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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When a presidential candidate wins an election by demonizing successful people and openly embracing "wealth redistribution" , America is officially in decline.
If you want preview of Obama's America, look no further than California, where
Liberal policies are on full display: 11% unemployment, businesses feeling the state in droves with private sector workers following them, retirees fleeing the state to get away from the highest state tax structure in the country, leaving only the ultra rich, a tiny middle class comprised of government workers, with huge population of welfare recipients holding down the California fort.
In just a few years after even more desperate tax increases cause even more $250k plus to flee the state, California will hit the Feds for a bailout. Other states like Texas Washington, etc will be forced to fork over cash to bail California out of it's stupid welfare state wannabe fiscal policy, just as Germany bails Greece out to preserve the Euro.
Buy gold now.
Wasn't there a republican Govenor called Schwarzenegger in charge for some years and Enron a part of that?
Please see Republican state of Mississippi.
My mom has been a waitress for 30 years at the same Mexican restaurant in Nor. Cal. She supports She was going to vote for Romney but was so offended that she just isn't voting.
Romneyhood ........... Give to the Rich take from the poor
Romney and Ryan .......... Laurel and Hardy of the 21st century
the most telling part of this whole story is that Jimmy Carter's grandson can't get a job. He's an unemployed internet researcher????? Huh? Your grandfather is one of only 5 living us presidents and he can't score you a gig? Dude must be a real dud.
Is this article balanced? Discuss.
The quote, read in its entirety, reveals the self-pitying despair into which RomneyBain has sunk. It relegates him to being a minor footnote in history. The Mittens have come off, and the empty hands are visible.
Romney cannot put a spin on the way he feels about the senior citizens- the leaches on society. They paid into the SS the republicans like Reagan used the SS fund to balance his budget.
All im trying to do is homework and cant seem to find the print button for this article....
The sad part is not that 47% of aermicans pay no income tax. The sad part is that 47% of americans don't make a big enough salary to pay income taxes... that's the real crime. People are not paid what they are worth. If the CEO of any company died tomorrow the company would be fine. If 400 workers died tomorrow the company would be in trouble (CEOs now average close to 400 times the average worker salary).
I'd rather have a fireman than a stockbroker, a teacher than baseball player and a an assembly line worker than a Romney.... The people that provide the acutal value and create actual wealth in this country don't get paid for it, those who do get paid skim theirs off the top. Not that CEOs don't work, and create companys, but 400 times? In the 1950s it was 40 times...Not saying they shouldn't make more,but they are making too much more.
Think about this. If we took 1/2 the wealth of the top 10% of americans, we could TRIPLE the wealth of the bottom 80% If everyone's salary was triple the'd be paying income taxes, and buying stuff and creating demand. Not saying we should but think what awesome shape we'd be in if that money had gone to the middle and lower classes originally... think of the revenue we'd have (those classes pay a higher percentage than the romneys do) think of the demand for products we'd have that would create massive amounts of jobs.
Lastly, look at the teacher stirke in Chicago. The teachers were out 4 days and the city went crazy. Parents needed to find day care, the kids weren't getting educated, it was a crisis (or painted that way). Not only did the teachers provide an education to those kids, but daycare as well for parents who worked. When they suddenly didn't have teachers it hurt everyone. Show me how mcuh we all care if the stockbrokers strike for a week... Who is more valuable, and who gets paid more?
Something to think about.
Most of those people don't pay taxes because the tax laws allow for the earned income credit and they qualify for it, many of them actually receive money back above what was withheld.
Dead on
Are you kidding me? Since when is hard work not the way to get to the top? I'm a high school drop out, but my father instilled in me that since I did not choose educaton that it would take hard work to make anything of myself. My father did not die a rich man, he died a poor man, but his richness was in teaching me the value of hard work. I first took a minimum wage job to get where I am, I have worked hard, got promoted, worked harder and got promoted again. I work 6-7 days a week, 12 to 14 hour days, I'm not rich by any stretch, I'am better off than most, but I have also sacraficed and worked harder than most. Now you tell me i should split my income with those who have not wanted to sacrifice, with those who have not wanted to work 6-7 days a week, those who have not been willing to work 14 hour days? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Just because I work harder why should I pay 37% in federal taxes? Should we all not pay our equal share? why should one pay 37% and another pay 20% or even 0%? If everyones tax was at 20% someone who makes a million dollars a year would pay $200,000 in taxes! someone who makes $200,000 would pay $40,000 someone who makes $20,000 would pay $4,000 period! Fair is Fair, you get out what you out in.
Finally a politician who speaks the truth!
Way too much common sense and real "fairness" in your post for the Progressive Liberal palate.
I can't say Romney was COMPLETELY wrong with his statements but he does need to appologize to the people who are trying to do better for themselves and there family. I feel at least half of the "47%" don't want to depend on others to eat or pay the bills. Most probably have multiple jobs also... but 2 min. wage jobs 25-30 hours a week still doesn't pay for much when the avg. car probably takes $45 to fill up (a full days shift working for minimum wage).
Lets face it... there are people who take complete advantage of government handouts. And those are the people I THINK (hope moreso I guess) Romney is referring too.
I'm on the fence about who to vote for as well. As an independant I try and vote for who I feel who stands for what I do. Blanket statements like what Romney said is a hard pill for me to swallow. Especially since he refuses to appologize for saying it... even after he's had time to think about all the people he wrapped into 1 sentence. Arrogance isn't a good quality in a President.
Obama's mother was a Marxist, his father was a Marxist, his mentor of 20 years Frank Marshall Davis was a Marxist (with an FBI jacket 2" thick), his pastor of 20 years Rev. Wright is a Marxist (and an American hating racist) Obama sought out Marxist professors in College, his radical terrorist friends Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorn are Marxists, he even hired a few when he became President ie: Van Jones. Obama believes in redistribution of wealth and has said so on a number of occasions. What more do we need to know about this guy to know he is wrong for America (well, maybe his dismal record).
Could you be any more paranoid and dishonest? He's not your candidate–fine. Educate yourself and don't lie.
What part of what I wrote exactly is not true?
agree, since america has allowed cuba 90 miles to exist off our coast not far to imagine this Obama as president. Get that guy out of office PLEASE>
So the poor, the sick, the hungry don't matter. And these wonderful 'conservatives' are electing someone that thinks the Jews should be destroyed, blacks are soul less, and Christianity is an abomination. And these people have convinced themselves this is the 'moral' choice. ALL of this is in Revelations, see this for what it is folks.
Some of the things he mentioned were accurate, regarding the statistics, but the presentation of his statements were "mean spirited". A President represents and works for all Americans, fundraiser or no. I don't know if any damage control will be able to resurrect this campaign. I would have actually preferred Huntsman as the Republican candidate, because he would have been more likely to get some cooperation between the parties in Congress. Oh, well, another four years with little accomplished...
How much did team obama pay David A. Rice that load of BS.