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May 25, 2013
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 Romney’s Indifference to the PoorPosted on Feb 2, 2012I wish Mitt Romney’s cavalier dismissal of poverty in America could be chalked up as just another gaffe, but it’s much worse than that. The Republican front-runner seems dangerously clueless about the nation he seeks to lead. When I first heard the now-famous quote—“I’m not concerned about the very poor”—I thought it might be fodder for a snarky column about the wee little Mr. Monopoly who lives inside Romney’s head and blurts out things like “Corporations are people, my friend,” or “I like being able to fire people.” But I realized that being “very poor” is no laughing matter to millions of Americans. Putting Romney’s words in their full context makes them worse. Here is what he said on CNN: “I’m in this race because I care about Americans. I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.” For my part, I’m concerned about what sounds like shocking ignorance about the extent of poverty in this country and an utter lack of urgency about finding solutions. Advertisement A substantial plurality of these poor people—about 20 million—are non-Hispanic whites. Roughly 13 million are Hispanic and nearly 11 million are African-American. These figures show that minorities are overrepresented among the poor, but also that poverty is by no means some kind of “minority problem.” It’s an American problem. And even these numbers are somewhat misleading, since the official poverty threshold is set at a level that many researchers consider unrealistically low. Imagine supporting a family of four on $22,314 a year—food, shelter, clothing, transportation—and being told you’re not poor. A better measure, in my view, is the number of American families getting by on incomes that equal the poverty level plus an additional 25 percent. By this standard, fully one-fifth of the nation is poor. Romney says we have a safety net. That’s still true, despite the best efforts of his party to rip it to shreds. For the sake of argument, let’s assume the most important support for people living in poverty—the food stamps program—continues more or less unchanged. Let’s also assume that Romney, as president, manages to “fix” Medicaid and Social Security in a way that does not reduce the benefits they provide to poor people, and that Romney’s tax plan is altered so it does not raise taxes on the lowest earners, as many analysts say it would. In Romney’s worldview, case closed. No need to be “concerned” about poverty as long as people are not starving. What our society ought to be concerned about is making sure that poor people have the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty. Liberals and conservatives might disagree on how best to accomplish this goal. We can argue about the role government should play versus the private sector. We can dispute the merits of traditional public schools versus charter schools. What we cannot do is simply write off up to one-fifth of the nation’s human potential, as if it were a footnote in a corporation’s annual report. I’m not blaming Romney for our decades-long failure to address structural poverty. The fact is that our system tends to award benefits to those who wield political and economic power. Romney was clumsily trying to pledge fealty to the interests of the middle class. President Obama, in speech after speech, has been doing the same. But there was something disturbing about the icy way in which Romney, even when trying to clarify his initial remark, continued to insist that the poor receive government help and therefore need not be a focus of his policies. Even some conservative Republicans were taken aback, with Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., saying Romney should “backtrack” and make clear he does not want the poor to languish in “government dependency programs.” DeMint suggested earlier that Romney take pains to show more empathy. I worry—and the nation should worry—that he can’t show what he doesn’t have.
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By mrfreeze, February 7, 2012 at 6:06 pm Link to this comment
Deek Rivers….or is it Geek Rivers????
You’ve come to the wrong blog if you want to get any traction with your thoughts about the “liberal media.”
Just read down any of the threads here. There’s more Obama hating, “dems are the same as repubs” nonsense than you’ll find on a Limbaugh episode.
Personally, I revile, despise and loathe Mr. Romney simply because he exists. He need not make political, social, cultural, economic or “travel-with-pet” comments on conservative or liberal media sites….
Report thisBy Deek Rivers, February 7, 2012 at 4:35 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
You people know Romney’s “I don’t care about the poor” comment has been taken out of context by the liberal media including you! If quoting his complete sentence the full comment shows clearly that he cares about the poor as he said in addition he will fix whatever is needed in addition to the system already in place for the poor including Medicaid, food stamps, etc., in the complete sentence.
You people are just spinning for Obama’s political gains when Obama is so bad for this country in everyway conceivable.
I will be so thrilled when we take back the truth in the country including the Presidency and both Houses of Congress and also appoint some new Supreme Court justices that will give the country back to the people and the Constitution that have made us so great, and, not to the Federal Government of liberals and progressives who are nothing more than socialists and communists!
I cannot wait until November, I’m salivating to see you all packing and getting out of the way of freedom!!!!!!!!!!
Deek Rivers
Report thisBy joegod, February 5, 2012 at 3:32 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
why can’t people smarten up and not vote for these sorry “choices”? I don’t
Report thisknow the answer, but i do know if 100% of the people were enlightened
enough to boycott the d/r duopoly and either sit out the election or write-in
alternatives, it would trigger an historic,relevant shift in american politics.
By Anarcissie, February 5, 2012 at 3:31 pm Link to this comment
There is a certain relationship between Obama and Romney.
