If you needed proof of how out of touch from the ordinary struggles of the people of this nation Mitt Romney actually is, it arrived yesterday, courtesy of a secret recording from a closed-door fundraiser released by David Corn at Mother Jones.
Romney regards forty seven percent of Americans as parasites, the tape revealed. In fact he sounded almost jealous of the poor, and how good they have it. But just wait till he becomes president because then their free ride will be over, he assured his private audience.
'There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. These are people who pay no income tax.'
Where we see poor but hardworking people struggling to escape poverty, Mitt Romney sees spongers living high off the welfare hog courtesy of his (we're supposed to believe) high taxes.
Romney clearly holds half of this country in contempt. He'll be there with his boots on when the time comes to teach them a lesson, I expect.
But here's the thing, Romney's own career has been about playing the system from the winners corner. With his secretive Swiss Bank accounts and his Caymen Islands accounts, and his secretive trust funds, and his refusal to document his own tax returns, why should we believe he's morally superior to the ordinary citizens he so casually condemns?
Recall that part of the reason so many Americans don’t pay federal income taxes now is that Republicans passed a series of massive tax cuts that wiped out the income-tax liability for many Americans. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush made that scenario a reality, remember.
It may be partially true that 47 percent of the population figure pay no net federal income tax but Romney hasn't noticed that most of them do pay federal payroll tax. Of those who pay neither income nor payroll taxes, most are the elderly. That's because elderly people generally don't have jobs. I'd have thought many seniors might have been trending toward Romney but hopefully this will make them reconsider. Students, if they're smart, have probably just been warned off him too.
The idea that half of Americans are just a bunch of grifters is how America's super rich talk about us all when they're among themselves. It's repulsive, but it's wholly accurate.
Mitt Romney has said he believes corporations are people, but he does not believe struggling Americans are. You're all bloated dependents. You're entitlement junkies. You think that the government should take care of you because you clearly lack the means and the smarts to take care of yourself. Perhaps they'll hire Clint Eastwood to lecture you.
After all, if you're so smart, why didn't you have a rich daddy like he did?
God bless half of the United States! What a Mitt storm.
olovely | Sep 19, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT
when will the Obama tactics be sited on this website.
Lynchy | Sep 19, 2012, 10:48 AM EDT
Romney said he does not pay Income Tax (debate with Gingrich when he said if CGT was eliminated he would pay zero tax)
So, having said that, why is he hiding his tax returns? I suspect the reason is he has not been paying his full tithe to his church. This is probably more serious to his reputation than not paying taxes.
eiriamach | Sep 19, 2012, 10:26 AM EDT
A couple of comments Romney made on the tape are not quite clear: 1) On unions: "I wish we weren’t unionized so we could go a lot deeper than you are actually allowed to go." What does he mean by going 'a lot deeper'? Laying off more public sector and industrial workers? 'Sounds ominous to me! 2) On his TV appearances: "But 'The View' is fine, although 'The View' is high risk because of the five women on it, only one is conservative and four are sharp-tongued and not conservative, Whoopi Goldberg in particular. Although the last time I was on the show, she said to me, 'You know what? I think I could vote for you.' And I said, 'I must have done something really wrong.'” It sounds as though Romney would be offended to have someone like Whoopi vote for him!
eiriamach | Sep 19, 2012, 10:20 AM EDT
A transcript of nearly the entire discussion between Romney and his $50,000-a-plate supporters is online at the NY Times site. At one point, Romney agrees with someone who brags about his or her own wealth and urges Romney to do the same. Romney says in his reply, "... the thing which I find most disappointing in this president is his attack of one America against another America, the division of America based on going after those who have been successful." As Maureen Dowd of the NY Times points out, "We thought Romney was secretly moderate, but it turns out that he’s secretly cruel, a social Darwinist just like his running mate." You don't have to be Maureen Dowd to see the hypocrisy: Romney's remark is callously divisive. He accuses President Obama of waging class warfare and pitting the 'have-nots' against the 'haves' while Romney himself believes Americans ought to admire 'success' and great 'wealth' and turn over to the wealthy the reins of government because if they're rich, they should be in charge, right?. It's a dangerous, divisive fantasy-- that the non-wealthy are plotting to take away what the wealthy have and that wealth gives one an entitlement to power over others.
irishamerica46 | Sep 19, 2012, 10:13 AM EDT
He never called anyone grifters or parasites. There is a psycological term called Displacement. Maybe you are dispacing your own feelings onto him.
The USA is a capitalist nation not a socialist one which you seem to prefer. Maybe you should move to the EU!
BrianO | Sep 19, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT
Hollaback, our starving filthy beggars, have cable tv, cars, and free food and energy. We have the best fed poor in the world. the sad part is they are so well kept, they want to stay on the dole. But they are a controllable group for the liberal democrats, a group the liberal democrats wants to increase.
hollabackgurl | Sep 19, 2012, 09:21 AM EDT
Headline 1: "Romney Campaign Sends In Champion Of The Poor Paul Ryan For Damage Control." Headline 2:"Romney Apologizes To Nation's 150 Million 'Starving, Filthy Beggars"
IrelandNorth | Sep 19, 2012, 07:17 AM EDT
Surely the term "... government dominated society ..." was more applicable to Georgetown under King George's [Anglo-Saxon] redcoats, than either Democratic or Republican corporate heir apparent personalities to the Patriots' bold Declaration of 1776. Is not government's task to pursue the greatest happiness for the greatest number, rather than the maximum material privilege for the minority of an electorate. Is that not what democracy actually is. To what extent modern America approximates its Declaration of Independence is as pertinent a question as to what extent Ireland approximates its 1916 Proclamation of a Republic!
