Hot Mike Moment: Mitt Romney and the 47%

by: Publisher

Tue Sep 18, 2012 at 22:45:27 PM EDT

"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...

"My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

"The fact that a candidate for President-in a closed door event with donors-said that 47% of Americans are "dependent on Government" and "believe they are victims" is beyond shocking. That he doubled down on those comments in public is unfathomable. But most deplorable about Mitt Romney's comments is who he is insulting-an overwhelmingly majority or the 47% he is referring to are seniors, working families, students or people with disabilities. The vast majority of these Americans pay a significant percentage of their income in taxes, whether they are federal payroll taxes, property taxes, sales taxes or other state and local taxes. They often pay even a higher share of their income in these taxes than wealthier families, like Mitt Romney's. How can Mitt Romney continue to run for President when he has categorically written off half of the American people?"