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Today's Poll!Romney: Nearly half 'believe they are victims'
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney addresses the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012. Photo by The Associated Press.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — Already scrambling to steady a struggling campaign, Republican Mitt Romney confronted a new headache Monday after a video surfaced showing him telling wealthy donors that almost half of all Americans "believe they are victims" entitled to extensive government support. He added that as a candidate for the White House, "my job is not to worry about those people."
At a hastily called news conference late in the day, Romney offered no apologies for his remarks and when he was asked if he was concerned he had offended anyone, he conceded the comments weren't "elegantly stated" and they were spoken "off the cuff."
President Barack Obama's campaign quickly seized on the video, obtained by the magazine Mother Jones and made public on a day that Romney's campaign said it needed a change in campaign strategy to gain momentum in the presidential race. Romney aides were already working behind the scenes to calm dissension in the GOP ranks and reassure nervous donors and consultants about the state of a race some Republicans worry may be getting away from their nominee.
"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney is shown saying in a video posted online by the magazine. "There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it."
"Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax," Romney said.
Romney said in the video that his role "is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
In his remarks to reporters before a fundraiser Monday night in Costa Mesa, Calif., Romney did not dispute the authenticity of the hidden-camera footage, but he called for the release of the full video, instead of the clips posted online. He sought to clarify his remarks but did not apologize.
"It's not elegantly stated, let me put it that way. I was speaking off the cuff in response to a question. And I'm sure I could state it more clearly in a more effective way than I did in a setting like that," Romney said. "Of course I want to help all Americans. All Americans have a bright and prosperous future."
About 46 percent of Americans owed no federal income tax in 2011, although many of them paid other forms of taxes. More than 16 million elderly Americans avoid federal income taxes solely because of tax breaks that apply only to seniors, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.
Obama's campaign called the video "shocking"
"It's hard to serve as president for all Americans when you've disdainfully written off half the nation," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a statement.
An Obama adviser said the Democratic campaign might use Romney's comments from the fundraising video in television advertisements. The official wasn't authorized to discuss campaign strategy publicly and requested anonymity.
Romney's 2010 federal tax returns show he paid a tax rate of about 14 percent on an annual income of $21 million. The vast majority of his income came from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate than wages. His wealth has been estimated as high as $250 million.
Democrats have tried to make an issue of what Romney pays in taxes and what he is willing to divulge about his taxes and investments. While he has released his 2010 tax returns and a summary of his 2011 returns, he has rejected calls for releasing as many as 10 years of tax returns. His campaign has pledged to release his complete 2011 returns before the election Nov. 6.
The private remarks are the latest in a string of comments from the multimillionaire Republican businessman whom Democrats have criticized as out of touch. During the primary campaign, Romney insisted that he was "not concerned" about the very poor, said he knew what it felt like to worry about being "pink-slipped," and said that his wife drove a "couple of Cadillacs." Aides to Obama's campaign said the latest video would help them continue to make the case that Romney doesn't understand the concerns of average Americans.
Romney said he would not shy away from the message behind the remarks — that Obama believes in a "government-centered society."
"It's a message which I am going to carry and continue to carry, which is that the president's approach is attractive to people who are not paying taxes because, frankly, my discussion about lowering taxes isn't as attractive to them," Romney said. "Therefore I'm not likely to draw them into my campaign as effectively as those in the middle."
Voters say they believe Obama has a better understanding of their problems and concerns than Romney does. A CBS/New York Times poll showed 60 percent of likely voters said Obama understands the needs and problems of people like them, while 37 percent said he did not. For Romney, the same question found that 46 percent felt he did understand people's needs, 48 percent said he didn't.
Mother Jones writer David Corn told MSNBC that the video came from a May 17 fundraiser at the Boca Raton, Fla., home of Marc Leder, co-CEO of the investment firm Sun Capital Partners.
The magazine had said earlier that the date and location of the remarks were not being disclosed to protect the identity of the person who provided the video. On MSNBC, Corn said the source had allowed those details to be released.
Many of the Americans who owe no income tax are reprieved because basic exemptions — such as the "standard deduction" — took their taxable income below the cutoff levels. The other half rely mainly on a variety of tax breaks, such as the credit that helps offset child care costs.
These Americans range from the very poor to solidly middle-class families with jobs, homes, cars and vacations. The Tax Policy Center says "relatively few nontaxable households" have incomes exceeding $100,000; families that make between $50,000 and $100,000 often owe no income tax because of breaks for their kids and for education.
Americans who pay no federal income tax still often pay an array of other taxes. They include payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, sales taxes, property taxes and state and local taxes.
