David A. Rice feels like Mitt Romney wrote him off.
The 61-year-old has always been a values-based voter, generally votes Republican and could be a key vote in the swing state of Florida. But he's also among the 47% of Americans that Mitt Romney said don't pay income tax and rely on government support.
"There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney says in a clip from a secretly filmed private donor meeting in May, which was first posted on Monday afternoon. "There are 47% who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."
Romney's '47%' – Washington's tax-break obsession to blame
Rice says he is working part-time and doesn't pay taxes because he can't find a good job. And the fact that Romney wrote him off in those comments is frustrating.
"I am insulted. I support you and you just wrote me off with the 47% who pay no taxes. In that group are those who cry every time they use food stamps; people who would trade them in a minute for a real job. In that group are Christians who shudder at the thought of voting for abortion and gay rights," he wrote in an iReport. "You have strengths that appeal to the demographic you just wrote off ... use it! In the middle of rich supporters you cannot afford to write off a huge group with a careless word."
The 61-year-old said that he has been forced once or twice to take food stamps - and unlike what Romney contends in his comments - he maintains it was not something he was proud of or hopes to ever have to do again.
"It really hurt me," the iReporter told CNN. "It was not something that I wanted to do, I did it because I didn't have a job."
Rice says he didn't think it was right for Romney to lump every low-income person into the same group.
"Not everyone who takes food stamps is a food stamps junkie," Rice told CNN. "There are people who think the government owes them a living and that the government ought to take care of them and be their momma and daddy all their life. That doesn't apply to everyone."
It all left Rice a bit uneasy.
Which leads to the big questions swirling around the Romney campaign: How much damage will Romney's comments do to his chances for winning the election? Were his comments a big enough gaffe, combined with previous missteps, to really dent his campaign? Were his comments just the brutal truth others don't want to hear? Will it sway the votes of Republicans, independents or the undecided?
Rice says he'll still be voting for Romney because of the candidate's social views. But he knows it may not be the same for others.
"I think it was a mistake on his part because he insulted a lot of people who he needs to vote for him," he said.
CNN asked our readers on Facebook what they thought about the remarks and more than 71% said Romney was wrong and should apologize. Twenty-four percent of readers who answered our unscientific poll said he was right, and it was something someone needed to say. Just about 4.5% felt that Romney was right but shouldn't have phrased the remarks the way he did.
Nevin Sanli, from Los Angeles, California, said he is in the 47% and Romney's recent remarks, as well as other gaffes, have sealed his decision to vote for Obama.
"I never took a penny in help or government assistance money or otherwise. I own two businesses, and all I have been doing, along with my business partners, is creating jobs. I am not a victim," Sanli said in response to the CNN poll on Facebook. "I worked hard and built it all from scratch and I pay a lot of taxes. I am not as rich as Romney, but I sure pay a much bigger percentage of my income in taxes than he does. I find his remarks to be un-American, shocking and insulting."
And definitely unbecoming a president, he added.
"Elitism, silver-spoon arrogance and outright divisive statements, with undertones of racism, cannot be attributes of an American president," Sanli wrote.
For his part, Romney has stood behind the comments from the secretly recorded video. They were an honest reflection of his campaign's message, he said.
"This is a message I'm carrying day in and day out and will carry over the coming months," Romney said on Fox News. "This is a decision about the course of America, where we're going to head. We've seen the president's policies play out over the last four years."
Kristopher Daughtrey agreed with those tough words and took them to show that Romney won't shy away from the truth and will stick to his convictions.
"I applaud Romney for his remarks. He's the only one willing to not sugarcoat it. I'm not a huge supporter of either party, but at least Romney has the guts to speak out frankly about it, instead of Obama, Congress, and other politicians trying to justify their actions constantly or running away with their tail between their legs," Daughtrey said. "If you're going to be president then you need to have the backbone to walk the walk and not just talk about it."
Jason Asselin, an iReporter from Iron Mountain, Michigan, is an independent who says that he generally votes for the best candidate, despite their affiliation, though he likes the ideas and stances of the tea party.
While Asselin is normally a critic of Obama, he said Romney's comments really angered him because he doesn't pay taxes, but it isn't because he doesn't want to.
"I try paying taxes each year and every year they say we don't make enough, it isn't that I don't want to pay my taxes - they won't take them," he says. "Our government put rules and regulations in place for the lower class of people. It isn't our fault for falling under that. I don't like being called the 47%, I'd like to be called American."
