47 %

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the 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 -- that that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. ... These are people who pay no income tax. ... [M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

-       Mitt Romney (Mother Jones video)

I want to thank Willard Romney for clarifying his view, his perspective on America. He never intended his remarks for the general public. He would not have wanted to offend such a large portion of American voters on purpose. His remarks were intended for a group of wealthy supporters of his campaign for President. They were gathered in a posh Florida mansion (Press not invited for obvious reasons). He was preaching to a choir of the powerful and elite…many in his circle of friends and acquaintances. Willard told them what they believed in their hearts…what they wanted to hear from their candidate.

Here is how the Tax Policy Center breaks down the numbers:

Total Households: 163.9 million

Tax Paying: 53.6%

“Non-Taxpaying”: 46.4% (close enough, round up)

Of the “Non-Tax Paying”:

28.3% paid payroll taxes (oops, are they tax payers or not?)

10.3% elderly (and military) retirees paid no taxes.

6.9% nonelderly with incomes under $20,000 a year paid no taxes.

0.9% others paid no taxes.

In Willard’s view of America, in his perspective, he would have us believe that (46.4%) of all Americans are “victims, who believe the 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 -- that that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them.” He would have us believe that “those people” are voting for President Obama no matter what and they should just be written-off. Willard would have us believe that he will “never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." That is quite an indictment, Mr. Romney. That is quite an indictment of a large segment of the American people.

I guess people of wealth and privilege and power have such a different view of the world. People like Willard Romney will never see or understand the lives of millions of Americans who work hard all their lives and yet never really get ahead because they lack education and resources. They will never understand the millions of people who one day are out of work when their jobs are outsourced overseas to exploit a cheaper labor force. They will never get the millions of Americans who worked hard, served their country and paid into Social Security (a government handout for moochers?) so that they might have something to retire on. They will never see the need for people to have access to affordable healthcare or how one major illness can bankrupt a family. They don’t understand that most people would rather work than be on unemployment or welfare, but for the lack of jobs and training to do new jobs. Willard and his pals don’t comprehend that when they crashed America’s economy with their greed and disdain, they left millions of people with no jobs and foreclosed homes.

In Mr. Romney’s world there are only the “haves” and the “undeserving masses.” I thank him again for making clear his vision of America. Please remember to vote in November as if your life depended on it…because it does.

Food for THOUGHT…