bonjouryall | Sep 19, 2012, 06:28 AM EDT
And just for those liberals who don't like to read.... "parasite" is O'Doherty's word-not Romney's. He will stoop to any misleading statement (or perhaps reveal his own prejudices) which may advance his personal agenda.
bogsidebunny | Sep 18, 2012, 10:40 PM EDT
That's about 40% less than the Irish total.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 18, 2012, 10:38 PM EDT
When Romney was asked last night at his press conference, he said that this would look better in context and asked the tape's owner to release the whole thing. Today he got his wish. If you have not seen the whole thing, please watch it at Mother Jones. Note how he will not even lead from behind on Isreal but just "kick the ball down the field and hope something turns up." Note how he believes that dirty bombs need fissionable material (and thanks Mitt for giving our enemies suggestions.) Notice how comfortable he is with the 1%, how easily he falls in with their misconceptions of the 99% and compare it to his awkward appearences when he is on the stump lying to the grassroot GOP inorder to hoodwink them into voting for him. Do not miss this chance to see Romney saying what he REALLY believes. Also pay attention to who in the GOP is condemning his remarks and who is saying GOOD BOY MITT because it is exactly what THEY too belive.
MegK311 | Sep 18, 2012, 10:20 PM EDT
Mitt Romney is a very generous man. He has given millions to help the less unfortunate, He just doesn't brag about it. He would rather find good paying jobs for the unemployed. Who in their right mind would live on welfare. Obama has put too many people on welfare and that is disgraceful. Most people want to work and spend their money however they want to. Of course there will always be people who need help and we should help those people. Mitt Romney is talking to the free loaders who want the government to take care of them from cradle to grave. It's all about creating jobs and bringing home a pay check.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 09:54 PM EDT
We just got a glimpse of the America that Mitt Romney sees from his privileged perch, one where anyone unable to attend a $50,000-a-plate fundraiser simply hasn't tried hard enough.
BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 09:30 PM EDT
Want to pay the same rate as a wealth builder, then take a risk, I don't see anyone crying for risk takers who don't make it. Once you aquire wealth you should do your best to keep it.
Breathnach | Sep 18, 2012, 08:52 PM EDT
Most of us taxpayers would love to pay as low a rate as Mitt! If Ryan has his way, the rich will pay even lower taxes. And this from a man who refused to even release the last ten years of his tax returns. There's a class of person that likes to project their own faults on to others - some of that classic twisted behavior being exhibited here. And finally, if you got rid of government support - whatever would the rich Wall Street Bankers do? And what about Romney's plans to increase military spending. How many firms are waiting for those government contracts that Republicans like to dish out? What's good for the goose and all that... and by God, Mitt is a prize goose.
bonjouryall | Sep 18, 2012, 08:16 PM EDT
This election is one idiot vs. another idiot and both doing their best to help the rich (remember Obama's bailout without a haircut of Wall St.-he supported the bill and he's the one who spent the money). Anyway, my bet is on the candidate who promises more dole to the 47%. It will 55% in four years and 70% by the end of the next decade; not to mention a citizenship grant to even more. And how to pay? Just print more money and raise taxes on and costs for the middle class and blame any cost cutters as racist.
StevieVirginia | Sep 18, 2012, 07:32 PM EDT
Mitt Romney is a very rich but very stupid man. If he'd just shut up. He'd stand a fighters chance. Faux News & Rush Limbaugh can spin this however they want to. The man is a out of touch idiot being coached up by bigger idiots... Obama 2012 ... Romney 1040
manhattan | Sep 18, 2012, 07:08 PM EDT
He might have not explained himself well but a lot of what he said is true. He just has put his foot in his mouth to often. He is handing Obama the election.
seanomelb | Sep 18, 2012, 06:32 PM EDT
Three gaffes in one speech!! "Stuff the middle class and the poor". "I wish I was born a Mexican". And now "the Palestinians do not want peace" Then there is the unreleased tax returns and fools will still vote for him.
Donegal6 | Sep 18, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT
Let me make is simpler.
Almost half of Americans would expectedly vote for the candidate most likely to continue or enhance their handout. Hardworking tax payers are NOT who he is talking about obviously. Therefore his out of context analysis of WHY a GOP candidate is going to write off a large percentage of the votes due to that.
Also as the scales tip with the rising flood of illegal aliens coming across the Mexican US border, this will become a thrid world country unless the taxpayers say no more.
You can't take the baby bottle out of their mouths as there are no jobs.
Create jobs then get the one's that can work get back to work.
This is the reality the rest is hyperbole and politics.
He is telling it like it is instead of the two faced liars politicians usually are.
Eschetic | Sep 18, 2012, 05:59 PM EDT
It's one thing to stick your foot in your mouth - but this far down your throat is ridiculous. Even though this video was from a fund-raiser and only meant to be heard by super-rich potential donors, it's things like this - not just the open hostility to half the nation but the callous disregard for the truth (the very study Romney cites acknowledges that when you add PAYROLL taxes paid, all but just over 18% of the country pay federal taxes and all but the tiniestpart of those who DON'T are either students, the retired or others whose incomes UNDER THE FEDERAL TAX STANDARDS earn too little to be required to pay taxes. BIG difference between 80 % paying taxes and only 53% - and for some reason half the country is still well enough informed to back the President! I begin to think that Former Governor Romney is intentionally trying to throw this race in an effort to save the Republican party by having a pure right wing agenda soundly rejected once and for all so responsible MODERATES can take control once again. There are only two problems with that: he's being a little too obvious about it, and the right wing (as Molly Ivins long ago pointed out) never give let reality stand in their way.
cillowen | Sep 18, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT
you can fool all the people sometimes and some of the people sometimes but not all the people all the time. It'll still work for 53%er Romney who'll get many of the 47%er to pull lever for him, cause they are, bottom line stupid, racist or both.
