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Subscribe to RSSConservative writers, pundits, thinkers, and strategists are coming down on both sides of the Mitt Romney video controversy -- critical or supportive.
David Brooks in the New York Times delivers outright criticism; The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol is critical of the statements but likens them to President Obama's "bitter" clings to guns and religion remarks.
According to the Tax Policy Institute, although 47 percent of Americans do not pay federal income taxes, they do pay payroll taxes. And contrary to Mitt Romney's claims, those people are not living off the other 53 percent. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Related: Leaked video is the latest hit for Romney
Others like Erick Erickson strongly defend Romney; National Review's Jonah Goldberg is somewhere in between -- conceding Romney's wording is problematic and off base but that the general argument Romney was trying to make holds true. Some, like Michael Walsh at National Review, say Romney should "double down" and make the case in the national spotlight.
Charles Dharapak / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney boards his campaign plane in Santa Ana, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, as he travels to Salt Lake City, Utah, for campaign events.
Here's a wrap:
CONSERVATIVE CRITICISM:
David Brooks, The New York Times.
Headline: “Thurston Howell Romney.”
“This comment suggests a few things. First, it suggests that he really doesn't know much about the country he inhabits. Who are these freeloaders? Is it the Iraq war veteran who goes to the V.A.? Is it the student getting a loan to go to college? Is it the retiree on Social Security or Medicare? It suggests that Romney doesn't know much about the culture of America. … The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are not big-government lovers. They are Republicans. They are senior citizens. They are white men with high school degrees. …
“The Republican Party, and apparently Mitt Romney, too, has shifted over toward a much more hyperindividualistic and atomistic social view - from the Reaganesque language of common citizenship to the libertarian language of makers and takers. There's no way the country will trust the Republican Party to reform the welfare state if that party doesn't have a basic commitment to provide a safety net for those who suffer for no fault of their own. …
“[A]s a description of America today, Romney's comment is a country-club fantasy. It's what self-satisfied millionaires say to each other. It reinforces every negative view people have about Romney. Personally, I think he's a kind, decent man who says stupid things because he is pretending to be something he is not - some sort of cartoonish government-hater. But it scarcely matters. He's running a depressingly inept presidential campaign.”
Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard.
Headline: “A Note on Romney’s Arrogant and Stupid Remarks.”
“It's worth recalling that a good chunk of the 47 percent who don't pay income taxes are Romney supporters—especially of course seniors (who might well "believe they are entitled to heath care," a position Romney agrees with), as well as many lower-income Americans (including men and women serving in the military) who think conservative policies are better for the country even if they're not getting a tax cut under the Romney plan. So Romney seems to have contempt not just for the Democrats who oppose him, but for tens of millions who intend to vote for him.
“It remains important for the country that Romney wins in November (unless he chooses to step down and we get the Ryan-Rubio ticket we deserve!). But that shouldn't blind us to the fact that Romney's comments, like those of Obama four years ago, are stupid and arrogant. Indeed: Has there been a presidential race in modern times featuring two candidates who have done so little over their lifetimes for our country, and who have so little substance to say about the future of our country?”
Another Weekly Standard post wraps some conservative criticism.
Headline: “Conservatives Agree: Romney's Wrong.”
CONSERVATIVES SUPPORT/DEFENSE/ADVICE:
Erick Erickson, Red State.com on Twitter:
“Seeing these undercover videos actually make me wish Romney would talk more about this issue on the trail.”
More Erickson, from Red State:
“Bluntly, the general rule for Team Romney should be to treat the press as an enemy collaborator with Barack Obama with exceptions only as appropriate. ... The Romney campaign should double down on what he said. They should own it. The trouble for the left and media (but I repeat myself) is that most Americans agree with Mitt Romney. Most Americans consider themselves part of the 53% and it is not a winning proposition for Barack Obama to convince Americans they are less than they think they are when most Americans already recognize he has made them less than they were. Team Romney should force this debate onto the national stage. They should not walk it back. The American people are with him.”
Jonah Goldberg, National Review.
Headline: "Quick Thoughts on Freeloaderdammerung"
“To read many of the reactions on Twitter, you’d think Mother Jones had just found video of Mitt Romney strangling a hooker with her own pantyhose.
“Indeed, many people understand what Romney is getting at here, even if he’s saying it badly. Some may even welcome a little spark and snark from a guy who so often seems so polished he has no rough edges. Lots of people, most importantly lots of independents, understand the basic and irrefutable point that there are too many people who feel entitled to consume a lot more tax dollars than they contribute. …
“Some people — even people who don’t pay income taxes — will just hear Romney being passionate about fixing this imbalance and vote for him because of it. What’s best for the country, and not just for them, will be foremost in their minds. No, I don’t think this video is good news for Romney. But if Romney showed a little more of the spirit he shows in this video, I’m not sure it wouldn’t help.”
In another post this morning, Goldberg writes:
"In fairness to Romney, I do think he believes things. The problem is he doesn’t have an organic understanding for politics or conservatism — I think I was the first to say a while back, he speaks conservatism as a second language. So when he tries to express his ideas he either sounds too detached or as if he’s parroting the idiom of a language he doesn’t fully understand.
"That’s the problem with what he says in that video. It’s not that everything he says is wrong, it’s just that it’s wrong enough to both hurt him and make it hard to defend what he’s saying. Ironically, I think if he were less articulate (like George W. Bush) or even spoke with a foreign accent, this would be more clear. But it is precisely because he is such a precise speaker that he gets himself in so much trouble. ...
"No, I don’t think this is the end of the Romney campaign or that he’s doomed or any of the wishful thinking being passed off as sober analysis in the mainstream press. Many liberals hear Romney in the video and in their sympathetic condescension think the 47 percent will hear themselves being called 'moochers.' That’s not how people hear these things for the most part. But the clock is ticking. There are only so many days left until the election, and too often this campaign finds itself on defense or explaining what it 'really' means. There’s just not a lot more time for that sort of thing. 'Stay on course' doesn’t strike me as a winning strategy."
Michael Walsh, National Review.
Headline: “Mitt’s Gettysburg Moment.”
“He ought to own it. For sure, even Team Romney knows what’s coming next. The barrage of media criticism. The shrieks of ‘how dare you?’ The tsk-tsking of ostensible friendlies. The constant press corps demands for clarification or, better yet, groveling abnegation. … It’s going to get very, very ugly very, very quickly. …
“But now he has a choice — to back away from the implication of his off-the-cuff remarks, and try to blame his sentiments on infelicity, or to embrace the stark dichotomy he laid out and go with it. This chance encounter should be the thing that forces Romney out of his crouch, away from his krack kadre of kampaign konsultants, and fleeing from his over-reliance on conventional wisdom and polls. What he ought to do is step up and embrace the basic division in our nation, including the fact that nearly half the country pays no income taxes. Acknowledge it — and then explain why, morally, this is not a good thing. …
“Will Romney rise to the occasion and fight? Or will he retreat? Only one path can lead to victory in November. The fate of his candidacy will hinge on the answer.”
And Walsh dismisses Brooks as having “faulty logic.”
“Already, both lefties and house cons like the New York Times’s David Brooks have their knickers in a twist. … There’s plenty to say about Brooks’ faulty logic, including his assertion that Romney’s comments somehow indicate that wicked Republicans want to rend the safety net and turn it into tying rope for their yachts.”
Laura Ingraham on FOX:
“The idea that you’re declaring, ‘Well, the race is over. Mitt Romney doesn’t care about people,’” Ingraham continued. “Meanwhile, you have a president whose policies have undermined the 47 percent. … I’m very pumped up about this. I think it’s ridiculous that people are seizing on it and that we’re even giving all that much airtime to it, frankly.”
Rep. Allen West (R-FL) on FOX:
"Mitt Romney probably could have better explained himself. I think he was a little clumsy in doing this. …
"I think that when you look at us moving toward economic dependence instead of economic freedom ... the fact we had [a] 46 percent increase in food stamp recipients, more Americans in poverty over the last three and a half years thanks to the Obama administration, the unemployment that is probably actually closer to 14.7 percent with the computation. …
"I think most of us are still focused on what is happening overseas, the fact that our embassies are being attacked and people are chanting, 'Death to America.' "
Republican strategist Rick Davis (formerly McCain’s 2008 campaign manager) on CBS This Morning:
"Obviously it's a bad day for the Romney campaign. What he does with it is going to be very critical…. "This is a character building moment," Davis said. "It may be a fresh opportunity for Mitt Romney to try and connect with voters. This is an opportunity that he can try and do better. Now he is going to have to take a step back a little bit and say the reason I have these views about my economic plan is because of who I am. He's going to have to double up that message a little bit.”
Yesterday, before the tapes came out, here was Bill Kristol:
“Early Friday morning, September 14, a movie-loving and Romney-supporting friend emailed: ‘I'm starting to panic. Tell me not to.’ I sent back the obvious response, citing the great Aladdin: ‘Abu, this is no time to panic. . . . Start panicking!’ … So if it's time to panic, it's time to panic about the prospect of four more years of Barack Obama as president.”
Leave a Comment:
Conservatives will fall into two camps on this!
You have rational members like David Brooks & Bill Kristol who recognize a train wreck when they see one...
Then, you have the rest of the rabid bat @!$%# crazy members who will be hooting & hollering for more "red meat"!
It is going to take more than "the base" to win & those who are not drunk on tea are able to see it! ;o)
Mitt continues to reveal himself to be a none-too-bright elitist who holds the American people in deep contempt. As his campaign continues to crash and burn, we will witness more and more prominent Republicans distance themselves from Willard as rats put distance between themselves and a sinking ship. When Willard crumbles in the presidential debates, the entire election will, for him, be over.
President Obama in November! He is clearly our only rational choice!
Hey Red, what's up with RobMeHoods tax Returns ??????????????????
Romney wants context.