Asselin said he is frustrated that Romney makes assumptions about how he will vote. And he is not alone.
Jeff Zicker, 21, might have been a candidate for the 47% category. He's college-aged, but left college because he landed a job performing with a national Broadway tour. He worked two jobs all through college, and these days he pays all his taxes, which puts him in the 53% category.
“For (Romney) to say his plan only appeals to those who don’t victimize themselves just further proves how out of touch he is with the rest of the American public,” he said.
Zicker is a moderate Democrat who will be voting for Obama this fall.
“I honestly believe that somebody that would say that a large of a portion of Americans, that this group victimizes themselves and tries to appeal to voters in that way, I don’t think that shows that they would be fit in any way to be president," he said.
But others say that Romney is merely beginning a dialogue that many Americans refuse to have. Steven Evans said that he thinks the discussion is an important one as the country moves forward.
"It is time to start a national dialogue on whether we are creating a major dependency class," he said on Facebook. "I am glad to see him tell the truth. Let's decide whether we are going the way of Greece or the traditional USA."
But some believe that having that conversation with only half of the country is problematic.
“It’s not in touch with what America’s values are and what we should be in a country," Zicker said of Romney's comments. "At the end of the day, we’re all connected. What I do affects you economically and socially. We shouldn’t see it as an one-for-all system.”
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Still waiting for someone to explain how this works. The bush tax cuts allow fewer lower income people to pay federal tax and then another republican comes along and calls them freeloaders. More of those people would be paying federal tax if the bush tax cuts didn't exist. Two thirds of that 47% actually work but by OUR TAX CODE aren't required to pay taxes....how are they freeloading? Surely no republican would suggest that someone pay more tax than is legally required right???
I liked when Bush was in office, his stimulus went directly to the people. I remember getting those bi-annual $650 checks. Those were sweet. Since this bum Obama took office those checks stopped. Then he bailed out the banks with OUR money, that screwed us out of OUR money! How did that happen???
What else did this idiot do? Increased the national debt over $5 trillion, government take over of health care, banks, the auto industry, increased unemployment to double digits and he has enabled Americans to become dependent on the government. Socialist, Marxist, bad leader and joke of a president.
Depency and divisive policies will only devide us further. A divided house is a weak house. We need to wake up. Sharing the wealth is socialism that has failed all over the world. We do not need to "transform" our great system to a known failed one
Romney was truthful in his statement. He was merely telling his supporters that 47% of the voters will always vote democrats in because they depend on the socialistic progressive government they represent.
Yeah those libraries, fire stations, police, teachers, Social security senior citizens, and the military are a drag on us, let us rid ourselves of them and put them on the street.
Corporations are not people. The elderly are, the military are, and disabled are. We are taxed for their welfare, we pay for their welfare. Romney and Ryan will destroy the system, soup lines if they are elected.
If you plan to vote for BO ... you are part of the problem ...
If you vote for Romney Ryan you vote for Bush failure and the middle class paying for the Wall street debacle bailout. You are a sellout to the wealthy few. I paid my SS, repay the broke plundered SS, it is not broke the republicans stole from it. Reagan being the biggest offender.
YOU are an ign orant mor on ... YOU are the problem...
Enough is enough about Romney and taxes. He wants to write off 47% of Americans for not paying federal income taxes, even though they pay payroll taxes, state taxes, property taxes and sales taxes. He characterizes them as "moochers" and dependent on the Federal government. This outrageous statement comes from a man who shelters his income in off shore accounts, refuses to show more than two years of his tax receipts, and makes his millions from capital companies that put people out of work. No more stonewalling. Romney should show all of his
tax returns, like all previous Presidential candidates have. If truth were known, Romney would probably be on the near
"moocher" list, just above the 47%. Show us your taxes or forget about getting my vote. It is a simple as that.
The 47% use the same tax system that Romney used to only pay his 13.5% so him crying about it is like the pot calling the kettle black. Pay the reat of what he owes then he might have a right to complain about them!
True in some respects. The 47% figure is likely an error in terms "victims" but likely true with respect to opinion polls that show 47% of the electorate is going to vote for Obama no matter what (reminiscent of old "yellow dog Democrats" of the Old South).
Mitt crossed the line, no doubt. I don't even believe at his core that he believes what he said. That being said, if you folks don't think that there is widespread abuse of 'an outstreached hand' for those truly in need, you need your heads examined. The open discussion must start, or yes...we will go the way of Greece, Spain, etc.
No nothing like greece. Change the way they use the SS and postal office as a credit card.
