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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A random sampling of 2000 people who do not pay federal income tax revealed that 98.7% of them, that voted, voted for the Democratic Party. Why would CNN's analysis of the question: "Romney's 47% comment – truth or huge mistake" attempt to come to a conclusion by referencing only two people. Clearly, truth is not what CNN is after. There is no mistaking the fact that those who do not pay federal income tax, vote for the DNC...at least 98.7% of them.
I believe the key in what he said lie in his statement "who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them"; if you are relying on the govt to help you through a hard time, then you are NOT one of those "who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them"..there are those that feel that the government should and must support them. So I am not offended by Romneys comment and I am in that 47% ..I rely on the govt to get out of a tight spot, but it is NOT the govt responsibility to care for me.
He spoke the truth. for those who have used and abused the system forever, they could care less about tax breaks/cuts. Does not factor into their lives. And so has very little sway on their votes. There are many who DESERVE and need help and they should get it. ..Romney knows that of course. It was meant in the light of how the majority on aid will consider tax debates. Those who truly have a reason and need for aid should get it and that is not what this situation is about. So calm down people. No insult was made against those who receive it fairly.
Did Mitt pay taxes in 2005? 2006? 2007? 2008? I'll bet he was in the 47% too.
–
SHOW US THE CHEATIN' TAX RETURNS, ROMNEY!!
If you cross plot a map of the USA registered voters (D & R) against welfare recipients you find a correlation that the ghettos vote for democrats. Or am I to believe that the Ghettos are voting for republicans?
Paul Krugmen wrote a piece in the NYT which suggests the opposite, but what he didn't consider is that most ghettos don't vote. So a red state can receive more welfare money than a blue state, only proves that ghettos don't vote.
He may have spoken the truth about a some people, but 47% of the country are not abusing the system.
@Right On, nice post. Obama's perfect America is 51% helpless needy dependent people voting for him, and 49% with jobs enslaved to work and pay confiscatory taxes to carry the dead weight of his freeloading voter base.
Right here in central NC, I see the unemployed happily laying around their section 8 housing high on medicaid prescription percoset full or even obese on food stamps, and who is picking the tobacco now ripening in the fields? The unemployed? No. Illegal aliens.
Here's a link to a graphs and tell you the 47% mister Romney is talking about elderly, working poor, social sercuity recp and military recp. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/commentary-four-graphs-to-explain-the-47-percent-20120918.
Its very ignorant of him to consider the whole 47% victims. He actually talking about a huge block of his base, not the democratic base...
All too often, a person with no clear core political beliefs will fail over and over again to communicate a saleable message that consistently resonates with the masses. Mitt is one such person. He has been in this place before....and has managed to win the day. While his words reveal a lack of coherence, any person who found these words insulting should not underestimate Mitt's capacity to sell his words as a legitimate clear core beliefs.
Talk about class warfare!
Way to go, Mitt the Twit.
Only people with car elevators are deserving.
His numbers may be wrong, but I absolutlely agree that those that enjoy the welfare will vote for Obama. WELFARE NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED!
Debbie, apparently you are very well off, and I hope you are for your sake. Cause when you need welfare by some chance of bad luck in your life, and there isn't any? Well don't count on me giving you any help. Your heart is cold if you don't believe others ever need help. God doesn't like cold hearts and I strongly believe Jesus wouldn't like you either.
Should wellfare be eleminate to those who lost their jobs because a company like bain moved all of their jobs overseas? What about the thousands who lost their jobs because nafta and the other trade agreements moved their jobs overseas? It shouldn't be a lifestyle, I agree, but some people need some assistance. Many people can't go crying to mommy and daddy for some more money and there are not a lot of jobs out there. It is a tough problem and needs reformed, but, it has helped a lot of people who really needed it.
If there's no welfare in the future, it's because YOU PEOPLE of the 47% are abusing it and using it up now. Get off your asses and get a job and WORK! We don't OWE you anything!!!!!!
Well now, if that were true, Obama would win 70-30.
But we know that's not true. Hell, half the southern red states are on welfare and other government programs.
That is the most ignorant statement I've seen yet! Some people legitimately need welfare. People that are injured, like our soldiers, like others that were injured on the job, those that are just down on their luck. It could literally happen to anyone. Everyone should strive to get off welfare and I myself have never taken a dime from welfare, think it only right that we should take care of our own. Sure some people will abuse it, but we should be tackling ways to get rid of the abusers, not take it away from everyone! I sure hope you don't end up needing help at some point in your life and not being able to get it. I don't wish that on anyone.