More video just released of Romney discussing foreign policy matters:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/mitt-romney-palestinians-have-no-interest-whatsoever-in-establishing-peace/2012/09/18/5e185a12-0183-11e2-b260-32f4a8db9b7e_story.html?hpid=z2
Will we "remember where we were" when we first heard Romney denounce 47% of the citizenry?
DCIA:
That's pretty sick.
That's right, conservatives. You own him now.
Embrace him. Tell your own base how much you don't care.
Frankly, it's about time the elderly heard it, if no one else. Because they DO vote.
Hopefully, Romney just conceded Florida.
Some people like romney are better seen and not heard....well maybe not even seen. And honestly, like he has any room to talk...he pays less income tax then me and I make less than 30k a year.
I'm glad to see there are some rational conservatives out there. The Republican Party has swan so far away from the deep end, how can anyone call them a conservative group anymore? Radical is the term that comes to my mind.
Conservatives agree with Romney but they know in politics if you want to win you need to lie. This is why some of them are upset.
Yes, Rational people on both sides of the isle understand that the government dependancy in America is about to become a serious problem and needs to be addressed.
What Romney said was the cold hard truth.
But since it's an election year or actually election season since 0bama got elected we will be expected to kick the can down the road and whistle past the graveyard.
Conservatives also don't realize they make up a larger portion of the group Romney was talking about than liberals.
You mean conservatives can't win by standing on their real principles?
And do tell. Why is that?
Actually, never mind. That was one of them there famous "rhetorical" questions, doncha know.
And that is, of course, the reason why they're upset that Romney was taped.
If he knew he had been taped, he would have lied.
In other words, any time he knows you're watching him, you know he's lying.
And thanks for the heads-up.
Well, but President Obama wasn't referring to 47% of the entire United States Population, in fact, President Obama wasn't even referring to 47% of the people in that State.
Romney has a unique ability to alienate people, all kinds of people. Even other millionaires were offended by Romney's disgusting remarks.
Mitt Robme is just plain offensive, he incites hate speech, and for all of his millions, Mitt Romney doesn't have 2 CENTS worth of class.
What a sickening little man.
Obama/Biden 2012
I agree that it is good to see rational conservatives. I always appreciate their opinion and agree with some of their criticisms of Obama. I really hope that the crazy conservatives can look at this, admit they were wrong, and backpedal as far away from the Sarah Palins and Mitt Romney's as they possibly can.
Feisty ...
Kind of like our oh so friendly posters here that continue to defend Mitt's actions and continue to never state why they will vote for him other than he's not the President. Talk about SHEEP - and Mitt's driving all of them and the GOP straight to the slaughterhouse.
Defending the indefensible loose wheeler Mitt.......straight into the ditch he dumps you all.
Layton, I will vote for Romney because I wast to live in a time where employers are fighting over employees for once.
We need to attract more businesses to the US and grow our way out of this recession and debt.
TO: Patriotic American U.S.A. who wrote:
After the stupidest of stupid remarks that Romney made, you can REALLY be sure that he won't be releasing his tax returns now, now that we can shove his non-tax-paying words down his throat.
I just cannot find the words to adequately described how angry Mitt Romney made me with his thoughtless words.
First Republicans crash the entire United States Economy, THEN Republicans use their political power to make sure the American People DON'T recover from our economic losses, and NOW they want to label us as freeloaders! What a sickening bunch of wrongheaded morons!!!
Obama/Biden 2012
Layton,
I wonder how many states have "ABO" on the ballots? lol
These idiots would vote for a chicken-salad sandwich over the black man in their White House!
elliot-3020456 - We need to attract more businesses to the US
You mean like those jobs Bain Capital shipped overseas? aha.
Vote for him but WE won't elect him.
Obama/Biden 2012
THE “ELEGANTLY STATED” VERSION OF Mitt “R-money’s” REMARKS:
"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the President Obama no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, 1.5 million who are the deadbeat families of active duty military and pay no federal income taxes, 62 million who are Social Security recipients that have worked their whole life, and now want a “free ride” in retirement, 14 million with disabilities who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are somehow victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for their pathetic disabled lives, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That's an entitlement. And they foolishly hope that people should in some way, help them. And they will vote for Obama no matter what.”
Romney added: "My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their shiftless, worthless, lives. What I have to do is convince the 5-10 percent of people who are wealthy like me, that are also selfish, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon, in some cases, emotion, whether they like Mitt Romney or not. Getting those emotional voters to vote GOP, getting them scared and selfish, is what this campaign is about."
“I happen to believe instead in a corporate welfare society, where my contributors, pursuing their insatiable greed, are able to employ others at Chinese labor rates of .33/day, hide their wealth overseas, and make themselves fabulously rich so that they can continue to contribute to my campaign."
Xabre -- What that part of the video shows is Romney speaks out both sides of his mouth!
GOP is going to give an apology for Romney's remarks on fox retard news network !!!!!!!!!!
American Girl,
You have really hit the mark! Of course, there's always the possibility that all the uproar will force him to release them just to show he actually did pay taxes. Either way, the first question in the debates should seek an explanation of who Romney thinks the 47% are.
Just what we need.... another president who claims to be president only for the 50.1% of people who elected him. What's next? God ordained him to fight a war with Iran or Syria? How about - reducing social security and turning welfare into a voucher system is called "helping" these 55 yr old or younger people who have paid into the system - get off their lazy 40-50 hour a week working butts.
Part of the problem for Romney is the same as it would have been for anyone the GOP put up: Our incumbent president--despite all the obstructionism he has faced-- has done a good job in his first four years, a far better job than that of his predecessor. Why should we turn Obama out of office, only to return to the Bush policies?
Republicans can cry and moan all they like about our current state of affairs, but if they are honest they will have to admit that they created the unemployment, the surge in food stamps, and the international outrage.
It's like Ruby said in Cold Mountain:
The other problem for Romney, of course, is that he is a terrible, horrible, useless, no good candidate. That becomes clearer every day.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Feisty ...
Too funny and sadly so true! I find it incredible that none of the posters on this board ever state why they will vote for the Rs other than that reason. Not a one can stand behind their "man" and look at him with pride that they will be helping to get him elected. Not a one. However, all of us crazy libtards do that daily. We're proud of our President and proud of what he is doing for this country. Thankful so many of you are out door to door getting people registered as well.
Obama/Biden 2012
Barack Obama is a man who is way ahead of his time. Some day the average American will come to see the wisdom of those remarks. Sorry if the truth bites a little, folks.
And as usual some folks on the right just don't get it (and I'm looking at you Laura).
I'm not upset with what Romney said, my knickers are not twisted into knots. I'm delighted. He actually gave us some DETAILS. He's finally taken a position! He does have a position and I thought he voiced it quite elegantly.
The 47% of the people who support President Obama are lazy losers and welfare recipients who see themselves as victims and are ENTITLED to government handouts. That's pretty clear. Totally wrong, but clear.
And he's still saying he doesn't care about those people. That's the second time he's said it and I believe him, he doesn't care about nearly half of the country. I'd go so far as to say he doesn't care about 99% of the country. He's only interested in the 1%. Too bad they don't get to vote their millions and billions, huh?
Oh they thought Citizens United would let them vote their millions and billions but you have to have a candidate who doesn't shoot himself in both feet and then stick both feet in his mouth while he reloads in order make those millions and billions count.
Frankly, I appreciate Mr. Romney's honesty and bluntness. It's a refreshing change from the "I'll get back to you..." answer we keep getting when we ask him for specifics.
Never mind about those tax returns Mitt. We aren't going to need them afterall.
Obama/Biden 2012
Well I said Romney will likey work with Congress which is essential and paramount to operating the government.
Romney will help to create a business friendly environment. He will stop the war on success. There is nothing wrong with successful and if you make money you dont owe to your neighbor.
Romney will lower corportate taxes
Romney will pursue a blalanced budget
Romney plainly will represent me better than Obama.
This isnt enough for you left of Castro crowd
which is what exactly? You expect Romney and those that are ABO to explain why, now you explain what Obama is doing for the country, what he has done (positive)
no you don't, you say Romney sucks. You blame GOP/Teabaggers/tards whatever and Bush. Here I'll defend Romney 'ITS OBAMA'S FAULT'
Yesterday, I just talked my hairdresser and her daughter into voting for Romney. Romney is right. This country will be in BIG trouble if Obama is reelected. We need to cut back on these entitlements and become a free people, one not dependent on government to make it. Romeny WILL bring jobs with his policies.
Romney/Ryan 2012!!!
Remember when conservative meant individually responsible not snobbish, intellectually rigorous not shoot-from-the-hip, witty not mean? You know, Bill Buckley, Everett Dirkson, Nelson Rockefeller and Henry Cabot Lodge - heck, even Earl Warren?
The word conservative began its deconstruction when George H W Bush invented the qualification of "compassionate" conservative to distinquish from "regular" conservative - which I guess was not compassionate.
What I want to know is if Romney is one of the 47% who didn't pay taxes and THAT is why he won't release his returns. There has to be a reason he is hiding those returns, and I'll bet he is in that group that didn't pay taxes. Half the people at that fundraiser probably don't pay taxes on their megamilions.
When your caught saying its not your "the presidents" job to care for 47% of the population of the country, you don't deserve the job.
You must be part of the "middle class" that makes over $200,000 per year. You have no problem voting for a President that views 47% of the population with contempt? I do. I also happen to be part of the real middle class who would like my wages to at least keep up with inflation, health insurance bumps and increased property taxes. Romney never had my vote, neither did Obama, but the distance between the two evils is so great that I may have to cast my vote for the current president.
If that is the argument you used to convince them, I am guessing they probably just agreed with you to shut you up. You could have just as well told them he WILL bring cookies and lemonade.
TO: Linda M-311663 who wrote:
We pre-paid for those benefits, they are NOT free, and to try to take our money would be stealing.