WHY WOULD ANYONE VOTE FOR A SHOOT FROM THE HIP- POP OFF- LIKE ROMNEY. TO HAVE HIS HAND ON THE NUCLEAR BUTTON??
His only real support is oil companies, who are buying his election with money they rip off from us at the gas pump, by inflating prices and donating to the Romney's campaign.
Oil cmpany rip-off for Romney, the OPEC candidate.
Do not forget the Cassino King Adelson, voting for Romney is playing Russian roulette.
Vote for Obama but you will have to have some sort of something proving who you are this time around in most states.Annnnnanamouse is not in vogue now.
If you believe the US Government is your MOTHER ... please vote for BO & JOE ...
If you want to live in soup lines vote Robme and Lyin'.
Truth hurts no one except the ones who refuse to accept it.A Liberal does no want to face the truth.Liberals are willing to spend everything they have not ever had.
I think you miss the point of the 47%...... If you are recieving government assistance and would give that up if you were able, you are NOT part of the 47%
Now you know why we have to import unskilled labor from Mexico to pick our fruit while we have an over abundance of the same here but in a government rocking chair. Many who have never paid a dime into the system. Take ,take take.Half the people on disability are working every day and being paid under the table.
And...unless there's a George Soros or Donald Trump amongst the posters here, STFU about Mitt and the taxes he's paid. I can pretty much guarantee that not a one of you has paid into the system probably a tenth of what he has contributed. So stop it already. Ridiculous.
The point is that he could pay an equal percentage and still have more money than someone such as myself will ever see in my lifetime. There comes a point where the question becomes, "how much is enough?". We, as a country, have forgotten the difference between wants and needs. When the economy crashes we'll learn again the hard way.
Jer, I'm not rich by any means but if I were and the government decided to to tax 36% or more I would simply cash out and take my millions and retire to a beach in the tropics then where would we be? You can't keep penalizing the wealthy. They didn't get wealthy without taking risks and where there are risks there should be rewards. It should be about dollars not percentages! They pay the majority of the dollars in taxes no matter what percentage it is! I really fear that if this nonsense isn't stopped there is going to be some form of rebellion or civil uprising on behalf of the wealthy. They are going to get tired of working and taking risk to pay for the lazy!
Change the law then... Blaming someone because they don't offer to pay more taxes than they are legally responsible for is just plain stupid. "Oh, I only owe 3.5 million??? Well then, let me pay 8 million instead!" I mean, just stop this nonsense.
Tony, his father set this precedent not us. Everyone else has abided by it but him. Rather than tell me what I havent done, why not tell us what he has done? Why is he hiding his returns? What information that we may have a right to know is in those IRS filings? Dont you think offshore accounts, Swiss bank accounts, or a zero tax rate are things that a voter should know about their president BEFORE they vote? If Obama had those in his returns, or simply refused to release them, would you be as generous with your comments or would be this Birthers II?
Agree. Further, half of the households in America paid no income tax. It's simply a fact. Blame whoever, but that is the fact. And the other half who does pay...supports the United States, in total. The U.S. gets no aid or assistance from anyone other than the 53% of households who earn income and pay tax. That half, the paying half, is suffering, as the burden is heavy, and the opportunities are waning. This is not a good direction. Romney used the wrong percentage, because that includes social security. But other than that, he was dead right. No one on the public dole will be supporting him, and a very large percentage of the American population, like many Europeans, wait for handouts. It's just a fact. And there is now enough of those people to influence an election. It's called a roadmap to disaster.
Tony,
We should never STFU about Mitt's taxes, and here is why.
When Mitt ran for the Senate in 1994, he demanded his opponent release his taxes, saying "the public has a right to know".
When Mitt ran for Governor in 2002, he demanded that his opponent release her tax returns. Also, since her husband filed separately, Mitt also demanded that his opponent's husband release his returns, and he wasn't even running for office!
So, why is it that Mitt keeps demanding that everyone else release their tax returns, but is unwilling to release his own? That is blatantly hypocritical of him, and highly suspect.
Why does he apply one set of rules to his opponents, but a different set of rules to himself? Why is he concerned about the public's right to know about his opponents, but doesn't care one bit about the public's right to know about his own?
Legitimate questions, all of them.
Capital gains taxes that Romney pays are smaller than tax on payroll income that the majority of Americans pay.