Like many of the 53%ers who equally crave destruction.
aloistmartin | Sep 18, 2012, 04:39 PM EDT
Until you hear ( and see ) it for yourself, you never think the People who`s Job it is to push this Hogwash, actually subscibe to it themselves ? Makes you wonder if America really is nothing more, than a Prime Time Reality T.V. version of George Orwells 1984 ? ( And Zooey Deshanel, does she star in the role Originally played by Suzanna Hamilton in the full length, Film version of the Old School, Sci Fi Classic ? )
merefalow | Sep 18, 2012, 04:34 PM EDT
untill some one has tasted poverty, until you truly understand what it is like ,there are different kinds of poverty,some are born into it,some court it and win it by drug or alcohol abuse,there is a poverty of intellect,a poverty of circumstance,a poverty of never knowing parental love,allkinds,but a rich man seldom samples these poverties so therefore,bereft of sympathy and understanding he is not realy qualified to opinionate, Obama has tasted and known poverty of a sort,i suspect we all dislike the freeloaders in society,the ones who have never worked,the bad back suffers etc etc,well its only doctors who can cut those malingerers out of the herd and make sure the genuine cases get the help they deserve.i dont believe many people on welfare live high of the hog,crtainly no where near the league of super rich or middle class people,these rich people are just a few steps away from the final solution in their thought process.thank god there is a welfare state and thinking caring people to provide some degree of help in a hard world,not to say it cant be cleaned up a little if it is being abused.
pilib04 | Sep 18, 2012, 04:13 PM EDT
Show us the tax returns Robme. As President Reagan said, "Trust but verify!"
pilib04 | Sep 18, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT
The best part is how James Carter IV put Corn in touch with the source for the video. President Carter was certainly amused as any grandfather would be.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 03:59 PM EDT
I'm not suggesting that he should *remove* the money, Scrivner, just questioning why he would put so many assets into a tax-sheltered account of that kind to begin with. If he had no other source of income in retirement, that large an IRA might be a sensible investment for someone used to a rich life, but he has plenty, and very few if any other Americans have IRAs of that magnitude. It's a perfectly obvious tax dodge. I'm no financial or math whiz, so I'll just defer to you on tax rates, etc. Now why don't you send some of your financial wisdom to Oliver12, who thinks half of us are supporting the other half! Oliver needs more help than I do.
CelticQueenUSA | Sep 18, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT
HE NEVER SAYS HOW HE WILL DO THIS CRAP.
Scrivner | Sep 18, 2012, 03:32 PM EDT
eiriamach, your rant really showcases your ignorance. 1st why should Romney, or any other taxpayer, remove money from an IRA just to have it taxed? Would that be considered patriotic or just stupid? 2. As to "offshore" accounts to avoid "unrelated business income tax" in an IRA, you have mixed up your tax law with delusional fantasy. A trustee of an IRA must be under US supervision (a bank, annuity company, mutual fund company, etc. that is subject to US regulators). "Unrelated business income tax" (UBT) in the case of an IRA, as opposed to a public charity, kicks in if debt financed investments are made within the IRA. With Romney's financial team this is a ridiculous assertion. Being "offshore" is no protection from this UBT liability. 4. By the way, you quote the wrong marginal tax rte on dividends, go look it up! 5. So what if he is the weathiest person to run for POTUS? I think that, in inflation adjusted dollars, George Washington may have been almost an equal and he seemed to do well for the USA.
Oliver12 | Sep 18, 2012, 03:29 PM EDT
Once again, the liberals demonize the messenger and not the policies that have gotten us into this mess.
Half of us shouldn't be supporting the other half. The entire system will break down within four years. Remember, we told you so!
Folks want a helping hand not a hand out. Too many politicians have pimped out folks with freebies for a vote. Somehow, someway this has to change.
citizen69 | Sep 18, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
With such sweeping generalizations about half of his country whom he sees as not his job to care for, this man does not deserve to be President of any country. While Obama has also been a let down by promising a lot and delivering little I hope Romney's total disregard and complete misunderstanding of half the American people will mean his campaign is in ruins.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
The largest group of people in that 47% are senior citizens. The other two largest groups are military veterans and disabled people. The vast majority of people on welfare are white, and live in red states.
jflanagan | Sep 18, 2012, 02:56 PM EDT
There are, according to the polls, about 47% who will vote for President Obama barring a major catastrophe. Even then he can count on at least 45%. What Governor Romney obviously meant, to those who are not Obama adorers, is it would be a waste of time to put much effort to turn them and he needs to concentrate on the about 7 percent uncommitted to get enough votes to win.
Don't I just love how this liberal writer puts in an offensive word not used by Governor Romney to slant the story even more.
He gives more to charity, in percentage of income, than the cheapskate Irish clown VP Biden and before he became President, Senator Obama wasn't a great benefactor himself.
President Obama loves poor people. He's made more of them than anyone I can remember. He will continue to do so because of his hate of the upper middle class and has caused household incomes to decline by about $4,000 a year on average.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 02:27 PM EDT
How much would Romney owe in TAXES on just the dividends from his million-dollar-plus Individual Retirement Account if he had invested that money in diversified US accounts instead of an offshore, tax-sheltered, seriously obese IRA? By keeping his IRA in the Cayman Islands, he also avoided paying 'unrelated business income tax,' at 35 percent, on the corporate assets he transferred into it. If that money were in ordinary investments instead of in an offshore IRA, he would pay 35 percent on dividends/ interest and 15 percent capital gains. Romney also draws income from a dozen accounts (worth $30 Million) of the many accounts Bain Capital keeps in the Caymans. And here's another sad fact picked up on the NY Times blogs: "20% of registered republicans do not pay any additional federal income tax." Probably not the brightest GOPers, that 20 percent will blithely vote for the wealthiest person ever to run for POTUS.
hollabackgurl | Sep 18, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT
Even Romney's family dog runs away from him.