Trying stealing some of those 401k retirement plans and see what happens.
That's the problem with Republicans, they like to steal from the poor because it's like taking candy from a baby.
If Republicans try to steal those 401k's like they want to steal our Social Security and Medicare I'd bet they'd be met with fierce resistance, to say the least.
Obama/Biden 2012
He spoke the truth.
Whats the problem?
The problem is that he doesn't know the truth and he is an idiot.
The Republican rich have had the benefit of huge tax breaks for over a decade now.
SO WHERE ARE THE JOBS, O MIGHTY AND EXALTED 'JOB CREATORS'?
Answer: The international conglomerates have sent American jobs overseas. Vulture capitalists like Romney have decimated companies and communities with the sole purpose of enriching themselves at the expense of others.
Not only have Republicans systematically robbed the poor ("Thou shalt not steal") they have blamed the poor themselves for their resulting poverty ("Thou shalt not bear false witness")! They are so f---ing holy.
And they still have supporters, apparently... ? One has to wonder what is in that koolaid the conservatives are drinking. It must be a powerful hallucinogen.
So, to double down Romney will have to admit that those 47% that aren't paying taxes, he's going to tax, right?
Won't work, that dog won't hunt.
Here is the original Mother Jones article and the whole video in snippets:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/secret-video-romney-private-fundraiser
It is much much worse than the media is portraying it. It is full of lies, mis-statements, half-truths, racism, and insane gibberish. It is exactly the kind of thing that is aggravating the Muslim countries against us.
Apparently Romney will "force" the "47, 48, 49 per cent" to pay federal income taxes. Newborn babies will be required to pay federal income taxes as will senior citizens on Social Security dieing in nursing homes as will the severely handicapped, and those hateful elementary school children. They get lunch money --- why aren't they paying federal income tax. Taxing these "deadbeats" will pay for tax cuts for Romney and his wealthy NASCAR team owner friends.
What Romney lies about is that the lowest half of the country in income may pay little to no federal income tax, but they ALL pay federal payroll taxes, state and local income taxes, state and local sales taxes, federal, state and local excise taxes, and fees out the yingyang. IN FACT, THE LOWEST HALF OF THE COUNTRY IN INCOME PAYS 72% OF ALL TAXES AND FEES. And that is a primary reason why they pay no federal incomne tax.
Romney and the tighty rightys lie! They are simply too stupid to use a calculator.
And you
Linda M-311663
more "educated" voters
Linda, did you tell them to get their physicals on WebMD as well?
Fiesty RedHead,
The funny thing is that Obama and Romney are the same people with the same views. That being said will I vote for Romney, yes because maybe the more conservative ones in Congress can keep him in line and any change is better than the train wreak we have now in the White House. Obama does not understand any of the things you are saying Romney doesn't understand. Funny thing is that you cling to your Lib views know matter how bad they are for America as long as you Libtards don't have to say you are wrong you don't care what happens.
Eric-913730
and to convince them to start paying taxes, Romney will release his own taxes to show everyone what "paying" federal income tax looks like.
Thank you, Mr. Brooks for stating the obvious.
Erick Erickson's comment is absurd, laughably laughably absurd.
And what he, and Romney seem to forget, is that statistically speaking roughly half (and possibly MORE than half) of the 47% they're singling out are Republican/Romney voters!
It seems as if these guys were born yesterday and looked at two numbers, the percentage of people who pay no federal income tax, and the percentage of people likely to vote for Obama (47% and roughly 47%, respectively) and said "Aha, they're the same people," without giving it any sort of critical though. NOTHING could be further from the truth.
Idiots, all of them!
^this. A million times ^this!!! Romney, and the people here who "agree" with him must be completely incapable for critical thought.
@ american girl Hate to be the bearer of bad news but Obama already stole your medicare. and what social security ? if you are not collecting it right now you probably never will.
What he said is the truth. Like it or not. Glad he said it or wish he hadn't, it's the truth.
The media and government also needs to learn to count all the people on welfare as unemployed because that's the truth, too. How much would that raise that 8.3% or whatever the gov is claiming it is this week?
bayllie, I think that her hairdresser and daughter played along just to shut her up.
no it's not even close to the truth. Conflating the 47% of those who pay no federal income tax with the roughly 50% who will vote for Obama is NOT TRUTH.
THEY ARE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE!! Statistically speaking, roughly HALF of those 47% (and again, likely more) are REPUBLICAN voters!! Can you people not get that through your thick thick skulls?!?
The polls I read say your man Obama is going to loose so big it will be historic. He's going down...get used to it!!
I never thought I would see the day when I would see "rational" and "Kristol", in the same sentance. William Buckley is turning turn in his grave at being associated (even posthumously) with this cretinous rabble.
Statesmen have long ago left the political money cesspool to moral losers like McConnel, Boner,Trump, Addelson and the Koch Bros. et al.
Romney making that remarks makes me feel much better about voting for him, he finally talked like a conservative. The people who took disability is in for a rude awaking they get kicked off disability and get paid their regular social security payments because they could be losing $300 To $400 less a month. When they really can't work and really needs the money they will be screwed.
Mormons do believe that they get their own planet as part of their afterlife. After listening to Mitt Romney's remarks to the GOP contributors, I'm sure he's planning to "head up Uranus".
I believe it is your skull that is filled with air. It is the truth that 47% don't pay taxes. My husband gets social security and we pay taxes on his social security income. Granted, there are plenty on social security that don't pay taxes, but plenty do pay taxes. It is dependent on other income into the household. Let me make this clearer - because I work and earn money, my husband has to pay income tax on his social security check. We are not of the 47% who don't.
Funny how the most freeloaders reside in red states. The very people they look down their noses to, vote for them. Yeah the republican base is that stupid, just ask Santorum in his moment of truth stating the obvious that smart people would never be on their side.
miscreint
or to get a tip
somebefuddledperson
Reading from your post I can assume you work? And I can assume you file jointly? connect the dots, it's not hard to figure out why your husband "pays" taxes on his SS.
michigan northener
and he keeps the stolen Medicare in his secret Swiss bank safe deposit box along with his "real" birth certificate, his "fake" social security number, his Communist membership card, and his "fake" college transcripts....
After all the Shame that is now the Tea/Repbs. I am very glad I had the good sense to get away from my 30+ years as a card carrying GOP supporter. It would S%ck to be a Republican Now. Sad, misguided souls. They have lost not only respect, but are known now as the "hateful, ugly Americans" by the rest of the world.
It did not need to be this way. I hope the money people fail in the quest to destroy this country for the almighty Dollar$$$$$ We are better than that!
OBAMA is The Only Rational Choice.
Let's put it plain and simple. Romney has no idea of the people he is talking about or the needs and life of the average American. "Simple words==Romney SUCKS!"
ub52,
Please tell me the polls you read? I've been looking all afternoon and found nothing that says that Obama will lose by a historic percentage? Stop making up facts that don't exist and polls that don't exist either!
ub 52,
Does the UB stand for Un-Believeable?
Like I said earlier today, Then dieCaesar!
We have gone from:
TO:
So, 47% of the people always vote Democratic, is that what I heard? Because they are lazy, shiftless people who never vote any other way than to guarantee their entitlements?
It kind of makes you wonder how any Republican candidate ever got elected, huh? So, how did George W. Bush, the last president get elected? And he was a Republican! Now, granted, he screwed up royally, but how did he get elected?
Mitt, you are a moron! And when you fail, it will be because of YOUR mistakes, NOT because 47% of the voters will always vote Democratic!
Romney's pitch to his conservative fund raisers is absurd.
Mitt's comments were inhumane. His brutal remarks support to the GOP's platform of "let us purge America of the undesirables and the takers."
What is so startling is what is missing in this discussion. That is, the numerous right-wing supporting conglomerates who make billions of dollars in U.S. profits and who without any legitimate reasons do not pay any U.S. taxes. If the GOP had a modicum of morality, it would make the center of its "Let's reduce the U.S. debt" some of these cheating thieves.
The lofty who "shakedown" America:
1) GE
2) Verizon
3) Bank of America
4) DuPont
5) Wells Fargo
6) Exxon
The above companies had substantial profits.
Yet, some of the companies laid off American workers.
If Mitt's rich pals would contribute to our federal treasury, it might spare him the foolishness of berating the approximate 47% of our population who are either too poor or whose income is too stagnant for them to contribute to the federal treasury.
Obama/Biden 2012!!!
"Stop making up facts that don't exist and polls that don't exist either!"
I suppose the thing I dislike about "most" Republicans is that if you did not go to the right school, gravitate to the right club, cling to your guns and money from some mysterious, left wing boogeyman... YOU were somehow less than, and they look down their noses and criticize you.
I am a flawed individual and at 63 wish I had not made some of the choices I did in my life, but it does not make me a victim or less than! I paid taxes for 40 years and Yes ENTITLED to the Healthcare and retirement assistance I paid in to receive.
/palmface
I'm not arguing that 47% don't pay federal income tax, I know it is the truth, so you post has no point and apparently your moniker fits.
What you, Romney, and others here seem to forget is that THIS 47% is NOT the same 47% that polls for Obama, you'd have to be incapable of critical thought to suggest as much!
So no, no, what Romney said is not the truth. He's suggesting that the 47% that pay no federal income taxa are all Obama voters which is no way, shape, or form "truth."
Did you get it now?!?
I have to wonder if Romney and the rest of the republicans count themselves when talking about paying no federal taxes ? A number of our largest companies paid no fed taxes ..some for a number of years..are they included in the 46%..or does maybe Romney think more of them since he is one of them himself.? That I believe would be a neat question for the republican party as a whole..I also wonder how many of our elected in congress paid no taxes..or very little.
Chicago MOBpolitics...you can not run on you sorry record..belittle the other guy with lies and innuendos!!
