WASHINGTON — What’s a day without a leaked video, a scandal, an unintended sliver of truth?
OMG: Mitt Romney doesn’t care about the votes of the 47 percent of Americans who don’t pay federal income taxes and therefore don’t care much about his message of lower taxes.
Who. Knew?
Oh the umbrage, the unforced errors. How can we hand over the presidency to a man who cares so little about those who have no intention of voting for him?
Romney should know better. It’s not as though there was no precedent for this sort of thing. Four years ago, Barack Obama spoke candidly at a similar “private” fundraiser in San Francisco, saying that small-town Pennsylvania voters expressed their economic frustrations by clinging “to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them.”
A person running for president should keep his thinking cap more tightly affixed even when among his own kind, millionaires in Romney’s case. And he should make sure his facts are right. Although true that nearly 47 percent don’t pay income taxes, most do pay payroll taxes, as many have pointed out. Moreover, of the 18.1 percent of households that pay neither income nor payroll taxes, most are elderly or earn less than $20,000, according to the Tax Policy Center.
But it is also true that tax issues are of greater significance to those who see large chunks of income disappear from their checks each pay period. It’s easy to decide how much others should pay for your support when it’s not your money.
Still, Romney’s comments sounded callous and merciless, and will haunt him through the election. They also revealed something we hadn’t previously seen. Unguarded, Romney is no compassionate conservative. At his core, he is ... a cyborg.
The human part of him may hop out of bed in the middle of the night to comfort someone in distress. Such stories abound. But the mechanical Romney on display in the video is strictly pragmatic. Problem: How to win presidential election. Solution: Focus on economy and ignore those who don’t pay any taxes.
But and alas, humans, not machines, vote and win elections. For good or ill, voters want their president to be caring if not paternal. Smart politicians return in kind: They hug strangers and pose for pictures; they kiss babies; the pros shed tears. In the absence of active tear ducts, the successful candidate has a sympathetic biography.
Romney is not that person. Dry-eyed and awkward, he was born lucky and seems to lack the empathy born of struggle.
It is factually true that those who receive government largesse are not wildly interested in a candidate who promises to cut entitlements, especially when he also wants to cut taxes for the rich. As Romney said, the entitled ones will never vote for him so “my job is not to worry about those people.”
Well, no, actually, this would not be his job as president, which, as everyone knows is also not what he meant. What he meant was he doesn’t plan to focus resources on voters who will never embrace his message.
What was clearly wrong — and perhaps telling — is the notion that all those Americans are on the dole, willingly or that they consider themselves “victims,” as Romney put it. Most of those people undoubtedly would love to have high-enough paying jobs to gripe about high taxes. Many would love to have jobs, period.
If only Cyborg Mitt had said it this way:
“I know that the 47 percent of Americans who don’t pay any federal income tax are not going to be moved by my message of lower taxes. Heck, they need jobs and income before they can enjoy the problem of a high tax rate. Since I can’t get their vote, I’m focusing on independents. But when I become president, my first priority will be to help all Americans get back to work so that everyone can contribute. I believe that most people would rather earn their own keep, care for their families, and enjoy the rewards of self-sufficiency.”
Wouldn’t even gazillionaires enjoy this bit of ideological largesse?
Based on my understanding of the man, this is likely what Human Romney believes and wishes he had said, but Machine Romney sees only numbers and problem-solving calculations. The immediate problem is how to win an election.
The issue going forth isn’t whether voters’ feelings are hurt. The question is whether the cyborg can see that the problems he’s solving actually involve people.
Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparkerwashpost.com, (c) 2012, Washington Post Writers Group.
Comments (37)
Add commentI would rather have a cyborg Romney
than a paper doll journalist. Parker, you are such an idiot. The 47% don't want jobs. Their job is to make sure they don't lose any government handouts. Of course you have Letterman's latest comedic sidekick saying "One thing I've learned as president is that you represent the entire country" It seems he hasn't been listening to his own campaign of middle income only and squeeze the rich. As for the poor, keep 'em on the dole. So much for representation. Sounds more like reprehensible to me.
For all we know,
Mitt is in the 47%. Anyone seen his taxes?
Give it up pdnet15....It's "Goodnight Irene" for the Mittster.
Romney has shot himself in the foot once too often.
But don't despair, the Rominator can spend his decling years playing checkers with all the want-to-be right-wingers in Brainerd (all ten of them).
53% of us don't care either, Ladies.