Nelsonbarry | Sep 18, 2012, 02:02 PM EDT
He is absolutely right. Even Obamas relatives that are illegal.
borefield | Sep 18, 2012, 01:54 PM EDT
Cahir, I didn't even read your story! Just the headline. The truth hurts, right!
EphraimKibbey | Sep 18, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT
Romney just threw the only demographic he is winning under the bus. He thinks that ALL that 47% are for Obama, but the over 65 year olds that WERE still mostly voting for him make up a BIG part of it. Wait until the Obama commercials start running in Florida explaining that Romney is ABANDONING those seniors who are living off their hard earned social security because he thinks they are personally irresponsible. This just shows that he has no idea how our economy works for the 99%. What about our armed forces, do they pay income tax on their salaries? Are they personally irresponsible? Are the working poor who work three jobs and still do not bring home enough to pay income taxes on it personally irresponsible. If you look at a map of the United States, why are all the states that have the greatest number of people not paying taxes in the GOP stronghold of the Deep South. GOP voters, if you do not pay income tax, Romney says you are what's wrong with the US and he cannot be YOUR President SO DON'T VOTE FOR HIM!
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT
The majority of the 47% receive NO government subsidies. (Look at the various corporations that Romney and company would like us to think of as "people too" to see where most government subsidies go.) Many of the 47% receive tax credits on their income tax; the wealthy exploit tax loopholes to reduce their income taxes, sometimes to 0 percent. Social security is not a subsidy, and neither is unemployment insurance. Workers pay for these programs over 45-50 years of their lifetimes.
Nicomax | Sep 18, 2012, 01:09 PM EDT
Mitt Man must have skipped or failed statistics at the Harvard Business School. In his plea to the right-leaning swells in Boca Raton he conflated the 47% who do not pay federal income taxes, mostly due to their advanced age or low wages, with the 47% who are often found in polls supporting Obama. As we have learned BHO has no trouble securing both funds and votes from the left-leaning swells in Greenwich, Beverly Hills, Cape Cod, or even Boca Raton, unless they also employ the same tax accountants Mitt's been using.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT
Romney only believes in affirmative action when it's provided by his Governor father. Otherwise forget the New Deal and the GI Bill and Social Security and Medicare and Obamacare. All of you are parasites, especially you non-working seniors. The faster you die due to lack of medical care the better off we'll be.
hollabackgurl | Sep 18, 2012, 12:22 PM EDT
Another drive by snark by BrianO that insults the messenger because he can't defend the indefensible. Romney thinks that half the electorate are hopeless losers. That's a Tea Party article of faith, but it's repulsive to see it infect the GOP mainstream and millionaires too.
BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT
Let me guess another attempt by the non bias press to dehumanize Romney, getting kind of old, I know you like kissing Obama's butt, but couldn't you at least pretend to be a journalist?
dubshay | Sep 18, 2012, 11:37 AM EDT
And the catholic church supports this Moron, sorry I meat Mormon. Maybe the hierarchy of the catholic church and Mitt Money should head down to the St. Vincent de Paul and start taking names of those that are'nt paying their fair share. The true colors of the Catholic church shine true in supporting this clown, they care not for immigrants, they care not for the poor, they care only about their own deluded doctrine. We don't care about the poor who suffer or who is deported as long as we can continue to hate gays, decry contraception and keep women in their rightful place, barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. My God, they have a double standard. And we Irish continue to support them after all the abuse they have heaped upon us?? It's just one CULT supporting another CULT, Catholics and Mormons.
bunchesofun | Sep 18, 2012, 10:36 AM EDT
Libs can't handle the truth. All those on government aid will vote for Obama because he promises them even more. We can't afford to support almost 50% of the population by the other 50%'s hard work.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 10:31 AM EDT
Poor people have it so easy. I almost wish I was poor myself.
johnnymac12 | Sep 18, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT
So 47% are parasites and 48% of all Americans are Irish related,so that means only 1%of the indigenous people are American. Need we say any more???
wilhoef | Sep 18, 2012, 10:25 AM EDT
I think Romney is absolutely correct. The negative reaction proves this. What happened to those Libtards who think paying taxes is patriotic?
wilhoef | Sep 18, 2012, 10:21 AM EDT
He would be right, considering those 47% pay no taxes and receive some form of government financial help.
raoulwine | Sep 18, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
Don't rewrite the facts to inflame a situation. He stated a fact: 47% in America currently receive government subsidies, and are going to support the current President. You injected the word parasite. Perhaps you should try to reflect reality in your writing for a change. As Jack Nicholson said, "you can't handle the truth".
jamthecat | Sep 18, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
Romney's comment, which he is sticking by in interviews, today, shows how out of touch he is with America. Very few people living on social Scurity pay any income tax. Students who are not working or are working at minimal jobs don't pay it but will once they graduate into the workforce. Disabled people receiving SSI benefits don't pay it. That this disgraceful, quasi-racist meme is still making the rounds only shows the right wing and the rich care nothing for anybody but themselves while the rest of the world can starve or die from lack of health care. That is not America...nor is it American.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
How many workers pay a higher percentage of their salaries in payroll taxes than Romney pays in income tax? That's 13 percent for the year he disclosed, and maybe "no income tax" for other years that he refuses to disclose. How many of the 53% pay no payroll taxes because their wealth comes from investments and offshore accounts rather than paid employment? It's so much easier for Romney backers to find spurious reasons for hating the unemployed, the working poor, and seniors drawing social security than it is for them to face up to their responsibility for dividing this nation into rich and poor.
kelauggie1 | Sep 18, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
Just because it's not politically correct to speak the truth doesn't make him wrong. We have an underclass here that believes the government owes them the essentials of life - and have been taught and encouraged to demand more and more. Obama is glad to enslave them to the government so they will vote for more and more. Is it so hard to see that this is politically motivated and is a sure fire way to collapse our once-thriving economy? What happened to personal responsibility?
stanchaz | Sep 18, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT
The smirking photo of Romney with dollar bills sticking out of his pockets says it all.