Our fearless leader, the chosen one, the messiah --only has the Barney Fife type of security(except for himself)....Americans can only shoot beanbags.. not even a bullet in the pocket...ask the parents of dead HERO -Agent Brain Terry!!
If armed Marines had of been the security, the headlines would be...Americans kill, rape and mutilate defenseless children and women...Ask Jon Kerry ( UNFIT FOR COMMAND) about his lies to Congress in 1971!!!!. Anti-Americans show up in many forms...ETERNAL VIGILANCE is required and all due caution expected to be afforded by our leaders!!!! THAT is too much to ask of the Chicago MOB!!!
Every time you talk there is a lurker with a microphone. This time Jimmy Carter's kid? Pretty wierd.
On what Romney said: It shows Romney may not be assured of a voting block he owns and that is a growing mass of homeless and poor people who wish above all else for a change in their lives and know by now that change for them will not be coming from President Obama. It's sad Romney would write off this group as freeloaders who live off the government but this 'gaffe' as it has been called doesn't change anything for the disadvantaged person. He is still disadvantaged.
Just because you are rich and give your charitable dollars to somebody that is down and out is not reason for you to have contempt for the very people you have helped. Those you have helped are grateful to you and will repay you by taking the job opportunity you make for him gratefully.
Just because Romney has 'slipped up' with his mouth will not make a homeless man or woman vote for Obama. They will vote for the candidate that will actually create jobs opportunities for them. And that is what Romney is all about.
Layton-3733410
Feisty ...
Kind of like our oh so friendly posters here that continue to defend Mitt's actions and continue to never state why they will vote for him other than he's not the President. Talk about SHEEP - and Mitt's driving all of them and the GOP straight to the slaughterhouse.
--------------------------------------------
SINCE FOX no longer caters to OR cares for the people who support them and their OPINION by SHUTTING DOWN the readers comments.... NBCNEWS.com has become a CAMP GROUND FOR THE HOMELESS !
The PROOF of the banal stupidity of todays conservative is the fact that they POST HERE with the expectation of changing the minds of the LIBERAL CHOIR with their "truthiness", fabrications, lies & equivocations .
They have NO PLACE TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS so they come here to vent their anger over being treated badly by their OWN PRESS OUTLETS .
Somehow they have it in mind that combativeness, aggression & contention will change ONE SINGLE MIND HERE...then come November & the election results they will BLAME Liberals for winning the election instead of their laziness in wasting their time & effort on LIBERAL SITES where all of their efforts have no value or effect !
CONSERVATIVES who post here are RINOS, first & foremost, sheep & of NO HELP to the cause which they champion !
POSTING HERE does NOT advance the CONSERVATIVE CAUSE 1 INCH..... but what it does do for them is allow them to be combative & vindictive and in their tiny minds "GET EVEN".... it is PURE VINDICTIVENESS that propels the GOP-RNC-TP-RWNJ's , and everyone knows that vindictiveness devours the host just as fast & completely as does ENVY & GREED .
They are eating themselves alive in a vain attempt to project themselves as Political Pro's & by countering the thoughts & words of LIBERALS who rightly post here .
NOW THAT is DESPERATION !!
Bayllie,
Romney has released his tax information. Instead of just coming on here and trying to spout all the Lib talking point why don't you first do some research. You are the kind of voter Obama is speaking to the uninformed ones the ones that can be convinced the sun is striped green and purple. Well Romney pay about 14% in taxes for 2012 but that is only because most of his income comes from capital gains tax. You have already been taxed on money you invest that is why you pay a lower capital gains rate then you would on normal income. Keep your head in the sand though and keep believing what a wonderful world it is with Obama as president. Not once in the 4 years has unemployment been below 8% what a leader Obama is, NOT.
VOTE THIS THIFE OUT Romney/Ryan 2012
Conservatives that support Romney's comments need to realize that the "47%" makes up far more of their base than it does the Democrats'.
Mitt has written off that part of America that exists mainly in his own imagination, the vague concept of the "47%", but he is refusing to accept the fact a strong majority of all Americans are rejecting Willard, the GOP, and their failed political ideology. As long as Romney continues to expose his utter contempt for the American people, this ugly little dog-and-pony show, otherwise known as the Romney Campaign, will continue to shock and offend the people of this country.
President Obama in November! He is clearly our only rational choice!
How many of the persons in that room listening to Romney were among the 3,000 milionaires who paid no income tax?
Wow. Who do you think Obama is pandering to when he tells you people with money are "evil" and you deserve their money instead of getting a job?
Obama has been calling his base victims his entire campaign he just never had the nerve to publicly use the word because he didn't want them become aware of it.
1. Rich people are not evil and he hasn't said that.
2. Obama has never said it because it's mean. Calling disabled people and soldiers and children victims, then taking it one step further to abandon them is cold hearted and mean.
Seniors & Children make up 42% of the 47% that RobMeHood is talking about !!!!!!
So Romney is saying that after paying into social security and medicare your entire working life, when you receive some after retiring, 'you didn't build that'...
TO: pjam09 who wrote:
President Obama never said that, and neither did any Democrat or Independent I've ever heard.
Republican zombies made up that crap because they're looney as any irrational person could possibly be, and they spend far too much time practicing hate-speech and telling lies non-stop on a daily basis.
Obama/Biden 2012
That's what the Clown said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PM #2.6 !!!!
Xabre, youu say,
You may be correct:
- the retirees who don't want the gohvment messin' with their Soc. Sec and Medicare.
- combat soldiers whose military wages are exempt from fed income tax, who view the Republican party as the party of the military
- the unemployed collecting unemployment who blame Obama for their unemployment.
- many of the working poor eligible for Earned Income Credit, who cling to their guns and religion.
- the millionaires whose high paid accountants keep their investments tax free in a myriad of ways
I'm not sure how much longer Democrats will remain silent about the billionaire-supported Republican party biting the hand that votes for it.
pjam09 - you're seriously deluded. Please show me ONE time when our President has siad that people who are rich are evil? Tell me ONE time where he has EVER said anyone should get someone else's money instead of getting a job?
You are nothing but a gutter dwelling liar who is stupid enough to think Romney actually gives a damn about a lowlife like you!
Obama/Biden 2012
patriotic - "Seniors & Children make up 42% of the 47% that RobMeHood is talking about !!!!!!"
Just sad. Typical liberal; If you have nothing worth saying make something up.
Exactly, PJ. Many of my friends are seniors and they are truly dismayed about the direction this country is heading and ALL will vote for Romney!
Linda M - my guess is you have few friends and the ones you have are lying to you. No responsible adult is going to vote for Mitt Romney - unless they have totally lost their mind and all their values.
Obama/Biden 2012
Make sure they know republicans think they are sucking off the government teat. They will either go with their blind ideology or start using their brains to see exactly what republicans think of the 98%.
But what I really want to know is if Romney is in that 47% he disses, otherwise why won't he release HIS tax returns? He is hiding something for sure.
So, to double down Romney will have to admit that those 47% that aren't paying taxes, he's going to tax, right?
Won't work, that dog won't hunt.
Chidrens of billionairs are the 42 % of the 47 % too , they don't pay federal income taxes neither..right?........ How can you include childrens in the staterment of Romney. What kind of weed are you smoking. You just make things up.
You ever notice every time a hateful or racist thing is said it comes from the mouth of a democrat/liberal....funny how that seems to be the case......eh American Girl???
wb52 honey stop it. If democrats are so racist, how come they have the majority of the minority votes? Don't say its because we're dumb either.
wb52 No but i have taken note of the pure Fantasy land you teabags come from. Liars like u never seem to see the reflection in your mirror as being of You. (think 47%) Hate has a way of distorting the Truth And boy is the GNOP distorted. You clowns Again picked a loser..."you Betcha". Maybe MittWitt can hire someone to write a book for him too. Deal with your losers, Mitt, Ryan, Boner, Mcconal,cantor
Polish that turd!...
Look some Conservative commentators are bound to present a rationale or apology for the Governor's comments, but that doesn't mean that they aren't holding their collective nose as they do so...
(Posted Brooks' column on the previous thread, it's pretty good.)
Why would the truth need an apology, because a politician shouldn't be so straightforward with the people?
TO: pjam09 who wrote:
The fact is, it is NOT the truth, it is an irrational description of Americans who won't be voting for Mitt Robme, and it's a statement of Romney's mental frustration for losing this election.
It's a flagrant and disgusting insult directed toward 47% of the United States Population!
Obama/Biden 2012
No pajama, it is NOT the turth. 47% of the population does NOT think the government owes them a house or food. The vast majority of Americans want to make ends meet and it's people like Mittens who want nothing to do with them and call them parasites while he receives millions in government aid for shipping jobs overseas. Look at how he described the 47% and you'll understand just how wrong you are.
The President is suppose to represent ALL of US citizens, not just the people who voted for him.
So, to double down Romney will have to admit that those 47% that aren't paying taxes, he's going to tax, right?
Won't work, that dog won't hunt.
Dang those senior citizens and children. Always playing the victim card.....
... not to mention those deadbeat combat soldiers whose military income is exempt from fed income tax. Just takers, that's all they are !! (Sacasim alert)
No wonder Willard didn't mention the military in his speech. They rely on the government to feed them, house them and provide their medical care. Why should the taxpayers have to take care of them just because they weren't quick enough to dodge an enemy bullet?
Don't forget military members, veterans and the disabled. what a bunch of leeches dragging the 2% down...
I don't think Republicans realize how disgusting and unpatriotic it is to abandon the people who fought to defend us. They're all enthusiastic and rah rah about war until it the time comes to take care of their own.
"not to mention those deadbeat combat soldiers whose military income is exempt from fed income tax"
Wow. And what percent of 47% of Americans do you think are active combat soldiers? 1%?
Typical liberal "defense"... find a tiny, tiny, segment that is sympathetic and then attemt to apply that generalization to a much larger population as if it represents them all.... Just like the 15 million illegal immigrants who are 12 year old girls, honor students, have cancer, and live in a homeless shelter working 3 jobs just to feed their 5 siblings.
