Mitt Romney... 47 percent will vote for Obama "no matter what"

[RecycleMichael]

Romney going to win nine of the top ten "moocher" states. That is another reason why his comments are so odd. Maybe he feels he can insult that many people and enhance his appeal to the others.

I honestly just think Mitt just doesn't personally know any poor people. He may recognize a waiter or gardener by face and know the name of his housekeeper, but he just lives in a world where rich people hang out. Super rich people are handicapped by this. A millionaire is one thing; a guy worth a two hundred million is something else.

He needs to show he has something in common with the majority of Americans. Most of them don't have a house with a three story garage with an elevator) to park their many private cars.

[Conan71]

Let's face it, in terms of pissing off potential voters, by and large all the outrage here seems to be from people who weren't going to vote for Romney in the first place.

Same thing as Obama's "You didn't build that" speech.  Those who were most offended (or if you listen to his apologists "misinterpreted" it) weren't going to vote for Obama in the first place.

I'd call both comments damage neutral.

My mother and my in-laws are retirees and they all receive some sort of government benefit.  However, none of them were put off by Romney's comments.  I suspect they are not the only ones in existence.

[RecycleMichael]

My mother and my in-laws are retirees and they all receive some sort of government benefit.  However, none of them were put off by Romney's comments. 

They probably listen to Fox News.

[erfalf]

It would be interesting to hear what Romney said after that comment. I understand the "full length" tape actually had some time missing after that particular comment. The hidden taper (Carter) didn't realize it went off for a minute or two.

[Townsend]

Let's face it, in terms of pissing off potential voters, by and large all the outrage here seems to be from people who weren't going to vote for Romney in the first place.

Same thing as Obama's "You didn't build that" speech.  Those who were most offended (or if you listen to his apologists "misinterpreted" it) weren't going to vote for Obama in the first place.

I'd call both comments damage neutral.

My mother and my in-laws are retirees and they all receive some sort of government benefit.  However, none of them were put off by Romney's comments.  I suspect they are not the only ones in existence.

Most people probably never think they are included in generally derogatory sounding remarks.

[carltonplace]

I get why republicans support Mitt's 47% spiel: He basically just read the GOP platform verbatim.

[Conan71]

They probably listen to Fox News.

I'm sure they are closet racists as well.

[Hoss]

Yep, I look for comedy...I find news...LOL.

[nathanm]

In Wednesday's Gallup release:

"As you may know, a video in the news today shows Mitt Romney speaking at a fundraiser earlier this year. In the video, Romney described Obama supporters by saying 'there are 47 percent who are with Obama, who are dependent on government, who believe they are victims, and who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them.' Do these comments by Mitt Romney make you more likely to vote for Romney, less likely to vote for Romney, or don't they make a difference?"

     More likely    Less likely    No difference    Unsure    
                %    %    %    %    
    

9/18/12     20    36    43    2    

Yep, stuck his foot in it.

[TulsaRufnex]

Electricity doesn't reduce demand for oil significantly since no one has figured out how to make electrically-based transportation a practical or economical alternative for most people in a society where we value personal transportation much higher than mass transit.  Secondly, most of our freight is dependent on motorized transport which cannot easily be replaced by electrical vehicles.

Just a reminder...

[TulsaRufnex]

An ideology without promise
By Michael Gerson, Published: September 20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-gerson-a-republican-mind-set-without-promise/2012/09/20/798901f8-0344-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_story.html

Is this Romney's view of the nature of our social crisis? Romney was appealing to a common Republican belief that the expansion of government has produced a class of citizens who live off the sweat of others, regard themselves as victims and refuse to accept responsibility.
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Restoring a semblance of equal opportunity — promoting family commitment, educational attainment and economic advancement — will take tremendous effort and creative policy.

Yet a Republican ideology pitting the "makers" against the "takers" offers nothing. No sympathy for our fellow citizens. No insight into our social challenge. No hope of change. This approach involves a relentless reductionism. Human worth is reduced to economic production. Social problems are reduced to personal vices. Politics is reduced to class warfare on behalf of the upper class.