Report thisBy mrfreeze, February 5, 2012 at 10:34 am Link to this comment
Anarcissie - Once again, this thread isn’t about President Obama. It’s about Mitt Romney.
If you want to rant against Obama, there are dozens of other threads on this blog (and others) that are great places to do so.
This is the problem with these threads: people simply can’t stay on-topic. If Mr.Romney (and the other monsters) get 24/7, reality TV coverage for free, then we get to dissect them with impunity…...I like to dissect my rats one at a time.
Report thisBy Anarcissie, February 5, 2012 at 8:53 am Link to this comment
So what’s the big difference between Romney and Obama? I don’t mean in personality or manner—I mean in political philosophy and policy. Look at the headline. Do you think Mr. O lies awake at night worrying about the condition of the poor? Wouldn’t that interfere with his ability to suck up to the billionaires who run the system?
Yes, Romney uttered blasphemy. He’s not going to get progressive votes or money anyway, so what does he care? And why does anyone else?
Report thisBy mrfreeze, February 4, 2012 at 8:07 pm Link to this comment
Anarcissie - You underestimate people, or rather you aren’t giving people credit for being able to compartmentalize things. Believe it or not, there are many of us here on TD who have opinions about President Obama that are not easily dismissed as naive or wrongheaded or simply stupid….....and still, we can simultaneously HATE, DESPISE and REVILE Mr. Romney just because we do….we don’t have to use the POTUS as a reason nor must we contrast and compare them. Mr. Romney is simply a monster….even a small dog can smell the stench. My revulsion for the man goes way back to my roots in UT having grown up among “his kind” who happen to be some of my least favorite people in the world. Mr. Romney is emblematic of what happens when men think they will become gods someday….and it’s all intensified by the fact that he’s an incredibly boorish, rich man who thinks he’s going to become a god someday…....Need I say more?
Report thisBy Anarcissie, February 4, 2012 at 6:39 pm Link to this comment
So is it hate-Romney time now? Something’s got to get you proggies to the polls to vote for Mr. O.
Report thisBy Lori, February 4, 2012 at 5:59 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
His words obviously were not a gaffe. If you watch the original clip with Soledad
Report thisO’Brien, she gives him several chances to “correct” himself after he makes his
appalling statement. Very diplomatically, she says, “You said that you’re not
concerned about the very poor because there is a safety net. To some people, that might sound a little…odd.” First, he accuses her of taking his quote out of context,
even though she repeated his full quote verbatim. Then, he defends his quote! So,
nope—definitely not a gaffe or misstatement. That he could not hear how
disconnected and callous he sounded—even when O’Brien repeated his words
back to him—shows how deeply internalized these beliefs are to him.
By BrooklynDame, February 4, 2012 at 1:49 pm Link to this comment
What Mr. Romney state wasn’t a gaffe; his website tells us that he’s in full support
of the Ryan Plan which would eviscerate what remains of the middle class and toss
more people into the increasing group of the poor. The only thing that surprises
me about Romney’s statement is how many people were surprised he said it.
http://borderlessnewsandviews.com/2012/02/moonbat-alert/
http://borderlessnewsandviews.com/2012/02/you-only-think-you-know-how-
Report thisout-of-touch-mitt-romney-is-with-the-american-public/
By mrfreeze, February 4, 2012 at 1:32 pm Link to this comment
D.R. Zing - You are, of course, right to point out my obvious lack of civility regarding Mr. Romney. I apologize for the lack of propriety…..this doesn’t; however, make me want to insult turds by calling him one of those!
Report thisBy dontono7, February 4, 2012 at 1:12 pm Link to this comment
Yes, things are changing in this country. Poor people don’t vote in large numbers, so the rich know they will have their way. Taxes for the top 2% are much lower than at anytime in history, and still Republicans bitch about high taxes! Typical greedy bastards.
But what happens when there is nothing left but poor people, and the rich? The middle class (myself included, so far) are disappearing every year that the economy stays below a certain growth level. Real wages haven’t grown since the 1980’s and won’t anytime soon. The folks controlling our monetary system want to keep this “status quo”. Wonder why?
Report thisBy Ralph Kramden, February 4, 2012 at 12:06 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
There is something else Mr. Robinson missed: Romney claims to be a Christian, albeit, from a weird, cult branch. They are all weird cults but the Mormoms more than most. Christ was very, very poor, the traveller “sans baggage.” Throught the New Testament there are invectives against the rich and there were more than one. Then we have “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Romney at heart is not a Christian he is a Calvinist who believes that being wealthy marks him as the “chosen few.” God shows his annointed by showering wealth on them on this earth, never mind what the New Testament says.
Report thisBy gerard, February 4, 2012 at 11:53 am Link to this comment
Back to the point of Romney’s atrocious gaffe:
Why would this very chilling remark slip out?