P.S.
mindya - "I don't think Republicans realize how disgusting and unpatriotic it is to abandon the people who fought to defend us"
How did they abandon them? By one mans (Romney) words?
Perhaps you should look at the ACTIONS of the actual president... suing Americans and refusing to enforce the borders is a huge slap in the face to those who fight to PROTECT America. The sentiment is common place in Americas military as was shown in the recent SEALS book about the Bin laden raid.
Pjam - so you abandon ALL of the 47% because you only perceive 10% of the population as needing assistance? Very sound argument.
You abandon them like Halliburton did when they promised to provide them with clean water and more than half came back with infections and other diseases due to poor health all because they didnt want to pay to do what they had promised. THAT is how they abandoned our military and they are going to continue putting them in harms way with no reward if they continue to deny them benefits. God are you seriously in this much denial about a president who doesn't give a flying turd about you?
pjam09
And just how many of the 47% are lazy, able-bodied freeloaders who don't work? That seems to be the narrative you're espousing, along with Romney and most Repubs that are supporting this statement. You're living under this delusion when it is, in fact, quite easy to get the facts straight. And seeing as we have ALOT of military personnel, I would guess it's more than 1%. Also, the millionaaires who pay zero. got anything to say about them? They lazy too? What about the seniors who make up a large portion of this group? And here are some interesting stats:
A Free Press analysis of IRS data shows that, in 1996, people with incomes of less than $30,000 made up 99.5% of all the nontaxable returns. In 2009, that group made up 76% of those returns. On the other hand, people making more than $30,000 went from less than 1% of nontaxable returns in 1996 to 17% in 2009.
The number of nontaxable returns for filers with incomes of $30,000-$40,000 went from about 85,000 — about a third of 1% of the total — to 4.8 million, or 8% of the total, by 2009. That's an increase of more than 5,000%. (By way of comparison, the overall number of tax returns went up by about 17%, and the total number of nontaxable returns doubled in that time.)
But the percentage increase was even bigger for higher wage earners. Nontaxable returns from people with income between $75,000 and $100,000 went from 4,025 in 1996 to 476,624 in 2009 — an increase of almost 12,000%. More than 1,400 millionaires didn't pay income taxes in 2009, either.
These are not non-working, lazy bums that you're ignorance assumes. These are Seniors who are now retired and hard working middle and upper middle class WORKING Americans. And, when Romney says the reason he pays "not a dollar more in taxes than he is required to" and that's fine by you, why do you have a problem when middle income working folks do it too?
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/surprise-paying-federal-income-tax/story?id=14681815&page=2
mindya - "so you abandon ALL of the 47% because you only perceive 10% of the population as needing assistance?"
1% of 47% is not "10% of the population".
Once again what is this "abandonment" you talk of? Not spewing rhetoric in speeches that panders to them?
Jed--don't forget that these lazy money-grubbers the GOP keeps pointing to and whining about how they don't pay any federal income taxes... that's largely an absolutely direct result of the right-wing GOP and Grover Norquist and that whole crew fighting so hard to ensure they don't have to pay taxes. That is in fact their entire goal, isn't it? So why are they then insulting the people they've actually succeeded in breaking free of the burden of federal taxation?
Pjam09 - YOU made up that 1% statistic. Look at any economic analysis site and they will give you the direct breakdown of who makes up that 47%:
Courtesy of The Atlantic:
-28.3% don't pay income tax (probably students, soldiers, etc)
-10.3% elderly evil senior citizens who just want their medicine. DARN THEM!
-6.9% people with an income under $20,000
-less than 1%, others
And even if you were correct - 1% would be thousands of people who actually deserve compassion. Why are you still defending a dude who would not give it to them?
Every other rational human being is stepping away from Romney, even the Republican party, except for you. Doesn't that scare you?
As Ronnie Reagan famously said, "Why do we support losers in the military? If they were worth supporting they wouldn't have lost in Vietnam! Losers!"
PJAM, you continue to amaze me with your support for Mitt. Obama has actually deported more illegal immigrants then any president. Obama realizes though, that we have some really smart young illegals that were brought into this country by their parents. These youth have only ever known the U.S. as their home. He has given them a chance to get their citizenship and pay taxes without the fear of being deported. Look at how many more tax payers there will be, and less who get to take advantage of the U.S. generosity.
Funny how there never is a shortage of Republicans urging Willard to double down on stupid.
Why wouldn't they urge him to double down on Obama?
Even Santorum concedes their party will never have smart people.
Well played, RedDev!
Of course he's going to double down, he's done it every time he's caught lying and distorting facts! Why wouldn't he when he's caught saying something he genuinely believes to be true?
TO: pjam09 who wrote:
I'd be more likely to believe that Romney KNOWS that President Obama is leading with a strong 47% of Americans that wouldn't vote for Romney for any reason.
It's Romney's frustration that he cannot tap into President Obama's voting block that caused Romney to start making insults against the American People, in my opinion.
Obama/Biden 2012
American - " with a strong 47% of Americans that wouldn't vote for Romney for any reason."
So you're complaining about being called a "victim" while admitting that no matter what Obama does you will blindly follow him? Your reasoning is stellar. (sarcasm)
American, you are DEAD wrong. Many of those people depending on entitlements WANT to feel free and independent. They KNOW that jobs will not be available to them with Obama in control!
Linda - This is very simple and I'm not sure why you're not getting it. Senior citizens, soldiers and children are a protected class. We do things to protect them that we would not do for other people. We pay for their food if they need it because sometimes they are practically helpless. They can't just get a job and support themselves. This is not about people looking for a hand out. I agree with you we do have a welfare problem in this country but soldiers, children, and seniors are not the one sucking the system dry.
When the Rebublicans ran John McCain, a traitor to his fellow POWs and a person who committed actual treason during wartime, I thought they could stoop no lower than the "Songbird." But with the non-Christian tax-dodging, draft-dodging, non-thinker, they have actually set a new low.
Have you noticed that everything that's bad that has happened in the last 3 years has been under Obama's watch....Romney didn't have a hand in any of it...hmmmmm...something to think about.....He's going down...get used to it.....
wb52 - 9/11 was hands down one of the worst things to happen in American history. It was under Bush's watch.
Romney's experience as the sole owner CEO of Bain Capital in which he had to achieve a consensus only with himself leaves him bereft of any capacity to listen to other viewpoints - even when his own agenda as a national leader would depend on it.
He's forgotten what it is like to function as a politician.
GreenTimer - he's forgotten what it's like to function as a human being!
Obama/Biden 2012
I've been saying that for months. A country is not a business. Another point to add is that in a business those who work for you must listen to you or lose their jobs. In government congress doesn't have to listen to you in a lot of cases they can only keep their job if they don't listen to you. Hence why Obama could never be a dictator.
Withholding income and (more importantly) income TAX in offshore accounts while you are running FOR PRESIDENT is not only reprehensible, it's like he's looking US citizens in the eye and saying "Yeah, I'm a tax cheat; so what? Bet you're too stupid to care!"
Thankfully, his "47%" comments, along with the Bain scandal, have sealed his fate.
Campaign O-VAH.
Romney's take on the election and the country accurately portrays my perception of the conservative movement. There should be no more hand wringing about him being vague (on either side).
And he also accuratly portrays the liberal base when speaking. You want vagueness just turn to Obama.
OK pjam - let's hear some specifics from the Romney/Ryan team - which loopholes do they plan on closing - no more of this B.S. about 'working with Congress' they claim to be leaders so, which way are they going to be leading?
It's very convenient - politically - to go with 'waiting'. Without specifics, no one can check the math on their plan and no one can do the political math to calculate the chances of their plan making it through Congress.
Unless they have a way to get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, they are going to have a tough time getting anything passed.
One more thing, I don't believe there is a chance in he!! that Romney will release those tax returns. It appears that he is specifically keeping his 2008-09 information under wraps. That, not coincidentally would be the years his taxes would reflect whether he took advantage of the IRS amnesty on some 'questionable' tax shelters. Of course, he might still try and claim that he'd "paid everything he was legally required* to pay in taxes" but, if he's taken advantage of that won't sit well with a LOT of voters.
* once he got caught
Don't let the 1% buy our democracy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You sir are a true American.
I'm not for sale. I'm a victim! :)
Don't let the 47% continue to destroy our future!!!!!!!!
Protip: The 47% has more conservatives than liberals.
Make up your mind, pjam, are liberals/democrats welfare queens and other leeches on society who are taking away your hard-earned money, or are they union thugs working at middle class jobs and taking away your hard-earned money? They really can't be both, you know. And if 47% of people are sucking at the teat of gubmint money and guaranteed to vote for Obama, he really can't possibly lose because on top of that you have all those middle class and even wealthy people with souls and a sense of pride in taking part in making our country a better place for everyone, who are also voting for Obama. Game over!
^this, ^this again and again til the simpletons amongst us understand it.
And Xabre, you're Picard /facepalm avatar is PERFECT for this thread!!
pjam 09-you keep making that blanket statement without regard to the fact that the 47% come from predominantly red states. And I do agree there is a welfare problem in this country. There will be abuses in any system. But the type of corporate welfare that lead to the greedy Wall Street ba!ta&ds bleeding us dry hurt this country far more than welfare chislers, and certainly more than honest, hard working middle class workers, soldiers, retirees et.al. that needed help. Not to mention the fact that if you express an open disdain for half the people in the country you seek to represent, why the hell would you run for President of it in the first place??!!
I am a 'victim' of a 'legitimate rape' by a 'severely conservative'... The thought of four years of Mitt is clouding my judgement. To think that I pay a higher tax rate than he does. and he is saying that I am too dependent on the Fed because I support the president.