He worships money. His god is money.
And his saints are those who have lots of it....and who want it ALL.
And to hell with the rest of us.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.olovely | Sep 19, 2012, 12:18 PM EDT
God bless half of the United States! What a Mitt storm.
olovely | Sep 19, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT
when will the Obama tactics be sited on this website.
Lynchy | Sep 19, 2012, 10:48 AM EDT
Romney said he does not pay Income Tax (debate with Gingrich when he said if CGT was eliminated he would pay zero tax) So, having said that, why is he hiding his tax returns? I suspect the reason is he has not been paying his full tithe to his church. This is probably more serious to his reputation than not paying taxes.
eiriamach | Sep 19, 2012, 10:26 AM EDT
A couple of comments Romney made on the tape are not quite clear: 1) On unions: "I wish we weren’t unionized so we could go a lot deeper than you are actually allowed to go." What does he mean by going 'a lot deeper'? Laying off more public sector and industrial workers? 'Sounds ominous to me! 2) On his TV appearances: "But 'The View' is fine, although 'The View' is high risk because of the five women on it, only one is conservative and four are sharp-tongued and not conservative, Whoopi Goldberg in particular. Although the last time I was on the show, she said to me, 'You know what? I think I could vote for you.' And I said, 'I must have done something really wrong.'” It sounds as though Romney would be offended to have someone like Whoopi vote for him!
eiriamach | Sep 19, 2012, 10:20 AM EDT
A transcript of nearly the entire discussion between Romney and his $50,000-a-plate supporters is online at the NY Times site. At one point, Romney agrees with someone who brags about his or her own wealth and urges Romney to do the same. Romney says in his reply, "... the thing which I find most disappointing in this president is his attack of one America against another America, the division of America based on going after those who have been successful." As Maureen Dowd of the NY Times points out, "We thought Romney was secretly moderate, but it turns out that he’s secretly cruel, a social Darwinist just like his running mate." You don't have to be Maureen Dowd to see the hypocrisy: Romney's remark is callously divisive. He accuses President Obama of waging class warfare and pitting the 'have-nots' against the 'haves' while Romney himself believes Americans ought to admire 'success' and great 'wealth' and turn over to the wealthy the reins of government because if they're rich, they should be in charge, right?. It's a dangerous, divisive fantasy-- that the non-wealthy are plotting to take away what the wealthy have and that wealth gives one an entitlement to power over others.
irishamerica46 | Sep 19, 2012, 10:13 AM EDT
He never called anyone grifters or parasites. There is a psycological term called Displacement. Maybe you are dispacing your own feelings onto him. The USA is a capitalist nation not a socialist one which you seem to prefer. Maybe you should move to the EU!
BrianO | Sep 19, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT
Hollaback, our starving filthy beggars, have cable tv, cars, and free food and energy. We have the best fed poor in the world. the sad part is they are so well kept, they want to stay on the dole. But they are a controllable group for the liberal democrats, a group the liberal democrats wants to increase.
hollabackgurl | Sep 19, 2012, 09:21 AM EDT
Headline 1: "Romney Campaign Sends In Champion Of The Poor Paul Ryan For Damage Control." Headline 2:"Romney Apologizes To Nation's 150 Million 'Starving, Filthy Beggars"
IrelandNorth | Sep 19, 2012, 07:17 AM EDT
Surely the term "... government dominated society ..." was more applicable to Georgetown under King George's [Anglo-Saxon] redcoats, than either Democratic or Republican corporate heir apparent personalities to the Patriots' bold Declaration of 1776. Is not government's task to pursue the greatest happiness for the greatest number, rather than the maximum material privilege for the minority of an electorate. Is that not what democracy actually is. To what extent modern America approximates its Declaration of Independence is as pertinent a question as to what extent Ireland approximates its 1916 Proclamation of a Republic!
bonjouryall | Sep 19, 2012, 06:28 AM EDT
And just for those liberals who don't like to read.... "parasite" is O'Doherty's word-not Romney's. He will stoop to any misleading statement (or perhaps reveal his own prejudices) which may advance his personal agenda.
bogsidebunny | Sep 18, 2012, 10:40 PM EDT
That's about 40% less than the Irish total.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 18, 2012, 10:38 PM EDT
When Romney was asked last night at his press conference, he said that this would look better in context and asked the tape's owner to release the whole thing. Today he got his wish. If you have not seen the whole thing, please watch it at Mother Jones. Note how he will not even lead from behind on Isreal but just "kick the ball down the field and hope something turns up." Note how he believes that dirty bombs need fissionable material (and thanks Mitt for giving our enemies suggestions.) Notice how comfortable he is with the 1%, how easily he falls in with their misconceptions of the 99% and compare it to his awkward appearences when he is on the stump lying to the grassroot GOP inorder to hoodwink them into voting for him. Do not miss this chance to see Romney saying what he REALLY believes. Also pay attention to who in the GOP is condemning his remarks and who is saying GOOD BOY MITT because it is exactly what THEY too belive.