Without welfare the human instinct to survive will result in crime. I guess you could catch the criminals and pay triple the welfare to prison them. Cut welfare and locked your doors because if you don't give it to them they will take it anyways, with your blood.
Without welfare the human instinct to survive will result in crime. I guess you could catch the criminals and pay triple the welfare to prison them. Cut welfare and locked your doors because if you don't give it to them they will take it anyways.
54% pay federal income tax (that's 1% of of the 47% figure Mitt claims, but is close enough)
28% have jobs, pay into SS and Medicare, but they just either don't earn enough or have a lot of deductions like a mortgage or college tuition. They probably pay state and local taxes.
10% are retired.
7-8% don't pay anything. What was the unemployment rate again?
The number of people on welfare is around 1.5%. That number included Mitt's dad for about a year. I'm pretty sure he turned out OK.
buy american– obama says...
solar power technology is an investment taxpayers must make....
Stimulas funds
Paid by taxpayers to Fund Solyandra failure
AND
Obama then uses OUR tax dollars to purchase
SOLAR PANELS MADE IN CHINA!!
made in CHINA
but- top story is Romney's gaffe
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/17/lambasted-chinese-solar-panels-placed-on-governmen/
But he didn't outsource thousands of American jobs like Romney did at Bain.
–
Vote Romney/Ryan if you don't want the Social Security and Medicare that you paid into all your life.
to GOP Lapdogs
Are you kidding? Do you live under a ROCK?????? Obama has been outsourcing jobs since day 1 and sending money to our ENEMIES! He's been supporting Iran and Afghanistan! They're bombing us and he's out golfing!!!!! Where have you been?
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 is the ONLY answer. Get Obama OUT!!!!! ONE TERM by his own definition!
If I were a terrorist I would vote for Mitt because I would want to see USA burn.
Major mistake and he knows it...Again it would never be the kind of statements from the podium of an open public meeting for everyone to hear. Seriously people stop trying to defend him. He already has been known for being a beyond rich, Swiss accounts money member, Bain company job destroyer mogul who happens to really believe the things he says with a passion. Now he has to take responsibly for what has been leaked verses what he may say on the campaign trail because he also has been known as a flip flopper candidate in years past.
Couple these current statements with his premature, inexperienced political statements regarding the U.S. Libyan Ambassador right after he was reported killed along with other Americans places him in a pit that will be very hard to climb out of...VP want to be Ryan is trying to clean up his mess and republicans aren't flocking to him either, so that should speak volumes to the fact that he's sinking already and he doesn't need any of this whatsoever with only a month and some to go....
He mentioned how Obama has many votes already in the bag in the leaked tapes to his 50,000 dollar member donors who attended that meeting expressing his kinship with them regarding the 47%er's...Now he hopes the fine American hard working public forget about what has been revealed, but nope he hasn't learned a thing!! He now doubles down on that bet and sticks to his leaked secretive statements. Again, it's simple, he would never say any of these things that are on that tape to a crowd of would voters in a public forum. Nobody on his team of followers would ever allow that to happen! It also plays right into Obama's hand of the class warfare card. Just reading these replies from people in this article tell me that much in what he created in that regrettable donor meetup...
Oh and I forgot the Latino statement that dug another ditch as well. It gets me how candidates for office don't understand that everyone is watching and listening to everything they do and say.... So one would think that careful and strategical movements would be the norm...
Can't wait to see the debates...That will be the nail in the coffin! or many nails...Just take a look at his debating videos while running for prez for the past 8 years and those are against his own political party! Obama will gobble him up like a scooby snack! It will be fun to watch him get flustered, exasperated and downright heated blush red with his fake filthy rich smile...
I'm not a hater of the mormon for president and I'm not an Obama fan. I'm for neither of the 2 evils...No one is perfect, but it's the one that can admit their failures that will go the distance and sadly I don't see that anytime soon from both camps...
The president is out to destroy America by any means possible.
Yes, the sky is falling, the sky is falling. You'd better go hide in your bomb shelter cause he's gonna git you! Idiot.
I am not an American...but obviously I have masochistic tendencies reading this pap and nonsense. Oh dear, your founding fathers are rolling rolling rollling in their graves. Not one Republican founding father would support the extremist and bigoted right of today's American. Its' shameful...the whole U.S. election process and the regression of the American intellect.