Firstly, I am not AAmerican . I am Australian. You guys are doing it worse than us as we only have a Muslim and Sri Lankan Muslim invasion going on. (Welfare recipients full time) You guys have the added problem of letting your country be flooded by people who hate you with avengance. Mitt R cannot win an honest race, as was seen in the John Mc race. Mitt needs to keep his money in the bank as he is flogging a dead horse even though he should in actual fact win over the present guy who is ripping the guts out of your beautiful country. Australia is now heading in the same direction with a so called leader ripping the country apart for personal reasons, as it cannot be conceived as anything else. Like your beautiful country we are just around the corner from not having the vote to stop us from becoming another Muslim lead country. It really is sad to see countries go down one by one to this massive life long welfare grabbing recipients who are hiding in amongst deserving people on welfare. Mitt needs to pull out now as his patriotism to his beautiful country means absolutely zero. In actual fact his love of his country is what will lose him the vote. The best way to get around the enevitable is to change your religion and start praying five times per day. I would strongly advise you guys to stock up on bacon as it will not be to long before it is banned in all states and all pigeries closed.
“To read many of the reactions on Twitter, you’d think Mother Jones had just found video of Mitt Romney strangling a hooker with her own pantyhose.
Jonah Goldberg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An apt analogy, as it does move the Obama election closer to Jimmy Carville's
"Gonna take a dead girl or a live boy" territory...
Hey Romney was right... there are two kinds of Liberals... those that want something for nothing... and those that give it to them... to buy their votes... using my money... and I really don't think those Occupy whatever bums are conservatives...
so you're really opposed to offering assistance for senior citizens, children, soldiers, students, professionals who have recently been laid off and maternity leave for women?
MANNNNN that's a large population you're calling bums there buddy.
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/where-do-the-47-percent-live/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=where-do-the-47-percent-live
As you can see the vast majority of the "47%" are totally liberal.
P.S. @Anna Molly I'm totally abusing your source >_>
None of those Americans paying no federal income tax is breaking the law. Mitt Romney, in defense of his low federal tax rate, said he was paying what he was legally required to pay, and only a fool would pay more. Logically, since that 47% group is also not paying more than they're legally required to pay, Mitt should be embracing them as they're following the same principles.
MNpat - "None of those Americans paying no federal income tax is breaking the law"
As if you could possibly know that. Why do we even have an IRS then?
"Oh, you didn't pay any taxes at all...well O.K. sounds good to us, couldn't possibly be fraud."
pjam, that's an excellent question for Governor Romney, who you have to admit is much more knowledgeable about how to take advantage of whatever tax loopholes he can. (See "Son of Boss".)
Stephen - Its a far more better question for your fellow sheep who made the ridiculous statement... though I'm sure Obama has some input too, since as you know his buddy and job czars (Immelt) company GE pays no taxes.
pjam--I fully agree that GE shouldn't be managing to avoid taxes any more than Romney should. On the other hand we know what GE pays in taxes. It's still remarkable that for a man whose father stated that anyone not willing to provide years of tax forms may be hiding something, and starting a standard practice for presidential candidates for years since, his own son just keeps waving his hands insisting there's nothing to see.
How quickly we forget when Barack Obama blamed his problems in the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary on bitter voters who “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them.”
President Obama still got elected. The big one is still to come, so the libs better have their fun now while it lasts.
This does not change any ones minds, half of the people are still going to vote for Romney and the others will vote for Obama.
In the mean time the administration is changing their message at to what happen in Libya. Hint, something big comes our way in the form of news.
Consider: not only did Romney provide many years of tax returns to McCain when being vetted for veep but he also REQUIRED 10 years of returns from Ryan before hiring him on as veep; what does that say about his refusal to provide more than 2 years of returns to we the people he is asking to hire him as President?
To paraphrase Twain - "it's better to keep your taxes under wraps and be considered shady than to release them, and remove all doubt"
"Obviously it's a bad day for the Romney campaign. What he does with it is going to be very critical…. "This is a character building moment," Davis said. "It may be a fresh opportunity for Mitt Romney to try and connect with voters."
Yes, I think any time you come out and say, "Vote for me you lazy parasites!" that can be called a bad day.
Yea, it's so much better than saying:
"Vote for me! I know that people with money are evil, and life has been unfair to you, and look at these trinkets and freebies I have for you if you just trade me your vote."
That can be called pandering, manipulative, irresponsible, and pathetic.
The wealthy are absolutely gaming the system and writing the rules to make them richer, at any cost, including to you. Unless you're a multimillionaire? If not why are you so willing to be pulled down so that they can reach more and more ridiculous levels of wealth that they can't possibly ever need? That's purely a result of greed and changing the rules to make it harder for those who have to struggle and easier for those who can sit around earning $20 million for successfully twisting Congress's arm into an exception preventing the company from needing to pay millions in taxes. The game is absolutely rigged and it's ruining our society. You can whine all you want about how unfair it is to tax the wealthy, who have so vastly much more than they could possibly need, but the economy was in so much better shape back in the day when the highest tax rate was 90% and there was money left to pay the rest of the workforce as well.
Rep. Allen West (R-FL) on FOX:
A little clumsy? My take was he was speaking freely and stating exactly how he feels. It was not a gaffe, it was a reflection of Romney's platform. How does one take a fresh opportunity to clear the stench that Mitt willingly delivered? He should state with a mega phone " Now hear this, I only am trying to appeal to a selective group" the poor, the retired, and disabled need not listen in as I could care less about them"
Oh contraire there poor Progressive dude! I fall into two of those catagories that you say should be concerned by this, I'm a disabled veteran and a retired senior citizen, and not only do I find NO fault with what Romney said, I whole heartedly agree with it!
It's a disiingenuous and unsustainable society that believes that you can obtain quality results when nearly 50% of the people, who have "no skin in the game" are deciding whos skin should be in the game! Romney wasn't refering to those of us who, through a lifetime of effort have earned our income, but that group who instead have spent their entire lifetime avoiding earning anything!
We know better than to allow excessive taxation and regulation, our experiences have taught us that to do so would destroy our Country. That other group seemingly have no idea that they are voting to actually kill the Goose that has been laying their Golden Eggs all these years!
ted--as I just pointed out up above, it doesn't really make a lot of sense to insult and blame the people in lower and middle-class circumstances who aren't paying any federal income taxes (who of course still pay plenty in other taxes, and pay disproportionately higher payroll taxes than the wealthy). I mean the increase in households paying no income taxes can absolutely be tied to the success of GOP policy, as they have (with help from the Dems, no doubt, but it's still a primary GOP stance) systematically worked, under orders from Grover Norquist and his ilk, to reduce the tax burden. So they've succeeded in adding enough tax credits and so forth in the guise of cutting taxes to finally enable some to pay no effective federal income taxes. And then they turn around and attack them for not paying taxes. Why does that seem reasonable to you?
Not to mention, your "excessive taxation"--the country grew steadily over the years when the highest tax rate was something like 90%. Good thing your tax-cutters are making sure we never have growth like that again!
Progressive dude? Ted, how contra-ire of you to assume I am a dude? Typical conservative response similar to Romney who "assumes" the 47 % he is slamming will see his remarks as in their favor. Interesting how you cherry pick what Romney was referring as to be a positive message. Seniors,disabled vets,low income workers,and the poor should be entitled to health care and his remarks are shameful and disrespectful labeling a huge populous as being victims.
memory 800098 - whatever gender you are, i think you are an idiot too.
He wasn't labeling. He was having a conversation. about the people who are probably not going to vote for him (because they don't want to lose their entitlements!) Imagine that. Truth hurts sometimes. Dumba$$.
He was talking about the mooch society of obamakins.
What entitlements dude? You mean the right to know that my grandma is receiving the financial aid she paid for years ago? The right to know that for all the brave Americans who went to fight in the Middle East that they're going to get the aid and education they were promised when they enlisted? That's not an entitlement. That's a right in this country. They promised it now they have to uphold it and it didn't start with Obama. Obama wasnt even in office when those soldiers were promised aid or when my grandma opened up her 401K for social security benefits.
So to all the people that are supporting Romeny's comments as being the most honest thing ever said. First of all why must the Romeny truth only be mentioned behind close doors. Secondly do y'all really believe that alomost half the country doesn't work and just free-loads? Is this really your belief?
LAM, Romney was most certainly labeling 47% of the American voting public as being a victim. You can disagree and name call all you like but your lack substance to back up any of your accusations.
Fair and Balanced Reporting my arse......imagine if there were hidden microphones whem Obummer met with Muslim Brotherhood....
Seriously Oceans?!?!?! Is that the best you can do? You guys have lost touch with reality.
Yeah, you'd need a good imagination to believe there was a private meeting between President Obama and the Muslim brotherhood.
Not really MNPat!
He failed to get involved with the Green Movement in Iran! Nor was the Muslim Brotherhood involved. As soon as The Muslim Brotherhood became involved in Egypt, so did Obama, same was true in Libya! He's yet to get involved in Syria, guess what, neither is the Muslim Brotherhood involved! Curiouser and couriouser, or maybe NOT!
ted--a previous comment from you had me believing you were a reasonable person who perhaps had some flawed viewpoints and misunderstandings of some basic facts, leading to questionable statements. But this conspiracy theory thing shows me you are most likely in fact a right-wing reactionary close-minded Fox News watcher or something of the sort. Which is sad, I'm always hopeful of finding a few more reasonable voices on the right to counter the extremists in the crowd.
Stephen
Have you read his books? I have!
Were you watching that interview with George Stephanopolos? I was!
Have you spent any time researching his background, what little can be found? or the background of his associates? I have!
If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....well the odds are ....It's probably a DUCK !
A message can travel around the World in a fraction of a second, but that last quarter of an inch, between the eardrum and the brain sometimes can take a lifetime!
Mitt Romney told the TRUTH.