NYveteran, where is the relevance in reither candidate's tax returns? I'm quite certain both candidates are playing by the rules and the IRS has reviewed their tax returns or we would know about it. The sad thing is Obama has never held a real job. He has been elected to public office without any real experience to the Senate and as President. There isn't much way he can avoid any taxes! What you and the left wing are looking to exploit is a succesful business man taking advantage of the tax laws as they currently stand and play games with percentages rather than dollars. I applaud Romeny for having the will to say I am the candidate to bring America back to prosperity but if being elected hinges on seeing irrelevant tax returns then you as citizens deserve another 4 years of Obama. If you people can't see he is intent on ruining America then you are blind!
As a young gay adult, all I can see is that Obama is offering me full participation in the country in which I was born. Imagine that? While successive politicians have tried everything in their power to subjugate me, Obama is reaching out to this subgroup that has been traditionally trashed by priests and conservative pundits. I'm all in for Obama this time around. I'll worry about your unemployment another time. Especially since few if any Republicans have ever been worried about me or the millions of gay Americans who went before me.
Peter, I don't think anyone disputes the 47% number. The problem is Romney states that the 100% of the 47% will not vote for him which is not true. Red states (gov and people) receive from more money back from the federal gov than the Blue states (gov and people).
The issue with Willard's (or the 1%'s) taxes has NOTHING to do with wealth.. it has to do with FAIRNESS – which is what our tax code is supposed to be about. Progressive, not REgressive. That means PAYING YOUR FAIR SHARE – which we ALL know does not happen!!! When a man worth $250+ MILLION pays a NOMINAL tax rate that is HALF of mine, there's a problem. I could CARE LESS about the dollar AMOUNTS. Why should I pay 22% on 100K when Willard pays 13.4% on $42 MILLION ???? A $77K deduction for his horse? Legal I'm sure, but puh-lease! That's almost TWICE the national income average for a family of four!!!
And the 47% number cast out as not paying taxes is typical Repug anti-Obama misdirection. It IMPLIES to the lemmings that 47% of Americans are not paying a dime in taxes to support the US. BS, BS, BS. If you do some SIMPLE research (shouldn't be too difficult for right wing extremist simpletons) you will find that MOST of that 47% pay some form of tax and BOTH the state and Federal level. The REAL Truth about the number of those on a FREE rides in something like 0.0001% of the population. So please... let's discuss REALITY and not the vacuous revisionist version of Repug history.
News flash Romney starts class war! just think how most of the minimum wage households will feel when its make crystal clear to them. that they pay a higher percentage of they're total income in tax's then the top 20 percent of taxpayers. remember its not just in your payroll check that your taxed. its sale's tax's gas tax's fee's and licenses the list go's on and on. wile most of the tax's paid go for public good you know like schools, hospitals, police, firemen the basics of a civil life. I ask you is it not fair to ask the rich who are the ones who benefit the most from our system. to at least pay the same percentages of tax as everybody else? I want too see Romney's tax's return's NOW.
Zach, I've absolutely heard it all now! The hell with the economy, unemployment and this country you're going to vote for Obama because he's come out in favor of gays!!!! That kind of thinking is hilarious!
Thanks for the liberal bias again, CNN. Keep up the work showing you are not a true news outlet and only write things that are pro-Obama, never showing anything positive for Romney. Your fake and needs to lose all AP access and privileges. People are dieing overseas, we are now in three seperate wars, and fast and furious came out today showing Holder is a failure, once again. But thats ok, lets just keep pushing articles that demonizing Romney to help turn this country into a third world country by re-electing Obama. Obama failed us for almost four years straight, bankrupting us, losing our AAA credit rating, and we now have a monarchy instread of a democracy.
Well if there were ANYTHING positive for Romney I'm sure they would have printed it..seriously? Romney is a Thurston Howell the 3rd & doesn't have a CLUE how to be a President for ALL the people..not just the rich folks..now if that wasn't clear after watching the tape..then you really need hearing aids.
Congress has a lot to do with that, don't they? What has congress done? The jobs bill from Obama sits on Boehner's desk for a year now. Replace the congress with dems also. republicans start wars and run up the debt, dems always have to pay it off, fact.
If you think our credit and standing overseas were fantastic once Bush left office and Obama came in and ruined it all, you are seriously deluded.
Boy are you not willing to look at reality. President Obama is not the one who took this country into war and debt. GW Bush did. President Obama inherited it and no one could have repaired the harm caused by both parties over the last 20 years of self-indulgent tax cuts that did not benefit all of us. Review the FACTS JamesinOKC.
