also trimming the burden form that $200k+ bracket. And they need to do it in a way that won't create more debt and hurt the economy. Most likely, it's impossible right now. All the GoP is doing right now is looking for concessions. In fact, they're just grasping at straws in some cases. (cough cutting PBS cough)

The Dems know how to work the system to maintain support - By keeping the majority happy.

So long as the Dems provide a better deal than the GoP to the majority, they will always have that "47%" on their side and it will always come down to the swing votes, those undecided people who will swing in whatever direction gets them personally the better deal.

---Threatening to cut the federal budget usually swings people toward the Democrats. Debt and deficits be damned - people want and/or NEED their programs and benefits.

---Offering to cut taxes usually swings them toward the GoP. Federal revenue & social programs be damned - it just sounds like your "WINNING" when you have a couple hundred extra bucks a year in your Net Take-home pay.

It's lose-lose people. Someone is going to get screwed and it's going to be that over-taxed minority bracket.

Romney is an idiot and would not make a good president. BatCrazedJoker

I know that most talked about part of this story is the tax part of Romney's comments, but the more bothersome issue to me is his flat out refusal to consider speaking to and representing the 47% of country he mentions that don't pay income taxes.

Apart from the number of those people who are in that category that vote Republican, Romney is discounting almost half the voting public. Completely. How is that supposed to convince us that he would be an effective leader for this country?

An analogy would be for me, as a teacher, to refuse to acknowledge and teach almost half my class because their learning style doesn't match my teaching style. Or that they disagree with the concept that I'm teaching. If I had that philosophy as a teacher, I would be fired.

Does he not realize folks in the military make up a nice chunk of that 47% too? I used to get money back when I was in the Army lol...guess at that time I was just being lazy and not taking accountability for my own life though...shame on me lol! There was a good sizeable chunk of my life that I actually payed no taxes (from the military to around age 26)...almost 8 years.

I pay through the nose now (I pay more in taxes every year than most of you probably gross yearly) but the idea that I was lazy and entitled just because I didn't pay taxes is very insulting. I'm not a huge fan of Obama, but this man is so out of touch with American life and the families that make up a huge portion of the population it isn't even funny. He should be ashamed of those comments.

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

UnknownSniper65

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

UnknownSniper65

That's exactly what he was saying...although not using the best choice of words.

[QUOTE="UnknownSniper65"]

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

sSubZerOo

Obviously all of the people in that percentage aren't the people who he's referring to. It was a general statement that wasn't very well articulated.

[QUOTE="Guybrush_3"]

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

this seems like people making things up or drawing baseless conclusions.

like always, misinterpretting a politicians words.

Planet_Pluto

This is romney refering dirrectly to the 47% of people that don't pay income tax. Please tell me what I am miss representing here.

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter whatThese are people who pay no income tax

"[M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

[QUOTE="UnknownSniper65"]

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

SpartanMSU

That's exactly what he was saying...although not using the best choice of words.

[QUOTE="sSubZerOo"][QUOTE="UnknownSniper65"]

He isn't going to get those votes anyway...people who are getting a free ride don't vote for somebody who wants to end it.

SpartanMSU

Obviously all of the people in that percentage aren't the people who he's referring to. It was a general statement that wasn't very well articulated.

I guess Heinlein was correct. Our society is going to fall apart because of people wanting things without having to pay, or work, for them.

Anyway, what Romney said is pretty accurate. There's no way he's going to get the votes of those who are dependent on welfare, but I think the 47% number is a bit high.

I guess Heinlein was correct. Our society is going to fall apart because of people wanting things without having to pay, or work, for them.

Anyway, what Romney said is pretty accurate. There's no way he's going to get the votes of those who are dependent on welfare, but I think the 47% number is a bit high.

airshocker

So you're just going to ignore the fact that the majority of people who don't pay federal income tax pay the payroll tax, sales tax, property tax, local tax, and so on? And that many of this 47% are students or retirees? Or too young to hold jobs?Abbeten

How does this have anything to do with what I just said?

[QUOTE="Abbeten"]So you're just going to ignore the fact that the majority of people who don't pay federal income tax pay the payroll tax, sales tax, property tax, local tax, and so on? And that many of this 47% are students or retirees? Or too young to hold jobs?airshocker

How does this have anything to do with what I just said?

[QUOTE="Abbeten"]So you're just going to ignore the fact that the majority of people who don't pay federal income tax pay the payroll tax, sales tax, property tax, local tax, and so on? And that many of this 47% are students or retirees? Or too young to hold jobs?airshocker

How does this have anything to do with what I just said?

(I know you're fine with this. That was rhetorical.)

You just said that while his number is 'a bit high,' his statement is 'pretty accurate,' which leads me to believe you agree with the essence of his statement. Aside from the fact that his number is drastically wrong, as I just pointed out, the essence of his statement is also horribly off. Does he honestly believe half the country's population is comprised effectively of children? Children who cannot even beconvincedto take responsibility for their lives? That is reprehensible. Someone below the poverty line doesn't take responsibility for his or her life? How about someone who works 40 hours a week but doesn't make enough to qualify for the lowest tax bracket? Is that just laziness and a refusal to take responsibility? Romney's statement shows just how far removed he is from the bulk of the population. He is utterly unaware of the nature of the economy if he thinks that people are only poor through personal failings. He literally called half the country leeches. And you're just fine with this?

(I know you're fine with this. That was rhetorical.)

Abbeten

His statement is accurate: He's not going to get the votes of people dependent on government welfare. I don't see how that's so hard to figure out.

And the number is too high. It's more like 35%, 20 for the hardcore who will NEVER give up their bennies, and 15% that can be persuaded to go one way or the other(source: Charles Krauthammer).

I don't know why you've included the rest of that rant, as I was speaking only about the bolded.