A handful of extremely wealthy families do not pay federal income taxes. This summer the Internal Revenue Service reported that six of the 400 highest-earning households in America owed no federal income tax in 2009.
Still, many are low-income Americans. According to the August 2010 AP-GfK poll, a majority of Americans who make less than $30,000 a year are Democrats. But 27 percent identify as Republicans, and 15 percent say they're independents. About 57 percent say they will vote for Obama, while 38 percent back Romney. About 43 percent identify themselves as conservatives.
Obama faced a similar moment in the 2008 campaign, when he told donors that many Americans who are angry about their struggles "cling to their guns or religion."
Romney's running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, made reference to that remark Monday at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa.
"I remember that one time when he was talking to a bunch of donors in San Francisco and he said people like us, people from the Midwest like to cling to their guns and religion," Ryan said.
Ryan went on: "And I've got to tell you this Catholic deer hunter is guilty as charged and proud to say so. That's just weird. Who says things like that? That's just strange."
__
Associated Press deputy polling director Jennifer Agiesta in Washington and Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Los Angeles, David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, and Charles Babington, Philip Elliott and Julie Pace in Washington contributed to this report.
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Comments
RobHunterJohnson 8 months ago
Romeny is not Presidential, if he was, he would be proactive in what he says rather than Reactive. It is called THINK before you speak. Romeny/Ryan are out of touch with the American People, except for the wealthy. The way to reverse this economic downturn is to Buy American, and Build American from tech equipment, down to the little wooden paddle with a rubber ball. Rob
wow 8 months ago
When people tell and show you what they are...believe them. Mitt Romney has done that for us folks.
Congratulations Mitt...you've just helped re-relect Barrack Obama as President of the United States of America.
JCLifer 8 months ago
Mitt spoke the TRUTH.
JCLifer 8 months ago
No kidding. I am still waiting for some Hope and Change. Things have been bad since Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank started meddling, and they just keep getting worse and worse. I cannot think of one successful accomplishment that Obama has done in four years. Everything he has touched has turned to dung. We are headed in such a wrong direction, and I greatly fear a second term where Obama himself admits that he "will have a lot more flexibility to do things".
Obama has caused more hatred and polarization in this country. He has got the international community laughing at us instead of respecting us. He has driven millions of good-paying jobs overseas- many of which will never come back.
Obama's Race to the Top has poured billions of tax dollars into failing schools and that money continues to get blasted down a black hole and students are not learning any more than they did before all that tax dollars were poured in. He has granted waivers to NCLB and is giving schools free reign to spend all this money with no accountability. Our gas pricesa have doubled under Obama. He has halted drilling and exporation, except for Brazil-- he gave them billions of our tax dollars to drill for themselves.
Obama said he would close Gimo, but hasn't done anything to take steps toward closing it. Obama said he would get us out of Afghanistan, but he sent more troops there to die, and nobody even knows why we are there anymore..
ObamaCare is going to cripple the economy by adding all these taxes and fees. The taxpayers are already living paycheck to paycheck, and yet he wants to ruin their healthcare and force them to pay for people who don't work. Obama wants to grow government at a time when we should be cutting government to stimulate the private sector.
He a bad president all the way around. Barack Obama makes Jimmy Carter look like a good president.
This country is so hosed, and it is getting worse and worse, with no hope of improving. Yes, I am a victim. So are you, but you are too dumb to realize it.
asb 8 months ago
Lifer your list of Obama's crimes has been debunked.The Hope is still there with a steadily improving economy and his pending re-election, and a bit of a Congressional shift to the left. A lot of the Change will have to wait for the Teaparty Congress to stop trying to prevent that improvement to discredit Obama. And really? Obama is sending jobs overseas? Snicker! Gas prices are controlled by their source, Big Energy, and by Americans' demand for SUV food, not a presidential policy approach, unless you count the GOP war machine. Drilling for North American oil is going on at very high rates, but for no good reason since most of the world's oil lies elswhere. Gitmo is a shame on Obama and Bush and every President to come for a generation, until you can figure a way to close it you should quit complainiing about it. Obama ended Iraq and is steadily reducing our role in the coalition effort that will undoubtedly last a long time in Afghanistan, unless we want to give it back to the Taliban as many do. National Health Care via the ACA is one of Obama's great accomplishments. You disagree, suprise. It'll take constant work to keep the costs under control, like any program, but as long as everybody is covered and everybody pays a fair share of the cost, it'll be cheaper than the present approach of insurance co monopolies and ER costs for the uninsured. You may be suprised to hear that I think Obama, while not perfect, has been a good president, and until the GOP shrugs off the extremists that have dulled the value of true conservatism and brought the government to a halt (on purpose) are reigned in, the GOP is what's hosed, and the left will again prevail. Mitt has just reinforced the Mark Dayton (rich guy from Minnesota) famous response to a question about class warfare . . . "you bet there's class warfare, and we started it!"