MegK311 | Sep 18, 2012, 10:20 PM EDT
Mitt Romney is a very generous man. He has given millions to help the less unfortunate, He just doesn't brag about it. He would rather find good paying jobs for the unemployed. Who in their right mind would live on welfare. Obama has put too many people on welfare and that is disgraceful. Most people want to work and spend their money however they want to. Of course there will always be people who need help and we should help those people. Mitt Romney is talking to the free loaders who want the government to take care of them from cradle to grave. It's all about creating jobs and bringing home a pay check.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 09:54 PM EDT
We just got a glimpse of the America that Mitt Romney sees from his privileged perch, one where anyone unable to attend a $50,000-a-plate fundraiser simply hasn't tried hard enough.
BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 09:30 PM EDT
Want to pay the same rate as a wealth builder, then take a risk, I don't see anyone crying for risk takers who don't make it. Once you aquire wealth you should do your best to keep it.
Breathnach | Sep 18, 2012, 08:52 PM EDT
Most of us taxpayers would love to pay as low a rate as Mitt! If Ryan has his way, the rich will pay even lower taxes. And this from a man who refused to even release the last ten years of his tax returns. There's a class of person that likes to project their own faults on to others - some of that classic twisted behavior being exhibited here. And finally, if you got rid of government support - whatever would the rich Wall Street Bankers do? And what about Romney's plans to increase military spending. How many firms are waiting for those government contracts that Republicans like to dish out? What's good for the goose and all that... and by God, Mitt is a prize goose.
bonjouryall | Sep 18, 2012, 08:16 PM EDT
This election is one idiot vs. another idiot and both doing their best to help the rich (remember Obama's bailout without a haircut of Wall St.-he supported the bill and he's the one who spent the money). Anyway, my bet is on the candidate who promises more dole to the 47%. It will 55% in four years and 70% by the end of the next decade; not to mention a citizenship grant to even more. And how to pay? Just print more money and raise taxes on and costs for the middle class and blame any cost cutters as racist.
StevieVirginia | Sep 18, 2012, 07:32 PM EDT
Mitt Romney is a very rich but very stupid man. If he'd just shut up. He'd stand a fighters chance. Faux News & Rush Limbaugh can spin this however they want to. The man is a out of touch idiot being coached up by bigger idiots... Obama 2012 ... Romney 1040
manhattan | Sep 18, 2012, 07:08 PM EDT
He might have not explained himself well but a lot of what he said is true. He just has put his foot in his mouth to often. He is handing Obama the election.
seanomelb | Sep 18, 2012, 06:32 PM EDT
Three gaffes in one speech!! "Stuff the middle class and the poor". "I wish I was born a Mexican". And now "the Palestinians do not want peace" Then there is the unreleased tax returns and fools will still vote for him.
Donegal6 | Sep 18, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT
Let me make is simpler. Almost half of Americans would expectedly vote for the candidate most likely to continue or enhance their handout. Hardworking tax payers are NOT who he is talking about obviously. Therefore his out of context analysis of WHY a GOP candidate is going to write off a large percentage of the votes due to that. Also as the scales tip with the rising flood of illegal aliens coming across the Mexican US border, this will become a thrid world country unless the taxpayers say no more. You can't take the baby bottle out of their mouths as there are no jobs. Create jobs then get the one's that can work get back to work. This is the reality the rest is hyperbole and politics. He is telling it like it is instead of the two faced liars politicians usually are.
Eschetic | Sep 18, 2012, 05:59 PM EDT
It's one thing to stick your foot in your mouth - but this far down your throat is ridiculous. Even though this video was from a fund-raiser and only meant to be heard by super-rich potential donors, it's things like this - not just the open hostility to half the nation but the callous disregard for the truth (the very study Romney cites acknowledges that when you add PAYROLL taxes paid, all but just over 18% of the country pay federal taxes and all but the tiniestpart of those who DON'T are either students, the retired or others whose incomes UNDER THE FEDERAL TAX STANDARDS earn too little to be required to pay taxes. BIG difference between 80 % paying taxes and only 53% - and for some reason half the country is still well enough informed to back the President! I begin to think that Former Governor Romney is intentionally trying to throw this race in an effort to save the Republican party by having a pure right wing agenda soundly rejected once and for all so responsible MODERATES can take control once again. There are only two problems with that: he's being a little too obvious about it, and the right wing (as Molly Ivins long ago pointed out) never give let reality stand in their way.
cillowen | Sep 18, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT
you can fool all the people sometimes and some of the people sometimes but not all the people all the time. It'll still work for 53%er Romney who'll get many of the 47%er to pull lever for him, cause they are, bottom line stupid, racist or both. Like many of the 53%ers who equally crave destruction.
aloistmartin | Sep 18, 2012, 04:39 PM EDT
Until you hear ( and see ) it for yourself, you never think the People who`s Job it is to push this Hogwash, actually subscibe to it themselves ? Makes you wonder if America really is nothing more, than a Prime Time Reality T.V. version of George Orwells 1984 ? ( And Zooey Deshanel, does she star in the role Originally played by Suzanna Hamilton in the full length, Film version of the Old School, Sci Fi Classic ? )
merefalow | Sep 18, 2012, 04:34 PM EDT
untill some one has tasted poverty, until you truly understand what it is like ,there are different kinds of poverty,some are born into it,some court it and win it by drug or alcohol abuse,there is a poverty of intellect,a poverty of circumstance,a poverty of never knowing parental love,allkinds,but a rich man seldom samples these poverties so therefore,bereft of sympathy and understanding he is not realy qualified to opinionate, Obama has tasted and known poverty of a sort,i suspect we all dislike the freeloaders in society,the ones who have never worked,the bad back suffers etc etc,well its only doctors who can cut those malingerers out of the herd and make sure the genuine cases get the help they deserve.i dont believe many people on welfare live high of the hog,crtainly no where near the league of super rich or middle class people,these rich people are just a few steps away from the final solution in their thought process.thank god there is a welfare state and thinking caring people to provide some degree of help in a hard world,not to say it cant be cleaned up a little if it is being abused.
