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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Great news day again in the USA. Politics is politics but this story is not what you people should be talking about. How about the ECONOMY and JOBS. The media circus in the USA causes such a ruckus over everything. Mitt Romney is a proven business man and should be given a chance to lead your country. What is the difference what he made $$$ during his working life. You should be happy that a multi-millionaire wants to lead your country.You are so proud of your country but from an outside perspective you are not the land of opportunity anymore. The Democrats are ruining your country and what is stands for...time for a change folks....PS...I'm from a little place called CANADA and we boot people out after one term when the don't perform.
A great business man? To the shareholders, maybe. Ask the thousands who were laid off when Bain came in and outsourced their jobs how they feel about Romney as a businessman – or even as a human being at that rate.
How much of that money did the 47% make Romney and his ilk? Huh?
Romney did not do the labor, the labor he would pay low wage and no benefits to have done, IF he could not ship them out of the US that is.
The 47% do the labor the Romneys (yes, his sons, too of the $100 mil trust fund) never did. Romney's gardener is of the 47%.
The money the Romney's and their ilk have WAS MADE by the hard work of the 47%.
Who did not simply type numbers into a bank account to 'create money' out of nothing. Romney ran businesses into debt to pay themselves millions, left the companies bankrupt and people unemployed.
YOU ARE ALL SO VERY PATHETIC....irOMNEYS' CONVESATION HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT NOT HELPING PEOPLE IN NEED THAT ACTUALLY ARE IN NEED..HENCE ROMNEY CARE... HIS COMMIT IS ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OR HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO THINK THAT IT IS NORMAL TO NOT HAVE TO WORK, NOT TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET BETTER OR IMPROVIE THERE OWN FINANCIAL SITUATION...WHY SHOULD iI OR THE OTHER WORKING AMERICANS TAX PAYING PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO SIT ON THERE BUTTS ALL DAY AND NOT WORK... YOU KNOW JAY- Z AND BEYONCE DID NOT GET TO WHERE THEY ARE BY DOING THAT – I AM VERY MUCH IN A POSITION TO TALK ABOUT THIS AS iACTUALLY DO LIVE WITH A SEVERE MEDICAL CONDITION ...AND I DO EVERY THING I CAN EVERY DAY TO SHOW MY DAUGHTER THAT EVEN WITH THAT I SHOULD GET UP GO TO WORK AND BE PRODUCTIVE. AS A ROLE MODEL FOR HER AS A PATRIOT FOR MY COUNTY. BY THE WAY COMPLAINING ABOUT BIRTHCONTROL TO WHICH EVERY ONE HAS ACCESS TOO IS NOT EVERY TOP WOMAN CONCERN....WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FINANCES...AND SAFETY...SO i ASK YOU? WHIERE HAVE ALL THE REAL NEWS REPORTS GONE TO? YOU ARE ALL POLITICAL PUNDITS...WHERE IS THE REPORTING OF OBAMA SLEEPING THROUGH ANOTHER 9/11 ATTACK....WHERE IS THE REPORTING OF THE DOWNSIZING OF AMERICA...NO MORE NASA. .I DON'T GIVE TWO THOUGHTS ABOUT IF SOMEONE ELSE DOESN'T LIKE ROMNEY...BUT iI SURE DO CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, & THE SAFETY OF COUNTRY...GET IT TOGETHER FOLKS!
28% of the 47% is seniors pensions
HEY! NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU SAY!!!
So you start off your comment with "YOU ARE ALL SO VERY PATHETIC..." and expect anyone to read your stupid all caps words? Who is pathetic?
I think you should stop watching Fox News and do some independent research. If you don't know how tour local librarian can help you. You obviously missed the classes on finding information in school. I am 67 years old, a veteran of the Vietnam war, worked in business for 25 years, and the in education for 15. The only people I have met who don't want to work are criminals. There are some things that the Government, OUR government should do because of matters of scale. Among those we have chosen as a country to include Retirement security and recently Health care. We should include education also because society as a whole benefits. We also built highways, railroads and canals, and the basis for the internet. The Space shuttle program was deep-sixed under Bush, not Obama. There is this thing called the social contract that governs how we humans live together in societies. Perhaps, Emma, you should look it up when you do your research.
Take the caps off fool! You are talking loud and saying nothing.
You breing up Jay-Z and Betonce in the same paragraph as the ending of NASA, and not expect me to laugh? Besides the fact that you do not know what a capslock key is, Nasa is alive and well. It's the shuttle program that has ended, and that was ended by Bush, so clearly you haven'ta clue about what you're raving about....in all caps, no less. Good uck to your daughter; she needs it.
"a benefits consulting company called BeneStream.com, which studied the issue in 2009, estimated then that 130,000 service members actually would be eligible for the food assistance."
"The base pay of most recent enlistees - from corporals on down - is at or below the $23,050 poverty rate for a family of four."
so just how many of our service men and women did romney insult? does he think they are dependent on the government because they want to be?