JCLifer 8 months ago
You are delusional too. Your head has been brainwashed by MS-NBC bs for so long you actually believe this stuff you are spouting.
newone 8 months ago
This man is so out of touch with this country it isn't even funny anymore, he has spouted his mouth off one too many times and the people are starting to see the "real" Romney which is why he is losing ground in a lot of the key states, I am with WOW, he has handed Obama his reelection on a silver platter.
newone 8 months ago
And he want's to talk about people not paying income taxes.....umm...still waiting on you Mr. Romney to us your tax returns, oh wait your refuse to do that right!! What at tool!!
Littleinvestor 8 months ago
Mitt spoke the truth to a point. There are some lazy, worthless Americans. But what about the old folks who have $30,000 in income and $100,000 in nursing home bills? Want them to pay income tax? 10% of Americans do not pay income tax because they are too old to work, have limited income and tremendous medical bills. Let's make those Alzheimer-ridden old folks get out and work so they can pay income tax. Is that what you want? Blanket statements are dangerous and politicians aspiring to the highest offices in our nation need to rely on facts for their research, not ill-tempered talking heads on TV, regardless of their politics.
Sequoia 8 months ago
Speaking of victims, most of the whining I hear comes from Mitt's supporters. I have to pay taxes! Boo hoo! That's tyranny! I have to buy health insurance and I can't freeload off the E.R. That's tyranny! Oh, I'm so worried about my "freedom" and my "way of life"! Oh, the horror of upper-middle class life in America. I'm so oppressed by Obama and the liberals! Woe is me for making a six figure salaray! I just don't get the appreciation I deserve!
This is what about half the posts on this forum sound like to me. Don't ask them what "freedom" they are losing. I've tried. No one will tell you. They're just worried about freedom and way of life. But they can't (or won't) tell you what that means. Rich people whining about taxes is about as gauche, low-class and indecent as it gets.
Just look at how people in this town responded to having to pay for trash service, or to the city's requirement that you show a picture of your historic home before tearing it down. Who is always playing the victim again?
Most of the poor work, or say that they want to work. Most immigrants are glad to pay taxes.
Victimhood and identity politics are now much more prominent in the conservative "movement" on the right (real conservatives, in contrast, understand gratitude).
JCLifer 8 months ago
You are delusional. Where do you get these crazy thoughts? MS-NBC?
Sequoia 8 months ago
I do not ever watch any form of 24-hour television news. Regardless of real or percieved political bias of a network, there is almost no useful information to be learned from 24-hour news. There is almost nothing you need to know that can't wait for the paper or a good monthly magazine.
24 hours is just too much time to fill. That's why 99 percent of cable news is pretty people just talking out their backsides. All they do is speculate and opine, and it is generally poor quality thought that is ill-concieved because it is rushed on the air because you have 24 hours to fill.
By-the-second news is all fact and no context. All "data," but no meaning. It's less filling and tastes great... fine for beer but terrible for making sense out of the world you live in.
There is almost nothing worth sayting that isn't worth taking time to get right and write down precisely.
Read your news. Do not ever watch cable news. It's all pollution. Your problem, Lifer, is that you make value distinctions based on the ideological goal of your information instead of its intellectual quality. Poor quality on the right is just as bad as poor quality on the left. Quality is what matters, regardless of content, and you hardly ever find quality on 24-hour cable news, because everything is rushed and off-the-cuff.
I've never made any secret I get my ideas from the Atlantic Monthly, Andrew Sullivan, David Frum, Robert Pirsig, William F. Buckley, Charles Simic, H.L. Mencken, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Where do you get your thoughts, Lifer?
Can you tell me what you read? Do you read? Are you a serious person, or just an internet troll, all plugged in but can't look and see?
Sequoia 8 months ago
Let's also not forget that MOST of the people who don't pay income tax (of course, they pay other taxes, but anyway...), or who live off welfare, LIVE IN REPUBLICAN STATES. If Mitt's message is true, then explain that!
Why do "red" Republican-led, Republican-leaning states have the highest level of people on welfare? Kinda flies in the face of everything Mitt says, right? Funny how reality contradicts the conservative "movement" at every turn.
Real conservatives look at the world as it is, not in some ideological dream land. Until the conservative movement wakes up, the only choice for true conservatives is Obama.