Romney thought he was among supporters who, like him, were among the 1%., and certainly not the "you people" of America. However, we "the people" can tell when we are being insulted. There is no way that anyone could walk back his remarks. Romney clearly felt every word. Indeed, he doubled down. When the first released bits were put in full context, the disdain for the 47% of Americans who are not paying taxes grew even more clear. There are two concerns. First, America can not have a president who is so inept at expressing his views. We had a sample of Romney's trip to europe where he insulted three countries in three weeks. Second, many people shoud get a hand up in hard times. Those times may come at inconvient times for the country, (ie.war), and that year's budget may not balance. Romney sounds good to those who say, "I pay my bills". Sure you do: no car payment, no mortage, no credit cards, no student loans. Of course, no barrowing from your parents to pay for school. Romney has no clue about what it takes for the 99% survive in hard times, nor does he seem to care. Without enpathy he has no real skills to make the decisions needed to get America moving any faster. He lets others run his campaign, (badly). as he now says he allowed others to run Bain until he retroactively resigned. Cutting taxes on capital gains has not worked for ten years, and certainly, cutting them further will only make less taxes available to pay down national debts. Be sure to register/ID and vote.
Hey!!!! Think about this! TRUTH HURTS and Romney hit the nail on the head. The 47% of worthless leeches are living off the government. YOUR HARD TIMES came from the last 3.5 years of the big O!!!! He caused high unemployment, lowering of the US credit and TRILLIONS of $$$$$ of loss from his stupid bailouts. You're just like O trying to BLAME everyone else! Truth hurts. Romney is 100% correct and I'm glad he stated the truth. Maybe America will wake up and get O out of the White House! O even said if he couldn't clean up the finances in one term, he didn't deserve t be re-elected. I'm going to help him pack!
ROMENY/RYAN 2012
Obama then uses OUR tax dollars to purchase
SOLAR PANELS MADE IN CHINA!!
made in CHINA
but- top story is Romney's gaffe
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/17/lambasted-chinese-solar-panels-placed-on-governmen
Two Words: BAIN CAPITAL
Romney is slimey.
How about this?.....
This entire charade (including Romney's pre-recorded comments made on video) is contrived.
Mr Romney knew moths ago that he would be:
A. A candidate
B. Would not win this election (if, it pleasures you to call it that).
..........In other words, the Republicans were "scheduled" to fail anyway because the bilderberg's plans included having Obama as pres for 4 more years. (notice that I did not capitalize "bilderberg", they aren't worth it)
The entire election is a scam, a fraud and the people of the United States of America are being defrauded into believing that it is genuine and fair... it's anything but that.
The ONLY reason I read anything that's written by CNN is to see what new lies are being produced, daily.
I know full well that this takeover is going to happen... it's been prophesized and is unavoidable but at least I can see how & when it's coming.
You folks need to wake up and get educated on what is happening to our world.
Alicia, be honest. How many times have you been certain the world is going to end? I'm sure you are "one of those". Girl, you'd better up your medicine cause your paranoia is out of control! Your comment makes absolutely no sense and whatever prophet you are following is a fraud, like they all are. Live in the real world and please, please please... don't reproduce.
so you believe that movie, Obama's Deception, huh?
Wow. Did you misplace your meds? Better go find them. And while you're at it, put on your tinfoil hat.
Government has the responsibility to defend our nation, build infrastructure and administrate laws for safety and security. Period. End of Story. Because we are benevolent and enlightened the government should be PART of the solution for those in our society who have truly been dealt the rawest deals and would literally die without some help (disabilities, medical extremes, elderly). That pool of people has grown and grown over the years. What happens when the scales tip the other way and instead of 53% carrying the load of a nation, we have 53% NOT paying in and 47% trying to carry the burden, or 45%, or 40%? We are broken and need to be fixed. Help, Mitt!
Saying "Period" proves I'm wrong. Thanks.
I know. At that point my argument is irrefutable and bulletproof. Period.
How can a man expect to be the leader of the free world with all these gaffes? Imagine a "mistake" involving China or Iran or N. Korea? Should we fumble into a new war?
keep obama– we will not need to worry about china. Obama is a great customer to China!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/17/lambasted-chinese-solar-panels-placed-on-governmen