James, I was at a forum in Hartford CT several years ago. Former President of CNN Walter Isaacson was there. A fantastic gentleman. He came right out and said it, with Juan Williams, the late Tony Blankley, and Howard Dean at his side, that CNN had a liberal bias. He, the former President, came out and said it openly. I remember feeling shocked, that it was an admssion. But then again, who is kidding who? It's really pretty obvious. James, they are working just as hard on their fight on organized religion. I think the liberal media is frankly becoming a monster.
@Peter – yet you would be among the first to consider Fox News as un-biased?? Right!
They are a foreign-owned (Murdoch) Entertainment outlet... their so-called "news" is a biased to the right as MSNBC is to the left. In comparison, CNN is centrist!
It's hard for me to stomach commentary from a guy who was at a dinner fundraiser where the price per plate was more than I make in a year to support a family of five. I've had to be 'in the system', not by choice but by necessity. I can tell you that not one person standing in line at DSS wanted to be there willingly. The commentary was brash and arrogant with no real knowledge of what it's like to have to struggle through the harsh reality of the economy's impact on the average family in 2012.
Jer- so that fact that Obama is presiding over this failing economy does not phase you, you are more concerned about what Romney said in a private gathering? Obama has had fundraisers that cost way more than $40k per plate.
Well, you have not followed the life of Romney very much have you? I bet you have not followed the life of Obama either. You are ignorant and make ignorant rants with no substance at all.
What you people fail to remember is Obama raised the same amount per plate at the fundraiser that George Clooney had and just this past week he raised millions at JZ and Beyonce's. How can people believe so one sided? Even the most conservative people I know don't begrudge unemployment benefits or assitance on short term basis for people who lose jobs or need them for various reasons. It's the generation after generation of people who do not intend to work that we have problems paying for. Romney's comments were taking way too literal just like Obama's comments about you didn't build this were! Neither of them I'm sure meant their comments to be taken the way they were. If you were in the system because of necessity to feed your family and got off by hard work and determination then we applaud you and hold no ill will toward you! Why is it you feel the need to take things so personal? You aren't the problem with the system!
I understand your comments, however your personal offense aside, were you planning to vote for Romney before the comments, or were you going to vote for Obama, because you feel Obama will be more free and easy with payouts, etc.? If so, then despite the fact that it offends you to hear it, Romney's comments were correct.
Perhaps it is time that we, as a nation, faced up to this uncomfortable truth. Since Obama has not gotten the economy moving forward AT ALL in four years, it is true that a lot of people are more dependent than ever on government support programs. However, if you are truly offended at being forced to be on these programs, wouldn't it be better to support Romney, who can and will get the economy moving forward again, so that you could get a decent job, and NOT have to take government handouts? If you really want to regain your independence, then voting for Obama is NOT the answer, because believe it or not, his actions clearly show that he wants bigger and bigger government roles in our lives, partly by keeping people dependent on the government. This is called SOCIALISM, and it is where we are headed under Obama.
Romney may not have stated it in a flowery way, and sometimes the truth hurts, but I don't think he was wrong. Personally, I prefer a less-polished politician in the Oval Office, for one who can and will get the job done. I think that the highest office in the nation is too important for a politician anyway; we need a CEO of the USA, and that is exactly what Romney will be. Obama will give you all of the BS flowery speeches you can stomach, and in the end, you will still be on welfare. Your choice.
How did yu get in that line in the first place? Let me guess....Bush's fault right?
@Objectiveguy – not so objective eh? The use of such politically dirty words as "socialism" as a means to out the POTUS is hardly objective. The right wing lemmings are being fed very SUBJECTIVE data on which to cause a vote for the right. This election is all about MONEY (thank you SCOTUS) and not about Obama. The whole blame game thing is also irrelevant. Does America have fiscal and economic issues? Sure. Are they Obama's fault, or totally Dubya's fault? No !
Where we are is due to MANY years of failed fiscal policies – such as trickle/down – perpetrated by BOTH parties. The basic challenge now is that Obama is at the helm of dismal economy (which IS getting better) and the GOP want nothing more than to blame him so they can make him a one-term President. When the GOP funders see a HUGE ROI by putting a Republican in the White House, TRUTH and FACT are long gone. NEWSFLASH – we've been a "socialst" country for over 70 years. The increased dependency on Uncle Sam is mostly due to the GOP REFUSING to work with Obama for a common goal – a better America. Instead, they whine about no budgets passed when they add anti-abortion and defense spending increase rides to EVERY bill, knowing they will not get passed.
Perhaps they should try doing something for the country and not put Party first ????