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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CNN The fact that you would entertain the thought of what Mitt said as brutal truth makes you just as bad as him.
The top 10 percent earn just over 43 percent of the total income but pay more than 70 percent of all income tax.
Close to half of American workers pay no federal income taxes at all.
Who is paying their "fair share" ?
Good question. And those who cry that the "rich" are not paying their fair share NEVER state what they believe that fair share is. What % is fair? Is it 40% ? If so, that will take care of roughly 15% of the perpetual federal deficit. What about the other 85%. This whole antagonism toward "rich" is a wedge issue. It paints up a nice bogey man to hate while distracting the naive from the real (and difficult) problems that need real solutions.
Romney made a comment that showed how F'd up this country really is. I admire the statement.
I saw on CNN the other morning that out of the 47% Romney mentions, more than 28% are employed people who are simply working for low wages, wages that simply are not livable, so they qualify for programs that help make these wages more "livable" They also said that more than another 10% are simply seniors. After this, there was only about 7% left that were not in these two categories, perhaps some are part of the unemployed, also some are the wealthy who pay no taxes because of loopholes.
So, a large majority of these people are not people who think of themselves as victims. Most are working people or seniors who had worked their whole lives. Most of these people who make low wages, do so, because that is how the wealthy and businesses and investors make a profit – by cutting costs – including paying low wages.
Many of these low income people do not pay an income tax because they simply can't afford to do so. This is how the government tries to help make low wages more "livable" by offering programs and a progressive tax rate. They do this instead of raising the minimum wage, so that many US businesses can compete globally and still make a profit here in the US and also because many businesses simply want things this way – it is businesses who would prefer that wages stay low and that government provide these services (that are actually wage subsidies) so that these wages can stay low.
There is no low paid employee who would not prefer to make more money even if it meant paying more in taxes – none – it is businesses who actually want things this way – not the poor.
So, who is really benefitting the most from these low wages that are subsidized by government programs and a progressive income tax? – The wealthy and businesses are the ones who benefit the most – not hard working people who simply make low wages –
The wealthy also benefit the most from all the things our government provides – like an educated workforce, infrastructure (roads bridges airports communications), legal system that protects private property ownership and patents, because all of these things are absolutely necessary to generate wealth in a modern economy – countries with governments that do not provide these things do not have wealthy economies – ever – does not happen – small governments only exist in underdeveloped or third world counties
The system is gamed way more than most people realize. I am ashamed to say that my son and all his friends, 29ish young white males, are amongst those that steal from the working taxpayers. They have never worked a real job, occasionally they do take a valet postion getting paid cash. he has told me that there are online instructions on how to apply and get every free thing that they can from the government. He gets free medical/dental, a phone [ which has to use every 3 days to call the government agency to tell them where to send the check ], a food card that even allows them to eat at McDonalds, housing allowance [ even though they all claim that they are homeless. Him and his freinds all pool their resources [ government handouts ] and rent a condo just outside of Detroit. They spend all day smoking and drinking and playing video games. Hell he is in the top 10,000 in W.O.W. he told me [ makes me proud ]. This has to be happening all over the country. All of these young men came from middle class families. It makes me sick to think about it. It DOES NOT BOTHER ANY OF THEM IN THE LEAST!!!!!
Mitt, Wrap it up and go home, game over. Thx to you.
Mittens made a truly fatal mistake this time. All he needs to do know is get his pistol and stick it in his mouth. He is over.
Heaven forbid we pay taxes all our live and ask for something other than wars,tax breaks,loop holes, ect... for them.
America needs to hear the truth ....BO won't tell it....hes too busy hangin with JZ and Beyonce. Pitiful that this is the America we live in.
truth. whatever percent it is, they;'ll never vote for romney either way and will always line up at the federal trough to feed. The only reason this inane comment is news is becuase CNN (aka the Pro Obama News Network) is news is because CNN is making it news. Yawn
It would be one thing if Romney had just told a "hard truth", but he didn't. In fact he got it very wrong. The 47% number includes many retired seniors living off the Social Security they PAID INTO FOR YEARS, full-time working families who make less than $50k/yr, etc. These people don't see themselves as "victims" and they are not irresponsible. The actual number of welfare-dependent people in the US is under 5%.
it was for sure the brutal truth.
Unfortunately, he is right. Alot of people on government assistance and disability shouldn't be on either.
Working for a physician, I could not beleive the amount of people on Disability. They were okay to get
their nails, hair done but not well enough to work. Alot of people abuse the system and we are paying
for it.
And if these people could get healthcare in this country maybe they would not be on disability.Maybe they could get help before they end up sooo sick that they have begging for help.Most of these people don't have a choice they need care and don't want to die.Do you want to die in pain and misery.
Way to bow down for rand paul wolf. Time to hire new people cnn.
The facts are that most of this money goes to old people. (medicare-Social Security) And they payed into it with their FICA taxes. I went to a restaurant earlier today that if their wasn't government supplemental income, the restaurant would have been empty..
While Romney does have an issue of not be the most gifted speaker. His comment is right on and has been my biggest complaint about the Left and this Elitist issue. The 47% not paying taxes are the ones whining the most about the rest of us needing to pay more. I have never advocated those 47% to start paying taxes. I just have no respect for those not paying ANY taxes thinking they have the right to demonize the rest of us because they want us to pay our share, there share and even more because not paying taxes is such a burden on them. There are those in that 47% that are Romney supporters and I do have respect for those people and thank you for not being part of the OBAMA DEPENDANCY NATION. Some are in true need and a safety net must be available for our most vulnerable but Obama is creating a Nation where everyone, mostly people who vote for him, fall into that definition.
Romney is a capitalist, nothing wrong with that. But he got his money from somewhere, where? perhaps from working middle class americans who are the backbone of this country. The poor dont make enough income for taxes and the very rich have lobbyists and special interest groups that protect them from . That leaves the middle class to fund the wars and take care of the poor with THEIR TAXES! So the rich get richer and the poor get poorer , and the middle class WORKS HARDER! So when it is time to vote, are you the wannabe rich, which will never happen, or are you a pragmatic middle class person that realizes that not everyone can WIN the LOTTERY of life! So vote for romney and we can bankrupt this country into yet another WAR! And once again the middle class can work as future little bees to keep this country humming along, or maybe not. Vote for Obama, Romney doesnt or cares less about you! He is the 1 percent and not like the rest of you. Keep buying the lottery tickets you dweebs its not going to happen, you are a worker bee as I so the best you can do is protect your country and the world from people like ROMNEY who have no clue and apparently from his comments could care LESS
Absolutely