pilib04 | Sep 18, 2012, 04:13 PM EDT
Show us the tax returns Robme. As President Reagan said, "Trust but verify!"
pilib04 | Sep 18, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT
The best part is how James Carter IV put Corn in touch with the source for the video. President Carter was certainly amused as any grandfather would be.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 03:59 PM EDT
I'm not suggesting that he should *remove* the money, Scrivner, just questioning why he would put so many assets into a tax-sheltered account of that kind to begin with. If he had no other source of income in retirement, that large an IRA might be a sensible investment for someone used to a rich life, but he has plenty, and very few if any other Americans have IRAs of that magnitude. It's a perfectly obvious tax dodge. I'm no financial or math whiz, so I'll just defer to you on tax rates, etc. Now why don't you send some of your financial wisdom to Oliver12, who thinks half of us are supporting the other half! Oliver needs more help than I do.
CelticQueenUSA | Sep 18, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT
HE NEVER SAYS HOW HE WILL DO THIS CRAP.
Scrivner | Sep 18, 2012, 03:32 PM EDT
eiriamach, your rant really showcases your ignorance. 1st why should Romney, or any other taxpayer, remove money from an IRA just to have it taxed? Would that be considered patriotic or just stupid? 2. As to "offshore" accounts to avoid "unrelated business income tax" in an IRA, you have mixed up your tax law with delusional fantasy. A trustee of an IRA must be under US supervision (a bank, annuity company, mutual fund company, etc. that is subject to US regulators). "Unrelated business income tax" (UBT) in the case of an IRA, as opposed to a public charity, kicks in if debt financed investments are made within the IRA. With Romney's financial team this is a ridiculous assertion. Being "offshore" is no protection from this UBT liability. 4. By the way, you quote the wrong marginal tax rte on dividends, go look it up! 5. So what if he is the weathiest person to run for POTUS? I think that, in inflation adjusted dollars, George Washington may have been almost an equal and he seemed to do well for the USA.
Oliver12 | Sep 18, 2012, 03:29 PM EDT
Once again, the liberals demonize the messenger and not the policies that have gotten us into this mess. Half of us shouldn't be supporting the other half. The entire system will break down within four years. Remember, we told you so! Folks want a helping hand not a hand out. Too many politicians have pimped out folks with freebies for a vote. Somehow, someway this has to change.
citizen69 | Sep 18, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
With such sweeping generalizations about half of his country whom he sees as not his job to care for, this man does not deserve to be President of any country. While Obama has also been a let down by promising a lot and delivering little I hope Romney's total disregard and complete misunderstanding of half the American people will mean his campaign is in ruins.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
The largest group of people in that 47% are senior citizens. The other two largest groups are military veterans and disabled people. The vast majority of people on welfare are white, and live in red states.
jflanagan | Sep 18, 2012, 02:56 PM EDT
There are, according to the polls, about 47% who will vote for President Obama barring a major catastrophe. Even then he can count on at least 45%. What Governor Romney obviously meant, to those who are not Obama adorers, is it would be a waste of time to put much effort to turn them and he needs to concentrate on the about 7 percent uncommitted to get enough votes to win. Don't I just love how this liberal writer puts in an offensive word not used by Governor Romney to slant the story even more. He gives more to charity, in percentage of income, than the cheapskate Irish clown VP Biden and before he became President, Senator Obama wasn't a great benefactor himself. President Obama loves poor people. He's made more of them than anyone I can remember. He will continue to do so because of his hate of the upper middle class and has caused household incomes to decline by about $4,000 a year on average.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 02:27 PM EDT
How much would Romney owe in TAXES on just the dividends from his million-dollar-plus Individual Retirement Account if he had invested that money in diversified US accounts instead of an offshore, tax-sheltered, seriously obese IRA? By keeping his IRA in the Cayman Islands, he also avoided paying 'unrelated business income tax,' at 35 percent, on the corporate assets he transferred into it. If that money were in ordinary investments instead of in an offshore IRA, he would pay 35 percent on dividends/ interest and 15 percent capital gains. Romney also draws income from a dozen accounts (worth $30 Million) of the many accounts Bain Capital keeps in the Caymans. And here's another sad fact picked up on the NY Times blogs: "20% of registered republicans do not pay any additional federal income tax." Probably not the brightest GOPers, that 20 percent will blithely vote for the wealthiest person ever to run for POTUS.
hollabackgurl | Sep 18, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT
Even Romney's family dog runs away from him.
Nelsonbarry | Sep 18, 2012, 02:02 PM EDT
He is absolutely right. Even Obamas relatives that are illegal.
borefield | Sep 18, 2012, 01:54 PM EDT
Cahir, I didn't even read your story! Just the headline. The truth hurts, right!