JCLifer 8 months ago
Citation please.
Most of the welfare people LIVE IN DEMOCRAT STATES. The inner city welfare mommas love democrats, and they are concentrated in the blue states.
Everyone knows that the Democrat party is corrupt and full of Boss Hoggs who live high on the hog at the expense of the taxpayers.
Huckabee cleaned up the welfare state in Arkansas. The democrat governoers could learn some things from him. Of course the democrats would lose their support base if they took away the welfare and other govern,ent give me programs.
Sequoia 8 months ago
Bang. Check it: Democratic, liberal states pay in, while red Republican states take the handouts:
theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/where-are-the-47-of-americans-who-pay-no-income-taxes/262499/
and
articles.businessinsider.com/2011-08-18/politics/30039546_1_blue-states-federal-taxes-red-states
and
economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/americas-fiscal-union
I hope this puts the "Republicans as rugged individualists" and "Dems as freeloaders" myth to rest.
The truth is exactly backwards. Which makes sense... the philosophy of the conservative "movement" is to protect the wealthy elite at all costs. When that philosophy gains power, it follows that the income gap will widen, that more people will lose both private and public sector jobs (private jobs outsourced, public jobs cut) and won't be able to take care of themselves.
Just look at the Republican states. Look at the Old South. That's the Republican future.
So, there you are Lifer. Three cites. You are one hundred percent WRONG.
JCLifer 8 months ago
You admit that all the money is in the DEMOCRAT states? Yep, that is where all the wealth is. Now, tell me again which party is working to protect the wealthy? Which party is trying to help the poor?
Democrats are nothing but DECIEVERS. Looks like something that it sure is not. Talk instead of action.
Sequoia 8 months ago
So now you're just running around in circles and spitting non-sequiters. I thought you were against helping the poor? Now you're trying to say that's what Republicans are doing? You want to argue that Republican politics creates wealth on the one hand, and defend success against the liberals who hate success, then you turn around and say I'm "admitting" that states have more wealth when they don't follow the conservative movement? Is it okay to have money or not?
You're flailing dude. You're making no sense. You can't deal with the articles I posted. Turn off the TV and read something. Get your thoughts together, and come back and make a point.
TickledPink 8 months ago
w w w.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/statemedian/
Take a look at the bottom states. What do you see?
RobHunterJohnson 8 months ago
Too much Huckabee on Fox will ruin the soul, I have seen the BootHeel, and Northeast Arkansas, There is a diviision which is clearly evident by just a quick drive in any direction, through any town or county. Health care is the number one problem in my book for the BootHeel. Huckabee can try to ice that Arkansas cake up, but it is still there don't be fooled. Rob
connor 8 months ago
Looking at Federal Expenditure however shows that the top five for federal payouts are Alaska, Virginia, Maryland and then New Mexico. Followed by Hawaii. Actually the highest payout is DC but we won't quibble. The top three are distorted by government largess spending around DC. This number is only per capita spending averaged per individual the big picture is something different.
Overall the difference is telling While South Dakota may get a higher per capita spending when you add it all up New York gets a much much larger chunk with only some $4.00 less per person overall. When you look at how much of this actual expenditure really trickles down to the individual and how much is eaten up in union fees, pork etc. I think it is obvious where the real money is going.
The red states get far more Federal money overall and you are attempting to compare individual apples to truckloads of oranges.
connor 8 months ago
Talk about whining. The Femocrats and their "Victim Coalition" do nothing but whine. Whine about unfair this or unfair that and then vote for non-Constitutional bias laws and legislation while giving their elected official even more tyrannical power to tax or take away areas they don't care about.
They tax tractor tires cause no one in a city owns a tractor but then fund free cell phones for all who "Qualify". If you disagree or point out the hypocrisy your a racist or worse. Obama supporters are all "Victims" and they have only one target for their looting.
So go ahead vote for more "Loot and Spend" see where it get's ya.
asb 8 months ago
All tires are taxed. AT&T will give you a free cell phone too, for the same reason, so you'll buy the service. Tell us more about those bias laws connor . . .
Sequoia 8 months ago
Sullivan says it nicely:
"Not 53 percent of the people. Not 47 percent. Just the PEOPLE. In full caps, as the original. And government exists, in Disraeli's eyes, to promote the "social welfare" of the people, or what the Founders called more expansively "the general Welfare". This is the conservatism now in eclipse by the forces of ideology, fundamentalism and materialism. It is the conservatism we have to rebuild."
andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/09/the-tory-vs-the-randian.html
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