Only a democrat would be offended when people remind him democraps do not pay taxes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
NEW YORK TIMES,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,agrees with Mitt!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/business/economy/14leonhardt.html
Your guy is a dope smoking scumbag,,,,,,,,who could not tell the truth if he tried.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/obama-and-his-pot-smoking-choom-gang/
The truth of the economics of this country are pretty clear: The producers, the Blue states drive a majority of the GDP while the Red states have economies based on cheap labor and resource extraction and TAKE more from the federal government than they contribute.
When you add up all the spending the federal government does, it's the Republicans areas that suck out over 170 billion dollars a year more in federal spending than they contribute in taxes. That basically means they pay not a dime for all the federal programs.
So, which voters are really 'dependent on government'? Those that pay for our federal government or those that are net beneficiaries.
If you're living off the government indirectly, chances are you're a Republican. Like Bachmann decrying big government while benefiting from subsidies, they aren't even aware of it and if they are, they won't admit it.
No. The entire frame is bull@!$%#.
First of all, as Ezra Klein points out at the Washington Post, the vast majority of those 47% either have jobs or are retired elderly.
paidmyfee - although I'm an Independent, I certainly lean more Democratic and I pay taxes every year - always have. All my friends pay taxes too.
Your ignorance is only overshadowed by your willingness to shout - at the top of your lungs - how totally stupid you are!
Obama/Biden 2012
I think Paidmyfee forgot to take his meds today.
Funny how Romney when he claimed to have paid at least 13% included all taxes he paid yet right wingers consider income taxes the only ones that matter.
Typical of the everyday commiecrat,,,,,,,,,,,,,when confronted with facts you must call names or cry about an irrelevant point.
Mitt Romney was right, talking " tax cut" to people who already get a refund of 100% or more of their withholding is pointless.
Why this fact offends a democrat is a complete mystery?
I still enjoy my Constitutional rights and am not willing to cede them to the government for a stipend from Obama.
This mans actions are anti-American at every turn. The murders in Libya prove how out of touch he really is on a day to day basis. The 200 fundraisers, 150 golf days and hundreds of missed national security briefings and economic council meetings say it all. He is out of touch with this country.
A monster of unfunded debt, unfunded healthcare and trillions in new debt for a decade to come is not leadership.
Blaming congress, when you have NEVER met with any leader of either party for a single meeting on budget, national security, taxes or economic issues is simple pathetic and again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,typical for a democrat.
Go ahead, lie, deny and cry,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that is all you have.
paidmyfee - and you have absolutely NOTHING!
Obama/Biden 2012
Larry, the New York Times has an article from June 28, 2011 claiming that most of the non-payment of taxes, is a result of the Earned Income Credit (EIC). passed under Reagan. The EIC, which limits the tax liability of the working poor, was passed by Reagan as an alternative to raising the minimum wage. Raising the min. wage was thought to be a drag on the economy, and the EIC was felt to be stimulating - as a tax cut.
The value of the credit which the taxpayer could claim was increased under George W Bush, which resulted in a jump in the number of households with no tax liability.
The article includes a table the number of persons who pay no taxes by quintile (20%) increments, as well as the number of non payers in the very top most brackets (10%, 1%, et al).
This may all be found at http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/who-doesnt-pay-federal-income-taxes-legally/
If you ever wondered about who is the "Real Romney", he has just explained himself. And it is not that he mispoke. This is the arrogance of the privaleged - the super rich - the dictators - the royalists - and Marie Antoinette who said "let them eat cake". This is what caused the French Revolution - a huge rebellion of the population against the royalists.
These people actually believe deep in their hearts that they are better than everybody else, especially the 47% "free-loaders". Nothing could be any clearer now as to the autocrats who are running the Republican Party who are willing to do everything they can to tray to make sure that Obama fails. They are willing to take the country down as long as they maintain their pile of money and influence.
I call this treason.
The Seventy-Two Year Old Guy who has seen this before.
You are right,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I do believe in my heart that I am better for America than a welfare parasite or illegal immigrant.
I pay my taxes, all of them. I pay federal taxes, state taxes, county taxes, city taxes, school district levies, Fire district levies, library district levies and sales taxes on everything I buy.
I do not abuse drugs or alcohol, I work 40-44 hours a week, I pay my bills and have good credit.
My kids grew up to be wonderful employed adults, they have jobs and pay taxes. They are not dope smoking losers or criminals, like most democrats.
I have paid income taxes for 33 years and have many years of paying to go. I filed my first 1040 when I was 16 years old and got a refund, but not all of my money back. I have paid every year since. I have gone more than a few years with no refund at all.
I am willing to weigh my contribution to our nation against the average welfare parasite, drug using loser or communist party organizer from the DNC. In a decent world, I come out pretty good.
Only in the world of democrat/communists are people reviled and despised for raising a family and doing well for themselves.
And I've worked since the 60's, never gotten welfare, food stamps or even unemployment. Owned a business in the 70's making a 6 figure income when tax rates were 70%. Telling me I'm a parasite in my 60's and retired because my social security is actually a gift doesn't set well with me or many other seniors.
I just looked up "clueless" in the Dictionary Larry and there was your picture, I saw it again when I looked up Progressive! That solved the mystery!
@paidmyfee that is simply not true. I, nor anyone in my family, have done quite well for ourselves, all graduated college and none of us have ever been on welfare or skipped on paying our taxes. I have been fortunate enough to be able to provide for myself and my family but people with disabilities, limbs blown off in war, and children born in ghettos where public schools don't teach but rather babysit are not so fortunate. I support giving back to them. They are not leeches. Quite trying to find excuses to abandon and ignore these people by talking down about the people who want to provide that help for them. The fact that you're still defending Romney is embarrassingly telling about how selfish and heartless you are.
God you are a joke,,,,mindyabusiness.
No one, especially Mitt Romney ever said to abandon "children born in ghettos or limbless vets" Actually Obama did once mention he felt servicemen should be denied disability since the "volunteered" to serve.
I strongly doubt you live in poverty, you no doubt are "pretend suffering" and feeling leftist shame at doing well. You bought a Prius and only smoke locally grown dope,,,,,good for you.
The spiraling costs of entitlements will have to be brought under control,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you cannot tax enough to cover it, nor borrow enough to fund it.
Bringing up a paltry few disabled or inner-city kids as an excuse to refuse to address the problems is typical of the pathetic left.
LOL your generalizations about liberals crack me up. I don't drive a pruis and I'm not going to comment on my kush situation but trust me, it ain't local :)
And if you would look at the statistics, you would know it's not just a sprinkling of a "few disabled or inner city kids." There statistics have been posted here and written about all day. I'm not going to argue with someone who is unwilling to open up another tab and google it themselves. Just know that you're arguing on the wrong side of history. Republicans all over the place are popping up to denounce what he said. Democrats are laughing at how stupid this guy is and then there is you... Still defending the man that no one else will. You look so dumb right now lol
Consider this fellow GOPer, Romney was pleading a case for abandoning the tax cut ideology! When we base a campaign on Tax Cuts we come to the game with 47% of the country that dosen't care! That is like letting the Dems start on the 50 year line in every game. Stupid.
Who are the pinheads that come up with this stuff?
The Forbes 400 richest Americans have a net worth that exceeds the total net worth of the bottom 60% or 185 million people. Under Romney's plan to eliminate capital gains, lower the top rate from 35% to 25% and eliminate estate taxes in 20 years the top 100 richest would exceed the net worth of the bottom 80%. Notice how every single item in his tax plan would mostly benefit the very wealthiest?
Here is the best part of the Forbes 400.
If you seized every dollar of their combined wealth, it would run the nation for less than SIX months.
It would only cover one year of the typical Obama deficit. AND Obama is projecting that amount of annual debt for another DECADE. Can you say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Greece?
http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/09/richest_americans_net_worth_up.html
Damn those facts.................
My friends and I all vote for Democrats. We're all making north of $100K/year and/or have a net worth north of $1 M. We pay plenty of taxes and take a lot of personal responsibility for our lives.
So, why won't we vote for Romney (under any circumstances)?
Because his vision is for a society where a small number win and a large number lose. Because that vision is similar to the oligarchies of the Middle Ages - where feudal princes ruled and the poor starved. Because that vision has no real plan to help anyone but people identical to Mr. Romney himself.
So, will you personally prosper with Mr. Romney's vision?
Take a look around the table. If you're the only person without a million dollars, you know the answer...
Thanks for the most empty post of the day.
Do you do anything your friends don't do? and you wonder why Liberals are viewed as an unthinking mass of sheep.
You might want to look at how much of "society" beneifited from the TRILLIONS in "stimulus" Obama gave away, Wall Street and Union bosses are a very tiny segment.... most of society is only stuck footing the bill.
Pjam09: Sadly you're misinformed. Obama spent 789 billion on stimulus mostly going to states near collapse after Bush's meltdown. Without these funds many states would have had to lay off over 1 million workers. Even Jeb Bush conceded without Obama's funding Florida would have been in dire straights.
Bush on the other hand spent 1.8 trillion in stimulus spending including 800 billion bailing out banks and financial institutions and Romney strongly supported this though most Americans including republicans opposed the bail outs.
I'm dying for a good laugh,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Tell us Madison, what percentage of YOUR income did you donate to charity? to church? to people in need?
I'm betting a rock solid 0% is close.
Did you pay extra taxes? refuse to take tax deductions because it would lower your tax burden?
Again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I am betting "HELL NO."
Why do you feel you need my money to be generous to others?
If you used some of your million plus net worth to fund a few college scholarships or buy a few homes for bad credit scumbags,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the world would be a better place.
Tell us,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why is it so important to spend my money and keep yours?
Republicans like to claim there's such a large percentage of our budget going to welfare programs when in reality it's like 17%. They pull up large numbers by throwing in medicare and social security when both those programs are self funded. Sorry republicans but you can't loot social security or medicare surpluses to pay for your war machine. They're funded separately and required by law to be maintained separately. Many poor and elderly pay little or no income tax but that's only 42% of revenue, 58% are payroll and other taxes paid mostly by the 99%. You can't have it.
