UK: Mitt Romney's view of Americans

PJ:  The irony is ripe!  Here is a man who has a number of accountants and lawyers searching for ways to shelter his vast wealth.  He pays little to no tax on his income.  He has numerous houses, travels in private jets and has cars and drivers at his beckon call.   That said, he criticises almost half of Americans as being on government handouts while not paying their fair share in taxes.  He deems the elderly on Medicare and Social Security as "government dependent", the war veteran accessing services designed to help them as not willing to work hard and not willing to take responsibility for themselves.  And then he slams people on the lowest rung on the economic ladder, who may be working two or three jobs to make ends meet, people who do not make enough money to pay federal taxes (but who do pay state and local taxes as well as payrol taxes).  

The Guardian

Mitt Romney stands by gaffe but says case not 'elegantly stated'

Romney confirms authenticity of video where he calls 47% of voters government-dependent, in most damaging mishap yet

In his press conference, in California, Romney basically repeated the case he made in the video that the 47% dependent on the government would vote for Obama, though couched in slightly less inflammatory language. Obama's policies are "attractive to people who do not pay taxes", Romney said.

Romney tends to avoid the press as much as possible and it is a sign of the seriousness of the situation that he had to make an impromptu statement. He attempted to pose his comments as part of a broader philosophical debate about the future of America. "Do you believe in a government-centered society that provides more and more benefits? Or do you believe instead in a free enterprise society where people are able to pursue their dreams?"

He insisted he wanted to help all Americans.

While his views about people dependent on the government will be applauded by parts of the right, he risks alienating independents who do not share his view of American society and also motivating disgruntled Democrats who may have otherwise have abstained in the 6 November election to get out and vote.

Read it at The Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/18/romney-secret-video-government-dependent


You may also enjoy reading conservative columnist David Brooks opinion in the IHT:

Thurston Howell Romney

By DAVID BROOKS

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/opinion/brooks-thurston-howell-romney.html?_r=1