And if this very chilling remark could slip out, what other chilling sentiments are lurking unspoken?
The slip did compassionate voters a big favor by revealing the Romney essence before the election rather than after he had been elected.
The test comes when we see how many compassionate voters (in this presently cold-blooded country where fear, suspicion, hatred and wars are actively promoted as policy) actually go to the polls and vote—and for whom? After all,compassion in this country is widely regarded as a weakness: (“tough on crime”—“war on drugs”—“extraordinary rendition”—nuclear weapons are “on the table” etc.)
Report thisBy John Poole, February 4, 2012 at 10:28 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Romney is just channeling his savior, “The poor you shall always have with you.”
Report thisGet over gentlemen! It’s me- Christ- you should be focusing on since in a little
while I’m gonna be in a world of hurt and then be gone.
By D.R. Zing, February 4, 2012 at 9:10 am Link to this comment
Some thoughts:
* Mrfreeze, referring to Mitt Romney as a fucking
bastard is a bit wordy. I prefer to think of him
simply as: Turd.
* 3am mystic. I like what you said quite a lot.
Please continue. And go forth and chastise the
fundamentalist Christians who are bastardizing your
faith to make it a refuge for bigots.
* My own observations lead me to believe Christians
tend to help other Christians or people willing to
convert to Christianity. Keep that in mind. If
you’re starving to death and someone asks, “Are you a
Christian?” The proper response is: “I am now.”
Ah, and here’s a stanza from a beautiful lyric poem
by Tori Amos:
He said you’re really an ugly girl
But I like the way you play
And I died
But I thanked him
Can you believe that sick sick
holding on to his picture
Dressing up every day
I wanna smash the faces
Of those beautiful boys
Those christian boys
So you can make me cum that doesn’t make you Jesus
It really a beautiful, brilliant poem. Seems a shame
to only quote one stanza. The rest is here:
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/13556/
All the best.
Zing
Report thisBy chuckwagoncharlie, February 3, 2012 at 8:08 pm Link to this comment
For once the man spoke the truth. He isn’t concerned with the so called poor that have been created by both the Republicans and the Democrats since LBJ’s War on Poverty. We now have a caste system similar to Europes. The Elites(extremely Rich), Political Caste, Government Worker Caste,Middle Caste and the Poverty Caste. Unfortunately what is now Middle America is being made to support themselves and all the other caste by higher taxes. After the Middle Class is paying 65% of their wages to support Washingtons Mismanagement and re-distribution of their wealth they might wake up to being shafted.
Report thisBy Anarcissie, February 3, 2012 at 6:57 pm Link to this comment
Mr. O put Social Security on the block in order to appease the Republicans, so the poor and the working class are not getting defended by the Democrats, either.
Report thisBy Maani, February 3, 2012 at 6:23 pm Link to this comment
“Romney said that because he knows the poor don’t vote and are mute when it comes to their own interests.”
“Don’t” vote…or are disenfranchised in every possible way FROM voting? Eight states (GOP-controlled, natch) already have alerady passed new voter ID laws that will disenfranchise mostly the poor, the elderly and students - three groups that traditionally (mostly) vote Democratic. And more states are moving toward these obnoxious laws.
BTW, two great pieces on Romney’s (non)-gaffe:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/opinion/collins-mitt-speaks-oh-no.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/opinion/krugman-romney-isnt-concerned.html?ref=opinion
Report thisBy James M. Martin, February 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm Link to this comment
May I express a cavil? You ignored the most part of the speech. He is not only not concerned about the “very poor,” he is not concerned with “the very rich,” as “they’re doing all right.” In one fell swoop he dis-identifies himself from the 1% by saying “they’re” instead of “I’m,” just as he pretends that the very poor are not a part of the 99%. (He followed the remarks we quote with an expression of great concern for the 99%.) This guy is totally clueless and deceptive all at the same time.
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, February 3, 2012 at 2:59 pm Link to this comment
Why is everyone bitchin’? Mitt Romney is the Perfect Republican.
Report this.
.
.
.
.
(with all the baggage that comes with that)
By Fullblad, February 3, 2012 at 2:51 pm Link to this comment
Romney is the ultimate posture boy for the face of the corportist and globalization agendas, only playing both the political and corportist side at the same time. The man is a hollow bodied puppet; and I use the term “man” as a gender and age description only and not as a term of maturity and morality. The whole structure is rotten to the core; I’d be voting Green if able to.
Report thisBy mrfreeze, February 3, 2012 at 2:38 pm Link to this comment
3am mystic - Actually, I heard a “Christian” call in on the Diane Rehm show this morning with what was one of the most cynical (sophistic) arguments AGAINST Christians supporting the poor I’ve ever heard. It was of course an attack on “charity being forced upon us by the government.”
