Mitt Romney says that 47% of Americans believe they are victims...

1. 85

   stayingalivemomaposted 11 years ago

   Do you agree with this crap? Mitt Romney, in a leaked video stated some interesting opinions of his perspective of certain Americans. Believing his was speaking privately, he stated that the 47% of Americans who support President Barack Obama "believe they are victims, who believe government has the responsibility to care for them, who believe they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing!..." What's your take?
   
   You can read the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/1 … d%3D206889

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      Credence2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I will tell you my take, Mitt  Romney is a plutocrat attempting to disguise himself as an "everyman". So he says that he does not care about almost 50% of the population? That may be his biggest gaffe yet and he will most certainly be held accountable at the polls for it.
      
      Thurston Howell has a problem in knowing when it is best to keep one's mouth shut. That was a stupid thing to say, press being present or not. How could the GOP select such a dork as its standard bearer?
      It is getting to the point that every other public statement he makes is a gaffe.

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      Wayne Brownposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have a different view....100% of all Americans are "victims" when it comes to the actions of Obama and his administration.  We have all been victimized at the hands of a man who cares little for the country and a lot for global socialism.  ~WB

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         adjkp25posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I'm an American and I don't feel victimized, there goes your 100% argument.

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            Paul Wingertposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            WB has Obama confused with Bush when it comes to '100% of all Americans are "victims". There's other things on TV and radio besides FOX Noise and those assclowns, Limbaugh and Beck.

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               stayingalivemomaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               oooooo, say it again!!!!

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   3. 71

      rhamsonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It is funny how the concept of government handouts are something that people would rather have than independence from poverty on their own terms. The government is trying to make up for so many failed policy decisions that forced more and more into poverty. The inception of big money contributions to candidates by the banks and big business forced the lawmakers to leave these forgotten behind in their wake. Now that the damage is almost complete taking care of the mess that was created by the two is an unsavory campaign issue and one used to thrash the other to better their political goals. Once again the poor the victims and fodder for the political parties to chew on.
      If you want to look at welfare on a grand scale you should look at the humongous spending in the military and why it happens to see where the major waste is being funneled.
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ_1VtFQZJs

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   4. 79

      Healthy Pursuitsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      When he said that, I immediately thought about our military - who are dependent on the government as they get their brains blown out - about retired people - who've worked and paid taxes all of their lives - and about college students - who will be paying taxes all of their lives. There are many more groups like these. Mitt is an out-of-touch elitist jerk who was talking freely to other out-of-touch elitist jerks just like himself.
      
      As for so many deadbeats being on welfare, as is mentioned below, the people who are saying what they're saying are also very, very out of touch. Yes, there are welfare cheaters, just as there are cheaters on tax returns. We need to find them and eliminate their participation in programs. But we also need to protect the vulnerable - most of them children and elderly people who can no longer work - who need our help.
      
      I am retired. I am voting for Obama - again. And I'm NOBODY's victim!

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      logic,commonsenseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Romney was wrong!  A lot more than 47% think they are entitled.
      
      College students think they are entitled.
      People unwilling to work think they are entitled.
      Schools think they are entitled.
      Politicians think they are entitled.
      Farmers think they are entitled.
      Seniors think they are entitled.
      
      When are those that do, going to be able to quit supporting those that will not?
      I think I am entitled to the hard earned fruits of my labor.  I should be able to decide who I give it to, not the politicians or those that think they know better how to spend my money than I do.
      
      When did we stop being a nation of self reliant, hard working, proud of what we are, individuals?
      When did this nation decide they were better off depending on the government than our own hopes and dreams?
      
      Romney should not have to apologize for anything in regards to his comments, except perhaps for not going far enough.  He was right, just a little low on his estimates.

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         Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         So basically, everyone in society feels entitled at one time or another for government help from a government they supported when they were able. College students fully expect to get good jobs and pay back all that they were given. Farmers need help at times to feed the population. Seniors have paid into the system for many, many years to have a comfortable retirement.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         "Romney should not have to apologize for anything in regards to his comments, except perhaps for not going far enough.  He was right, just a little low on his estimates."
         
