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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TRUTH...... It hurts sometimes.... Honesty can be painful..... Romney knows what is sucking the life out of this country....
So, these people apparently don't like being "marginalized". Well, welcome to reality. Republicans, ie: "values voters", marginalize others constantly with your anti-gay rhetoric, and desire to control women's own bodies. So how does it feel when the shoe is on the other foot?
No one is controlling women, we just don't want to pay for what women do with their own bodies.
What about control of the baby inside of the woman's body, who does that go to?
EKIA, then why would you trust Romney? Commonwealth care in MA, the one HE signed into effect, offers state-funded abortions for the low, low copay of only $50. Go look it up.
Since you're on the subject of not wanting your tax dollars to pay for something, how about the vast majority of people who don't want their tax dollars used for things like wars, or killing animals in the name of "research" (which happens every time a big drug or chemical company takes $$$$ in subsidies/grants from the Government.
Ignorance and fear...and repeating a lie so often it becomes the truth. Hallmarks of Republicanism.
More proof that Romney is a giant jerk. I don't vote for jerks who accuse me of being a victim. I'm nobody's victim. How dare poor people expect food and shelter and medicine? They should be out in the sun starving like ethopian kids do. Shame on them.
DISCLAIMER: language may have been toned down for more polite conversation.
No one deserves food and housing except kids. Able bodied adults who would like food and a place to live need to get a job.
You may not be a "victim", but MILLIONS play that soul-killing card for generations. Don't be naive.
The point is a lot of people take no responsibility for their own future. How many americans do not save, let alone save for their retirement? A person making min wage for their entire life $15K could save $12.50/month (6 times less than payroll taxes) and have an extra $350/month(present value dollars) of retirement income. The average social security benefit is $1,250/month, so that is a big jump. That number drastically increases if the person is able to gain skills, earn raises, and save more.
And this begs the question if someone who has worked a min wage job for his or her entire life, earns to retire at 67, maybe he/she should work longer until they can afford retirement? Retirement is a relatively new concept for the mass public, which is born out of prosperity of the US, social security and longer life expectancy.
Brilliant politics Romney, way to kick yourself, (when you're down)! ! ! !
What do you expect from a CNN Poll. Their motto is Go Obama, Go!!!
I believe the Hispanic-American community deserves to hear his explanation of the following comment: "If the Hispanic voting block becomes as committed to the Democrats as the African American voting block has in the past then we're in trouble as a party and I think as nation". It's on 29:34 of the video.
ask him to explain what he saud and he'll feed you the exact opposite
vote for this clown and you deserve whatever bad luck or misfortune comes to you
I am part of the 47% that gets a federal handout-and I can't wait to vote for Romney. Last election I voted for Obama to prove to my friends that I was not a racist, this time I will vote for Romney to prove to my friends that I am not an idiot!!
you may not racist or idiot, but you are definitely a LIAR
Well said, though I wish there were another option....
I really think we need to start to hold our media accountable for bringing TRUTH NOT SPIN to the public. Media is a very powerful source of information and can cause more damage than imaginable. We live in a FREE society and freedom can be lost if we allow our media to manipulate and lie to us for political and self interest. I ask all reporters to please think about what they report before doing so. Think about America and our future before you report untruths and spin. We are tired of it! Your going to ruin our country!
For example, the recording device "inexplicably shut off" therefore failing to record the remainder of Romney's comments. Sure, recording devices do that all the time. How convenient!
I agree 100%. I believe the news is becoming more like the scandal pages everyday. There was a time when I respected the news media for digging up the truth. Their main goal now seems to be digging up dirt. And what is even sadder is that America is being dragged down further and further into this mentality. I truly believe that if you tell people long enough that the sky is green not blue and you repeat if over and over and over agiain they will soon be agreeing with you
What's sad is not only do they put their "spin" on it (which should never be done), they don't even bother to report important facts and occourances because they're too busy worrying about whether Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson will get back together.
Are people really this out of touch? Romney is the only hope this nation has. He is not perfect, he is not as suave and cool as Obama comes off to be. But he is real. He doesn't hide his real agenda which is to advance America and create jobs for everyone. Obama has his own agenda and it isn't to help out the majority of Americans that's for sure. Four yrs ago i would have told someone they were crazy if they talked about a liberal biased media. It is very clear now that the media is really just a mouth piece for this liberal administration. You can't trust a thing they say anymore. People do your own fact checking and determine the truth.
Obama's fans are like children who swoon over their favorite celebrity. We're not hiring a best bud or a cool guy, we're hiring someone who knows how to run a business and get us out of the socialist hole Obama is furiously digging for us.
Romney is not perfect ? No way – he is to stupid to become president. His campaign manager should tell him to
please shut ph uck up cuz ur making an a z z whole out of yourself.
This is the best the GOP could come up with? If he's sticking his foot in it this much by himself, the debates ought to be hilarious.
The liberal debate moderators will do everything they can to make you happy, but in spite of that I think you're going to be sad. Obama tends to soil himself when no teleprompter is available, although odds are very high he'll be given the questions in advance (2nd best thing to having a teleprompter tell him what to say).
Romey didn't have a teleprompter for this little shindig, and look what happened...the debates WILL be a total KM fo the POTUS.
I'm sure there are some people out there who believe the government owes them everything but to say it's 47% of the population is crazy. Plus, just because someone needs government help doesn't mean they see themselves as victims and want to be in that situation. Also, there are plenty of millionaires who don't pay any taxes. Romney's statements are not accurate and just plain sloppy 'logic'. And, what about poor seniors who don't pay a lot of taxes simply because they don't have much income? What is Romney saying about them? They deserve their SS so how dare he reference them as moochers and victims. How insulting and wrong. He was just saying what he thought those people wanted to hear and was playing into prejudices. I don't care for Obama but Romney is even worse. He's a jerk in my opinion.
I don't feel sorry for seniors with little income. They had their entire lives to invest and save for retirement. At the end of the day, it's a choice they made.
Obama wants to grow his dependency/victim base. It's the Democrat's MO. Don't be naive.
Romney's statement should be a wakeup call for people who have blindly supported Romney and GOP all together!
Our failing ecnonomy needs to be a wake up call to people who actually believe that Obama has any business being ther President of the United States. It's clear time and again that this man has absolutely no idea what he's doing. I fail to see how anyone can "like" Romney, but at least he has experience. What job has Obama ever held that didn't involve listening to himself talk? Student, professor, politician? He doesn't care about anyone but OBAMA, and his main goal seems to be having a nation of people dependant on the government instead of themselves....which i find very scary.
I agree that it needed to be said. Not the way he said it, and certainly not the entire 47% is dependant. But I would bet that the vast majority are.
I would bet a small minority are and the rest is classic melodrama.
Or they're just dumb
We are into the fifth or better generation of learned welfare. Most of the recipients think of welfare as a way of life. Some I am sure regret having to take assistance but most do not. It is just the way it is and that is what happens when countries go socialistic and no country survives after crossing over. This is the crossroads we as Americans face.