There are obviously a huge number of conservative (elitist) think tanks and other nasty organizations working overtime to try and change the very fundamentals of “Christian charity” these days. Who would have thought that the hatred of “the government” could be so incredibly deep….so deep that people are willing to sacifice people in need to prove a (morally bankrupt) point.
Report thisBy chris ml, February 3, 2012 at 1:53 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
One cannot but wonder what America would be like if The WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH had millions of dollars,and got voted in as leading this country….i shudder to think. Mr Romney reminds me of some crazy millionaire president out of a Stephen King novel (the Dead Zone perhaps)
Report thisBy 3am mystic, February 3, 2012 at 10:58 am Link to this comment
As a progressive Christian, or Christian Humanist, I answer to both, and as one who cherishes my faith, I am ashamed that we have so many in this country who claim to be followers of Jesus, yet, believe that those who cannot take care of themselves have no right to exist. Though it may not be said that bluntly, the codes are in the speeches given by their political heroes. I am sure that Romney gained a few more “Christian” voters.
The indifference of the rich does no surprise me; it should not surprise any of us . Its the working people who support and vote for Romney and people like him who are a puzzle. Most them would not have a chance in this world if not for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Yet, you cannot get through to them with the truth that these “leaders” they support care absolutly nothing for their existence.
Report thisBy Big C, February 3, 2012 at 10:05 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
If you tweak Mitt Romney’s soundbite just a little
bit, his message takes a big turn towards the truth:
“I’m in this race because I care about Americans
[electing me]. I’m not concerned about the very poor
[vote]. I’m not concerned about the very rich [vote,
because I’ve already got it in the bag].I’m concerned
about the very heart of America, the 90, 95 percent
of Americans who[-se votes I’m going to need if I
ever am going to be president].
I think that says it all.
Report thisBy bpawk, February 3, 2012 at 8:35 am Link to this comment
Romney said that because he knows the poor don’t vote and are mute when it comes to their own interests. They had a champion in Ralph Nader but they didn’t vote for him. If the poor don’t speak up and won’t vote maybe they deserve what they get!
Report thisBy mrfreeze, February 3, 2012 at 8:23 am Link to this comment
Samson - This thread isn’t about Obama. Stick with the subject.
Report thisBy Anarcissie, February 3, 2012 at 8:16 am Link to this comment
I don’t think Romney’s ‘gaffe’ proves anything. Trying to make a big deal out of it is part of the reason the practice of mainstream politics is so stupid in the United States.
However, the crying about it will probably increase Romney’s popularity with Republicans, who unlike Democrats don’t need the Welfare State to justify the Warfare State.
Flapping about Romney’s heartlessness will probably work about the same way as flapping about George W. Bush’s stupidity did: put millions of votes in his column.
Report thisBy Samson, February 3, 2012 at 8:07 am Link to this comment
Gee, how about your brother Obama’s indifference to
the poor. We’ve seen an Obama administration that’s
willing to give all the money it can get its hands on
to its banker friends, and an Obama administration
that wants and fights for constantly spending every
more money on defense and spies and gestapo security,
but which throws at most the tiniest, slimmest table
scraps to any anti-poverty or inner-city programs.
So, before you rant and rave about how Romney, who is
Report thissupported by the same bankers who also back Obama, is
so indifferent to the poor, maybe you should look at
your own brother in the White House and ask what the
frack is he doing.
By radicalfemme, February 3, 2012 at 7:54 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Romney said it all when it said the rich are doing just fine! According to what he said in Las Vegas the last time he was there, he plans on their doing even better!!! His policies are what caused the melt down in the first place. I won’t be voting for him.
Report thisBy bigchin, February 3, 2012 at 7:18 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Romney this, Romney that blah blah blah…
who cares about Mitt Romney? and what good is all the blathering on about someone who will NEVER be president of the USA, except to run cover for Obama - who, partisan pundits like E. R. insist, should be rewarded for his lies and betrayals, his murders, his Bush-on-steroids expansion of anti-constitutional presidential powers?
i don’t seem to recall any mention by Obama of the highest unemployment rate for Black American men in a very long time. i don’t recall any mention by Obama of the REAL unemployment rate, somewhere closer to 20%.
yeah that’s right - it’s Mitt Romney who has a poverty problem, not Obama and the Democrats.
Obama is a fraud.
Vote third party progressive - Jill Stein or Rocky Anderson. You DO have a choice.
Report thisBy mrfreeze, February 3, 2012 at 12:18 am Link to this comment
The saddest truth in modern American history:
Millions of Americans will vote for Mr. Romney knowing full well that he is a heartless f**king bastard who couldn’t care less about any Americans (except his Mormon clan). I am reminded of comments about George Patton and how he thought of his troops as nothing but game pieces (functionaries) who were expendable. I see the same cold calculating nastiness in Romney’s eyes and in the things he says…..and people will vote for him….........
Report this