The last word was used loosely because gender steriotyping isn't allowed.
Dishonest Democrats
Romney was absolutely correct in advising his campaign workers to not spend much effort on the thumb suckers. They are following the pied piper into self destruction and the odds of changing their course at this time are very poor. Even a delusional democrat ought to recognize that when the life boat is overloaded to the point of sinking in the next small wave or that the parasite is sucking its host dry that there should be some quick reassessment of the sItuation just for personal greed, if not from the concept of honor. People are like spoiled brats, constantly crying for more from someone else. Barack Hussein Obama has shown extremely poor judgment as president, but we as American people displayed even worse judgment in electing the nimrod far lefter.
Folks
It' time to get off the wagon and contribute to the ride.
Sadie,
Try that speech at the soup kitchen or at the unemployment office or at the senior center or at Camp Ripley or at the Vet's hospital.
There you will find those that Mitt calls the 47%.
Have fun!
Yeah, we have seen his taxes, and we know that he's paid taxes
for at least the past 10 years because he took a tax credit on one of his returns that required that you paid taxes for the prior ten years to take it, so you can give it a rest with your crackpot conspiracy theories, Southie.
Here's an interesting chart, though, that shows that federal income taxes are decidedly progressive, it's the state and local taxes that are regressive. Something to think about when the left votes to pass levies and increase sales taxes.
Judith
Good job!! South or fish dont even have a come back with your graphs.
Roh, roh!
Looks like the Mother Jones tape was doctored. One to two minutes are missing. I wonder what was on there...something that might make Romney look...good?
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/09/19/Mother-Jones-Admits-R...
Mother Jones admits they were doctored...
...READ the link. What is the context? That is the burning question.
Personally, I think the people who are offended by Mitt's comment are those who fall into one of two categories: those who can work but would rather suck on the teat of the government, and those who are dependent on the government for their jobs.
No conservative I've ever met begrudges a person who is truly disabled or unable to work due to illness or short term unemployment a safety net. It's the chronic freeloaders who are a problem because they turn the people who are already working their tushes off into their slaves even though they could do something to take care of themselves.
For the record, I do not
For the record, I do not refer to the seniors, Camp Ripley, or the Vet's hospital. How did you ever think that?
The are not on the wagon.
Riding the wagon is if you can take care of yourself and your family and you don't.
Yes, there are people that do ride the wagon and it is not
seniors, military.
Quite frankly, you really don't know what Romney meant
either because you probably didn't take the opportunity
to listen to him explain it.
Most people help people that can't take care of themself.
Good gravy, I volunteer many days a week and do just that.
Voting & Taxes
A wise old bird to me told me in my youth.."If you don't vote, don't complain about who's in office. " the same old bird said about the same about taxes..."If you don't pay taxes, don't complain about how it is spent."
Well according to this old birds words and numbers don't lie...47% have no reason to complain.
Let's get back to issues...cost of fuel, cost of groceries, unemployment rate, housing foreclosures, protecting our ambassadors from aggressors and last but not least, "Good paying jobs we can all count on!"
Mittsters Electability Was Always In Question by Party of NO
Now everyone knows why.
His very informative misguided statements have just started.
Wait until Oct 3rd for Mittster to really open mouth & insert foot big time.
Wait for his answer that starts by saying " I really cant address all the aspects of that situation , because we have people that do that"
Keep in mind , in his mind corporations = people , my friends.... What a Fraud !
Breitbart.com ?
You whine when liberals use MSNBC or MPR. LOL.
I heard last night that some parts were left out. More are being released every day, they're all damaging to Mittster.
That was a $50,000 a plate dinner.
If the man isn't smart enough to realize anything he says could be taped, perhaps he's not smart enough to lead our country. That was my first thought when I saw the video.
Can't wait for that second 10 grand (10,000) bet to come...
During the debates...
It will be a...
Bailing...
Pawlenty quits as Romney campaign co-chair...
Link:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/pawlenty-quits-romney-campaign-co-cha...
I have heard everything out of his mouth,
But Mitt's eyes speak louder than his words. As someone said, put his speeches into a blender and what comes out? Word Soup! It changes daily.
Sadie, those people I listed are some of the 47% who pay no taxes yet are independent. Mitt denigrated all of them to garner support from his "base".
Corporations are doing great and I bet if they could vote, they would vote for Obama!
I am waiting for the debates. Oh, and the taxes!
Pawlenty, the newest lobbyist, leaving the sinking shipwreck!