EphraimKibbey | Sep 18, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT
Romney just threw the only demographic he is winning under the bus. He thinks that ALL that 47% are for Obama, but the over 65 year olds that WERE still mostly voting for him make up a BIG part of it. Wait until the Obama commercials start running in Florida explaining that Romney is ABANDONING those seniors who are living off their hard earned social security because he thinks they are personally irresponsible. This just shows that he has no idea how our economy works for the 99%. What about our armed forces, do they pay income tax on their salaries? Are they personally irresponsible? Are the working poor who work three jobs and still do not bring home enough to pay income taxes on it personally irresponsible. If you look at a map of the United States, why are all the states that have the greatest number of people not paying taxes in the GOP stronghold of the Deep South. GOP voters, if you do not pay income tax, Romney says you are what's wrong with the US and he cannot be YOUR President SO DON'T VOTE FOR HIM!
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT
The majority of the 47% receive NO government subsidies. (Look at the various corporations that Romney and company would like us to think of as "people too" to see where most government subsidies go.) Many of the 47% receive tax credits on their income tax; the wealthy exploit tax loopholes to reduce their income taxes, sometimes to 0 percent. Social security is not a subsidy, and neither is unemployment insurance. Workers pay for these programs over 45-50 years of their lifetimes.
Nicomax | Sep 18, 2012, 01:09 PM EDT
Mitt Man must have skipped or failed statistics at the Harvard Business School. In his plea to the right-leaning swells in Boca Raton he conflated the 47% who do not pay federal income taxes, mostly due to their advanced age or low wages, with the 47% who are often found in polls supporting Obama. As we have learned BHO has no trouble securing both funds and votes from the left-leaning swells in Greenwich, Beverly Hills, Cape Cod, or even Boca Raton, unless they also employ the same tax accountants Mitt's been using.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT
Romney only believes in affirmative action when it's provided by his Governor father. Otherwise forget the New Deal and the GI Bill and Social Security and Medicare and Obamacare. All of you are parasites, especially you non-working seniors. The faster you die due to lack of medical care the better off we'll be.
hollabackgurl | Sep 18, 2012, 12:22 PM EDT
Another drive by snark by BrianO that insults the messenger because he can't defend the indefensible. Romney thinks that half the electorate are hopeless losers. That's a Tea Party article of faith, but it's repulsive to see it infect the GOP mainstream and millionaires too.
BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT
Let me guess another attempt by the non bias press to dehumanize Romney, getting kind of old, I know you like kissing Obama's butt, but couldn't you at least pretend to be a journalist?
dubshay | Sep 18, 2012, 11:37 AM EDT
And the catholic church supports this Moron, sorry I meat Mormon. Maybe the hierarchy of the catholic church and Mitt Money should head down to the St. Vincent de Paul and start taking names of those that are'nt paying their fair share. The true colors of the Catholic church shine true in supporting this clown, they care not for immigrants, they care not for the poor, they care only about their own deluded doctrine. We don't care about the poor who suffer or who is deported as long as we can continue to hate gays, decry contraception and keep women in their rightful place, barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. My God, they have a double standard. And we Irish continue to support them after all the abuse they have heaped upon us?? It's just one CULT supporting another CULT, Catholics and Mormons.
bunchesofun | Sep 18, 2012, 10:36 AM EDT
Libs can't handle the truth. All those on government aid will vote for Obama because he promises them even more. We can't afford to support almost 50% of the population by the other 50%'s hard work.
olovely | Sep 18, 2012, 10:31 AM EDT
Poor people have it so easy. I almost wish I was poor myself.
johnnymac12 | Sep 18, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT
So 47% are parasites and 48% of all Americans are Irish related,so that means only 1%of the indigenous people are American. Need we say any more???
wilhoef | Sep 18, 2012, 10:25 AM EDT
I think Romney is absolutely correct. The negative reaction proves this. What happened to those Libtards who think paying taxes is patriotic?
wilhoef | Sep 18, 2012, 10:21 AM EDT
He would be right, considering those 47% pay no taxes and receive some form of government financial help.
raoulwine | Sep 18, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
Don't rewrite the facts to inflame a situation. He stated a fact: 47% in America currently receive government subsidies, and are going to support the current President. You injected the word parasite. Perhaps you should try to reflect reality in your writing for a change. As Jack Nicholson said, "you can't handle the truth".
jamthecat | Sep 18, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
Romney's comment, which he is sticking by in interviews, today, shows how out of touch he is with America. Very few people living on social Scurity pay any income tax. Students who are not working or are working at minimal jobs don't pay it but will once they graduate into the workforce. Disabled people receiving SSI benefits don't pay it. That this disgraceful, quasi-racist meme is still making the rounds only shows the right wing and the rich care nothing for anybody but themselves while the rest of the world can starve or die from lack of health care. That is not America...nor is it American.
eiriamach | Sep 18, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
How many workers pay a higher percentage of their salaries in payroll taxes than Romney pays in income tax? That's 13 percent for the year he disclosed, and maybe "no income tax" for other years that he refuses to disclose. How many of the 53% pay no payroll taxes because their wealth comes from investments and offshore accounts rather than paid employment? It's so much easier for Romney backers to find spurious reasons for hating the unemployed, the working poor, and seniors drawing social security than it is for them to face up to their responsibility for dividing this nation into rich and poor.
kelauggie1 | Sep 18, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
Just because it's not politically correct to speak the truth doesn't make him wrong. We have an underclass here that believes the government owes them the essentials of life - and have been taught and encouraged to demand more and more. Obama is glad to enslave them to the government so they will vote for more and more. Is it so hard to see that this is politically motivated and is a sure fire way to collapse our once-thriving economy? What happened to personal responsibility?
stanchaz | Sep 18, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT
The smirking photo of Romney with dollar bills sticking out of his pockets says it all. He worships money. His god is money. And his saints are those who have lots of it....and who want it ALL. And to hell with the rest of us.
stanchaz | Sep 18, 2012, 09:39 AM EDT
Let him go play with his car elevators.