Try raising a family of 4 on 40k a year and you will have your answer. Part of the reason the 47% does not pay taxes is that they are barely getting buy.
Its amazing how any remark Romney makes front page when negative, under politics if its positive. Funny how we never see a negative Obama remark. Glad there are other news groups that put it out there unbiased, so we can have a good comparison of the candidates.
He insulted millions of American people with his nonsense comments. He should not be elected as a leader, even as a governor or congressman,
Mistake or Truth? Perfect example of playing the cards right. Its whatever you want to make it. Its the wonderful moral and ethical way our govt explains everything to us.. THE GREY AREA... some laws are for some but not others. USA USA USA!!!
THE TRUTH ALLWAYS HURTS A LITTLE.. GO MITT
There are a lot of people saying "Truth" and "Finally someone's saying it" but his statements have been proven false. Doesn't this bother you?
He says 47% of Americans don't pay income tax, and will never vote for him because they don't want to become self-sufficient. Most welfare money goes to red states, so clearly many of them will. Also included in this group are retirees on small fixed incomes, college students with loans trying to better themselves, and small business owners (job creators) who have tax deductions due to children, mortage payments, and business expenses. Yes there are freeloading losers dragging down the system and things need to be done about them, but this story is about Governor Mitt Romney telling a room full of millionaires that 47% of this country is made up of those people! This is about a man who is completely detached from the reality that 99% of us live in, and has an open contempt for facts and truth!
As Joe Scarborough said – Romney doesn't get it.
Romney's own father was on welfare his first few years in the states for crying out loud. His mother is on video admitting as much.
But it's not a bad thing, it's the point of the safety net.
By Romney's own logic his own father is part of that 47% and is an Obama supporter. The never on Romney and those that would defend these comments is asinine.
Nothing
The earned income credit was created by Reagan. The food stamp expansion was done by GWB. Ship the jobs overseas, throw the American workers overboard, toss them a few life preservers, then shoot them when they use them to try to swim to shore.
If republicans have their way, this country will look like India. Rich people on one side of town, people living in boxes on the other.
THAT IS HOW IT IS NOW IN THE U.S.
And if Obama has his way we'll all be living in boxes.
Actually Obama has been fighting against a GOP congress that doesn't want America to succeed so they can paint their opponent in a bad light – and STILL America is recovering. Housing is up 30% in August, consecutive job growth for 30 months, DOW almost at 14k...
I get the feeling that you want Obama and the country to fail just to prove a point.
RICH PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR ROMNEY, WHY ?? THEY WANT MORE TAX BREAKS...HOW CAN THEY BAD MOUTH PEOPLE ON WELFARE ?? MANY OF THEM LOST THEIR JOBS DURING THE DOWN ECONOMY AND JOB OUTSOURCING TO CHINA..
THE RICH GET 3 TIMES MORE WELFARE THAN THE POOR PEOPLE DO.
Rebublicans want the US to be like India? Baloney! You want the US to be more like the USSR or North Korea. Most of you responding to this are nothing but a bunch of aggrieved, envious takers. Your idea of rich is anyone who has more than you! You think you have the right to take from people like me because "it's only fair". I've worked my butt off my entire life to get where I am and it hasn't been easy; and I resent the hell out of you jerks essentially stealing what doesn't belong to you.
Vet
I will be thinking of you when I cash my welfare check and buy Starbucks and a bag of weed.
So, vet, did you pay income taxes on what you earned while serving? If not, you're a 47 percenter. I resent like hell that this dope on a rope Romeney denigrated almost half of the country to his supporters with fallacies and lies...and you aren't bothered?
Anyone running for the highest governmental position in the land must possess two important qualities along with the obvious one but I consider these very important, compassion and empathy. These two qualities will determine how a person will deal with difficult issues dealing with the citizens he would govern. Clearly Mr. Romney does not possess these qualities not because he isn't a good man or doesn't love his family but because he is so removed from the day to day existence that most Americans go through. He has lived in a very rarified existence and can't comprehend what ordinary people have to do to survive. He can't see what his ideology does or will do to ordinary people and he doesn't care.
Mr. Rice – Is is okay for tax-paying gay people to pay for the food stamps that you got yet you want to deny them the basic rights that come with marriage? Go ahead and vote for the Republicans – the party that won't stay out of the private lives of Americans.
Wow, you really had to reach to pull that comment out of your.....hat!
What is the matter with you all? It doesn't matter one bit who is elected. We're going to be worse off in four more years. And it doesn't matter whether we vote or not. (I suspected for decades that it didn't matter, but when George W. was 'elected' for a second time, I became sure of it.) Whoever is slated (by the 1%?) to win, will win, no matter what. As for the 47% - that includes the rich who aren't paying taxes. /// Don't you see what's happening? We're being played. We're being kept occupied by news that doesn't matter while QE3 raises prices, while inflation rises, while unemployment rises, gas prices rise. And neither Romney NOR Obama are going to do anything to help us in the next four years. /// BTW, anybody remember The Trilateral Commission??