21% goes for government run healthcare
20% goes for Social Security
13% for the rest of welfare
47% pay no federal income taxes
The evil "top 5%" pay 58.7% of all income taxes.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1258
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/11intr08winbul.pdf
OMG!!!!!!! Mitt is telling the truth,,,,,,,,no fair!!!!!!
Next, post how much % of the total national income was made by the top 5%. I'll wait.
Paidmy fee: You're simply lying now. Talking about rates on income taxes then posting numbers on social security and medicare when not 1 penny is taken out of income tax revenues to pay for either. They're self funded with the 7.65% employer/employee tax and 1.35% for medicare.
X They make 20% of gross income according to the IRS.
Medicare and Social Security both COST money every year, neither make enough money to fully fund themselves.
Who the hell is the 99%? That is the most idiotic thing ever stated
I'm one of the 53% who are on the hook for the rest of America, the hell with that occutard 99% crap.
You are idiotically worshipping a druggie president who caters to the likes of GE, which pays ZERO corporate income taxes and has an office in the damned White House. Then you belittle me and demand my paycheck.
Go read for yourselves,,,,,,,,,,,,The IRS thinks they have a handle on the numbers.
xabre - "Next, post how much % of the total national income was made by the top 5%"
What difference would that make?
So if more and more people quit working and stop paying income tax the remaining people will now need to pay more to take care of them because their income just became a larger percentage of the total?
Must be nice to know that others will be penalized more based on you contributing less, despite them already contributing far more than you ever did.
Hard to argue with an idiot and a liar.
BTW social security rate is 4.2% for employees and 6.2% for employers, NOT 7.65%
"Social Security and Medicare are the two largest federal programs, accounting for 36 percent of federal expenditures in fiscal year 2011. Both programs will experience cost growth substantially in excess of GDP growth in the coming decades,,,,,"
$200 BILLION shortfall in 2012
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/index.html
I'm sure the Social Security trustees have it wrong,,,,,,,,,they really think they have a short fall.
As far at that "trust fund", it is really junk quality government bonds. If we do not have money to fund the budget now and must borrow 40 cents of every dollar, where will we get the money pay those amazing bonds?
I stick with my point,,,,,,,,,,,,,you are wrong,,most likely illiterate and not very intelligent.
Go read for yourself,,,,,,,,,,,,,,if you can.
You claimed that you were in your 60's, if that is true you must have slept through the Johnson Administration! Johnson took Social Security out of it's Trust Fund and placed it directly into the General Fund! We do pay seperatly and it goes into its own fund but it is still a part of the General Fund!
That $2.7 Trillion is largely in the form of Government IOU's, the Government is currently $16+ Trilliuon into DEFICIT spending, Do you really expect they will ever be able to repay that?
In closing my limited IQ friend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Keep re-reading the phrase,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"WAS OWED $2.7 TRILLION DOLLARS"
There is NO MONEY in the "Social Security trust fund",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,only $2.7 Trillion dollars in nearly worthless government bonds that can only be cashed in if we borrow more money from other nations or print money out of thin air.
Thanks for playing, you do well for someone so poorly educated.
paidmyfee,
I cannot find any source that will show that the top 5% of income earners had a gross income of 20%; the most recent figure I found was that the top 1% had a 22.30% share of income (the figure includes capital gains income.) I can only assume your stats are several years old and don't include capital gains income.
The gross income for the top 5% is 34.7%
Dear Pat,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DEAR GOD can you read or click a link,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WOW, the challenge of dealing with commiecrats.
THIS is called a "LINK",,,,,,,,,move the mouse over it and click or press one of the mouse buttons,,,,,,,,,,,,the majic of computers will take you to an IRS report.
The IRS is the Internal Revenue Service, they collect taxes for the federal government,,,,maybe you have heard of them??????
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/11intr08winbul.pdf
Since you have a short attention span and very little usable memory, just go to page 22, second paragraph of the left column,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,good luck with the reading and understanding.
Average tax rate for those earning under $50,000 per year? 4.8% according to the IRS
Average tax rate for those earning over $200,000 per year? 22.33% according to the IRS
The top 50% of income earners pay 97.3% of all income tax.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/11intr08winbul.pdf
OMG!!!!!!!!
Even the IRS agrees with Mitt romney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
paid: Romney paid less than 15% on his 250 million.....at least on the 1 partial tax return he "let" us see.
Sounds like those making 200K or so are getting screwed to give Romney making 20 million a 13% rate. Counting payroll taxes which is 58% of revenues and which is mostly paid by the 99% most poor and middle class pay a much higher tax rate. But then including payroll taxes doesn't support your point so you don't mention them do you?
Democrats voted for the "Bush tax cuts", try and remember that.
If you do not like Romney's tax rate, call YOUR congressman and senators. When they betray you,,,,,,,vote against them and don't just vote the party line.
paid: Dems voted because Repubs said they would not extend unemployment benefits unless the tax cuts were voted for......remember that.
Romney's tax rate just shows he will use every loophole, every unethial tactic, every bet against America's economy so he can grab a few more dollars....because he is greedy and has no moral compass.
How come he hasn't shown several years of tax returns...what is so bad in them...perhaps he took the 2009 amnesty for those with off-shore accounts but never show the interest on their taxes....hmmmm...sounds exactly like Romney.
Larry,,,,,God knows you are a slow thinker.
What is this 99% crap?
The top 50% of wage earners,,,,,,,,MEANS PEOPLE WHO HAVE INCOMES.
They PAY 97.3% of all income taxes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ACCORDING TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,which collects taxes.
Here is the HARD PART.
4.8/100ths IS SMALLER THAN 22.33/100ths
So even the most ignorant of democrats should be able to understand than the wealthy are paying about FOUR times more tax than the middle and lower income folks who file tax returns.
I know Mitt Romney earned most of his income off investments and you are all mad,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but that was his choice.
We understand democrats/communists hate investments, since the government should own all means of production and all that crap, but we are not quite there yet. Sorry.
Despite being slow I realise that this country like every industrialised country in the world functions with progressive taxes that require those that make more to pay more. When 400 people have a net worth exceeding the bottom 185 million they do fine under our system and clearly don't need another break. It would be nice if right wingers like yourself would explain how cutting another 5 trillion in taxes on the rich and eliminating capital gains taxes which is most of their income makes sense on people who with deductions and loopholes pay 13%. Romney clearly will pay zero or near zero if his plan passes , is that low enough?
How about instead of bashing democrats and other's who may be retired, poor or unemployed you actually look at Romney's plan and try to explain how with a 16 trillion debt it makes sense.
Actually, my low brow friend, I do not support cutting taxes.
I support keeping the tax rate the same, closing some tax loop holes and making sure corporations pay income taxes.
I am ok with families under $50K getting earned income credits and I personally like home mortgage write-off.
Your party creates loop holes in the tax code for businesses they collect bribes from as much as republicans.
I support punishing companies and individuals who move overseas or renounce their citizenship to flee taxes as well.
I don't believe we should tax inheritance under $10,000,000 dollars and that amount should be increased for family owned businesses. Forcing business to close, go into debt or be sold is bad for the country, even if the owner is rich.
I do not understand the democratic hatred of families or religion, I saw your convention. I think preserving family, not government or shareholder businesses is a good idea.
I also think Obamacare is socialist crap, but businesses that employ more than five people should be required to provide employee healthcare to a minimum level.
I am not surprised by your ignorance,,it is common among democrats. Not all republicans want to let the rich wander off with the nations wealth,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,all democrats on the other hand, seem to blame them for all that is wrong in the world.
The truth of the economics of this country are pretty clear: The producers, the Blue states drive a majority of the GDP while the Red states have economies based on cheap labor and resource extraction and TAKE more from the federal government than they contribute.
When you add up all the spending the federal government does, it's the Republicans areas that suck out over 170 billion dollars a year more in federal spending than they contribute in taxes. That basically means they pay not a dime for all the federal programs.
So, which voters are really 'dependent on government'? Those that pay for our federal government or those that are net beneficiaries.
If you're living off the government indirectly, chances are you're a Republican. Like Bachmann decrying big government while benefiting from subsidies, they aren't even aware of it and if they are, they won't admit it.
If the truth is being told,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,here is the truth.
Areas with the highest rates of crime and poverty in every state typically vote for democrats.
Even if the state is a much hated and despised "republican" state, the areas of the state with high murder, rape and robbery all vote democrat and require the most public assistance.
If you overlay a map of high crime counties nation wide, it is basically a map of the DNC target areas and mirrors the Obama "victory" in 2008.
The lower the murder rate the less likely to vote demcorat.
I bet a large portion of that 47% work full time at Walmart. Welfare and food stamps are Walmart employee "benefits". Enjoy your everyday low prices!
And Romney's greatest "success" story is Staples. Looking at wages online Staples starting wages are as low as $8.15 an hour with few benefits. Similar to McDonalds and Walmart. See, when Americans are willing to work for wages similar to China he'll keep the jobs here. Of course then you won't make enough to pay income taxes so he won't care about you.
Maybe if Staples hired more doctors, lawyers and engineers they would have higher wages?
OHHHHHHHHH wait, they sell notebook paper and ink pens. Those skills must be hard to come by?
Poor old Larry is like Dragon a hopeless Progressive I believe that Thomas Jefferson had the only real answer for these types " It is as useless to argue with those who have renounced the authority and use of reason, as to administer medicine to the dead"
So Mitt is writing me off? Fair enough, I wrote him off a long time ago. Obama and Dems 2012
You weren't going to vote for him anyway so who cares?
Mitt Romney should care because he is going to need every vote that he can get.
Mitt is campaigning for the best government job! Mitt wants to be dependent on the government!
Mitt wants to become part of the 47% he doesn't care about.....he wants a government job!