         I hope he doesn't. He can save the thoughts for his concession speech in November.

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            Paul Wingertposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            +1

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      wba108@yahoo.composted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's certainly not true that all Americans that do not pay federal taxes are moochers or want to be. Many older and younger citizens are opposed to the expanding welfare state. With that said, there can be no doubt that the growing number of citizens dependant on the government will increase likely votes for political suger daddy's who promise more goodies from the federal treasury- Romney rightly highlighted the problem of this growing trend.

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         Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see this "growing trend."
         The Baby Boomer generation is hitting retirement age.
         They have been promised -- and paid into -- these so-called "goodies from the treasury" for decades.

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2. 78

   Mighty Momposted 11 years ago

   Yes, it's a shock. I had no idea I was actually part of the vast food stamp army.
   Good to know I'm in such widespread company.
   
   BTW, there are are two similar threads on this topic tonight.
   

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3. 85

   stayingalivemomaposted 11 years ago

   Are there? I didn't even check, I was so outraged by the comment, I just whizzed through my forum question. Sorry everybody! :-)
   Thanks for responding to this one too!!

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4. 92

   habeeposted 11 years ago

   Romney is a terrible campaigner.

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      Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      In some ways Romney is a terrible person--smug, self-satisfied with a highly overblown sense of self-entitlement.
      
      He may well have written his November 6 concession speech. This is the dumbest and most revealing blunder of many to date. It revealed something about Romney and about his belief of what it took to pander to the fat cats at the private fund raiser. I have friends and acquaintances who have expressed similar sentiments about how the rich are treated so unfairly by having to pay more than their share of taxes (they always forget the other taxes that everyone pays--sales tax, gas tax, state and local income and property taxes and Social Security tax). Romney's statement was not only unfeeling, but writing off 47 percent of Americans as leeches on society was grossly innacurate.

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   pisean282311posted 11 years ago

   @ts that includes romney too..he believes people like him r victims of obama!!!!!!!!!!!

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6. 94

   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   "who believe government has the responsibility to care for them, who believe they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing!..." It may not be 47% but I agree that there is a strong "Gimme" mentality here in USA that believes the govenment should be giving them the things they should be working for.

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      habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, there are people like that, but it's nowhere near 47%.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         And a good many of them are Tea Baggers!

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      gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, there are people like that.   They love to play the blame and victim game.   They have this mindset that they are in dire socioeconomic situations because of outide forces.   They believe that they are nonentities and therefore don't count so they don't try.   They also want "others" to rescue them.   However, 47% would be a too high estimate of this population but the amount of such people is sizeable to say the least.   These people want handouts and gimme, gimme. ad infinitum!

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         Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Surely you would agree that since the economy crash of 2008 there are many, many more Americans who truly have found themselves in dire straits due to socioeconomic forces beyond their control (?)

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            gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes,  but I am not talking about those Americans.   I was addressing those Americans who are in dire socioeconomic situations of their own making.   People who were either downsized, laid off, and/or terminated through no fault of their own are to be helped, not denigrated!

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               Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Ok. Thanks for clarifying.
               Help is good. Short-term safety net services.
               Ultimately, JOBS!

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7. 60

   readytoescapeposted 11 years ago

   The percentage number is being skewed, Romney initially qualified his comments by saying 47% of people in the US do not pay taxes and that 47% or so all benefit from government in one form or another including those receiving entitlements and those dependant on them. He also said that because of this, their message would not likely resonate with that 47% of voters.

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8. 56

   quatrainposted 11 years ago

   I agree with gmwilliams. There are indeed people who believe they are victims. But there is something else that many --not all, many--people on welfare believe. They believe that the world "owes" them.  Therefore. if they don't have enough cars, rent, clotes, etc--it's your fault, not theirs. I know this mentality very well because I have seen people and know people who have it.
   
   The truth is that there are some people, a small percentage, who can't work, in any capacity. They're born with impediments or they've been injured or just had bad luck.  But there are millions of others who just game the system.