Southie, those 47% are going to vote Obama handsdown.
They don't want the free ride to stop. After all, Romney said he might make them get a job. Jeesh, even Stevenson can't do that much.
As for the video of Mr. Romney, this was a headline I ran across:
Jimmy Carter's grandson, James Carter 4th, is man who unearthed Mitt Romney's '47 percent of Americans dependent upon government' video
Carter had been trolling the Internet... I am sure trolling is something his family is used to.
Speaking of 47, Willard Mitt Romney's favorite number lately...
Some gems...
Link:
http://under30ceo.com/47-inspirational-songs-for-young-entrepreneurs/
Jimmy got himself a lot of job offers now.
His grandfather's campaign was manipulated by the GOP regarding the timing of the release of the hostages in Iran in exchange for guns for Iran.
He is very pleased to be slapping them down now!
TPAW , Toast Once Again !
I thought Timmy would end up either with Norm Colemans Super Pac , on on dancing with the stars with the former half term AK Gov. Sarah , the Game Changer...
So I guess he is NOT a star.
Mittster must have been thinking having Ryan & TPAW on board the ( now sinking) Italian cruise ship , maybe they could sway some voters .
Pawlenty should be a real force to make those banks/credit card issuers more user friendly.
Timbo is certaintly good with fees .
I Volunteer Several Days a Week
Hey SML. Since you volunteer several days a week, there should be no reason for anyone to not have a Voter ID. Just call sadiemarriedlady and she will pick you up, take you to the courthouse, and bring you back home. Even if you're a poor person without a car (DFLer) or a poor senior or a college student or whatever your excuse. Problem solved. VOTE YES on voter ID. Wasn't that easy. Thanks again SML for your great volunteer service to our area.
I complain more when people like Snowda...
...say without attribution:
"I heard last night that some parts were left out. More are being released every day, they're all damaging to Mittster."
Obviously if YOU admit things were left out, the Breitbart report was correct. The issue isn't the source, but whether the claim is CORRECT or simply SPIN.
And I don't think this is damaging at all, although the left wing media would like you to believe it's the end of Mitt's political career. I think this is tempest in a teapot is to distract from the poor performance everyone expects from Obama in the upcoming debates. Even Obama's TEAM is trying to lower everyone's expectations.
But let's face it, if Obama's gun and religion clinging comment wasn't the end of his career, or his affiliation with known domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, didn't hurt him, Mitt's comment isn't going to harm him with the 53 percent that represent his potential base. People who work in the private sector are sick of supporting slackers (not people who are truly in need, but those who choose to let others support them even when they could support themselves).
i loved the CNBC poll
75% of their viewers agreed with Mitt, awfully liberal tv there and they still agree with the "Mittster" lol
Does Anyone Believe Any Of These?
"And I don't think this is damaging at all, although the left wing media would like you to believe it's the end of Mitt's political career."
You mean lefties like Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, Bill Kristol and Mark McKinnon?
" I think this is tempest in a teapot ..."
Really? Are you only watching Faux News?
"...the poor performance everyone expects from Obama in the upcoming debates. "
Who exactly is expecting a poor performance? Have you not listened to any of this president's other speeches? This one made me laugh.
"People who work in the private sector are sick of supporting slackers."
This one statement shows the posters' total ignorance about who are those 47% and how those "private sector" types like Romney can pay less than 15%, or less (13.9% ) on a multi-million $$ income while the "slackers" pay double that on earned income.
Does anyone still believe anything this poster posts?
charlie
I have helped older people get ID's. College students
I would not have the patience for if they can't figure
it out for themselves.
Actually, if they are at the college here, I think groups
go there and help them. Or they vote absentee from their
home district which is preferable the first year anyway.
Disabled and senior citizens - yes.
SML Volunteers
Thank you for volunteering. Your service is to be commended. We need more people like you.
charlie
thanks for the nod, however, I don't do anything for any
recognition. I usually don't talk about what I do, but this
time I was a bit irritated that what I said meant military
and senior citizens to Southie. People tend to project their meaning of something unto what they think others may think.
In fact, this 47% talk is good to bring up. I talked with a
gal about the earned income tax credit today. They have
a good salary and because of the # of kids get the
earned income tax credit. Some people would assume
that they are what he is talking about. She is voting
for Romney and wasn't bothered by his statement.
I guess, if you hear the whistle, you are the dog.
Wow, sadie,
if you blow that whistle on here the libs'll overwhelm you looking for the trough.