A few libertarians have wanted this fight ever since they read "Atlas Shrugged" as pimply adolescents. Given Romney's background, record and faith, I don't believe that he holds this view. I do believe that Republicans often parrot it, because they lack familiarity with other forms of conservatism that include a conception of the common good.

But there really is no excuse. Republican politicians could turn to Burkean conservatism, with its emphasis on the "little platoons" of civil society. They could reflect on the Catholic tradition of subsidiarity, and solidarity with the poor. They could draw inspiration from Tory evangelical social reformers such as William Wilberforce or Lord Shaftesbury. Or they could just read Abraham Lincoln, who stood for "an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life."

Instead they mouth libertarian nonsense, unable to even describe some of the largest challenges of our time.

[TulsaRufnex]

Mitt Romney Does Not Have the Right to Dismiss Us
Moby
DJ, singer-songwriter and musician
Posted: 09/23/2012 6:40 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/moby/mitt-romney-47_b_1907920.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Okay, I think I figured it out.

Mitt Romney is disdainful of anyone receiving government assistance because:

1. He comes from a rich and privileged background, so he has never needed or received government assistance and...

2. He comes from a rich and privileged background, so he's never known anyone who's needed or received government assistance.

Almost everyone I know has received some sort of government assistance, whether it's student loans or small business loans, Medicare or Medicaid. And almost everyone I know now pays taxes and contributes to society.

I'll use myself as an example.

I was the only child of a single working mom. We struggled a lot economically, and there were times when we lived off of food stamps, social security and government assistance. And then when i went to the University of Connecticut and SUNY Purchase, I received Pell grants and student loans.

So, according to Mitt Romney, I was part of the 47 percent "who are dependent upon government... who pay no income tax." He made clear that his "job is not to worry about those people. [He]'ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

In the past 20 years, I have either personally or professionally paid millions of dollars in income taxes to the state, local, and federal government. I have employed hundreds of people, who have in turn paid income taxes and in many cases have gone on to start their own businesses.

So I think it's safe to say that the government assistance my mother and I received was money well spent.  I was able to go to decent schools and get a decent education, all thanks to 'government assistance.' My mother and i were able to eat, all thanks to 'government assistance.' I was able to see doctors, all thanks to 'government assistance.' We were able to pay our rent at times thanks to 'government assistance.'
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Mitt Romney came from extreme wealth. He has never once needed financial assistance from the government, as his family had millions and millions of dollars at their disposal. But there are millions and millions and millions of americans like me who didn't come from extreme wealth and who needed help with education and food and health care and shelter, but who have gone on to start businesses and pay taxes.

We are not an 'entitled' class, we are not 'dependent upon the federal government' and we do not consider ourselves 'victims.'

[Red Arrow]

Mitt Romney Does Not Have the Right to Dismiss Us

And almost everyone I know now pays taxes and contributes to society.

So you are another Romney.

[Conan71]

Just a reminder...

What's the link to the leftist daily meme blog?  I want access to it!

So I take it you remember the Dow hit it's all time high in 2008 as well?

Gasoline had fallen under $2.00 a gallon when Obama took office.  His energy policy is a disaster.  It's the same as previous administrations: reward your best donors.

[heironymouspasparagus]

My mother and my in-laws are retirees and they all receive some sort of government benefit.  However, none of them were put off by Romney's comments.  I suspect they are not the only ones in existence.

Amazing isn't it?  How the candidate can slap them in the face, call them worthless, non-contributors, and they aren't put off by it...

I get the same kind of thing in my family.  A few more items they complain about is the ignorance of the wars we have been getting in (Iraq in particular - they agree with me that we should never have done that), and the plan the Republicans have to dismantle medicare/medicaid - they don't like it.  Or that medicare prescription plan from Baby Bush's time.  All of which are directly from the party of the guy they 'support'....  Absolutely amazing....

They have been supporters of Inhofe, too, since about 1968 (no exaggeration...) and just recently have I started to hear comments to the effect that he should retire and let someone new in....  (to carry on the tradition of graft, corruption, and overall sleaze - my edit).