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9. 68

   Charles Jamesposted 11 years ago

   I am not a Romney supporter. Out of a sense of fairness I thought I would listen to what Romney actually said. I saw the clip on Youtube.
   His wealthy donors like the sound of tax cuts, and they do not need the wisdom of tax cuts explained to them. Romney was telling them that 47% of USA citizens do not pay tax. For that 47% of the population, there is a disconnect with the "lower taxes" message because they don't pay taxes anyway. Romney said that the 47% of the electorate, the non tax payers, are firmly behind Obama.
   Conversely the same people are very attracted by "tax the rich" because they are not rich.
   Romney also said that these 47% are in an entitlement and dependency culture that he cannot persuade them out of in time for the election. He is not going to waste time on them.
   To win Romney needs the votes of the 5%-10% of independent voters, many of whom voted for Obama last time. They would be put off by vicious attacks on Obama, so that is why Romney is not being as rough and vicious as his supporters would like.
   Much of the excitement about Romney's remarks is misdirected. THe summarisation by the media was not accurate. One point where Romney is wrong is that some of the 47% are supporting themselves -they just do not earn enough to pay taxes.

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      Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Agree with part. Disagree with part.
      
      If Romney had ONLY said:
      47% of people don't pay taxes (no need to quibble about the fact he meant only federal income taxes -- it's understood).
      Therefore, my tax message will not appeal to them.
      I need to concentrate my efforts on those I have a reasonable shot at converting.
      
      No problem there .That's a reasonable assertion.
      
      But, he didn't.
      He took a reasonable assertion and turned it into a  judgmental condemnation.
      
      "I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
      
      The words he uses sound like class warfare because that's exactly what they are.
      
      That's a pretty strong indictment.
      Stereotyping that paints a wide swath of the American public with one dismissive brush stroke.

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         Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Is he assuming that everyone who is on social assistance is a Democrat and that they will all vote for Obama? That is in no way true. They might now

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            Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            True. There are plenty of ignorant TeaTards in the 47% living on Social Security and benefiting from Medicare or Medicaid who are Romney supporters because they have been hoodwinked by social issues extremists and the people who finance them.

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    rrhistorianposted 11 years ago

    I guess most people cannot stand to hear the truth.

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       Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       "I guess most people cannot stand to hear the truth."
       
       Why would you say that? Romney's remarks were highly innacurate in several ways--virtually all of the 47% pay taxes of one or more kinds; most of them are working at low wage jobs; and many are retired and living on Social Security which they paid for before they retired; others are disabled and unable to work and drawing SS disability benefits; and others have been laid off due to the recession or because their jobs were outsourced to China, Mexico or Bangladesh. I suspect you are someone who can't stand to hear the truth.

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          Healthy Pursuitsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Not to mention that college students who are about to pay taxes all of their working lives are included. And last, but by no means least, are men and women who are in the military, who don't pay taxes because they make so little, but who DO get their heads blown off in foreign countries.

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    Xenonlitposted 11 years ago

    The sickening truth is that he could still be elected...by the 47 percent!
    He reminds me of Andy Griffith in "A Face In The Crowd"
    
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050371/

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12. 78

    Mighty Momposted 11 years ago

    Within a few months, September 2008.

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13. 57

    Education Answerposted 11 years ago

    I am certainly not a President Obama supporter, but I think Mr. Romney's statement was both a campaign mistake and an inaccurate statement.  That being said, I understand where he was going with it.  Millions of people, who are part of that 47%, are retirees; they are people who paid their fair share of taxes when they were working.  That's undeniable.  People who currently try to contribute or contributed when they were able to do so should not be included in the 47%.  There is an ever-increasing number of freeloaders who are receiving welfare, food stamps, and other government assistance even though they do not need help.  Their mentality is that they must re-elect President Obama, or their benefits will cease.  Their votes can be purchased with government assistance.  That, I think, is probably part of Mr. Romney's frustration.  I know it's part of mine.

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       Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yet all the statistics suggest most people on assistance will vote for Romney, liberals are on average 6% wealthier and red states are overwhelmingly more welfare dependent than blue ones.

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          Education Answerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Where are these statistics?  What is your source?

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    Moderndayslaveposted 11 years ago

    Maybe everyone, including business can learn something,
    
    http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-fo … ase-2012-8

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