BLOOMBERG: Mitt Romney Just Lost The Election By Henry Blodget | Business Insider | Sept. 17, 2012 9:46 PM EDT Excerpts: The reaction to Mitt Romney's private remarks about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay income taxes has been brutal and swift. Romney apparently made the remarks at a private dinner for rich donors. In the remarks, Romney went much farther than suggesting that the federal tax base should be broadened, a sentiment that many Americans agree with (including, for what it's worth, me). Romney said almost half the voters in the country - 47 percent - believe they are "victims" and expect the government to provide free health care, food, and housing. He then said of these people, "I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." And who are these 47 percent, really? More than half of them are working Americans who pay payroll taxes, meaning that they have jobs and provide money to the federal government. Half of the rest are elderly people who collect Social Security, which isn't taxed as income. Almost all of the rest are people who make less than $20,000 per year. In Romney's view, apparently, all of these people are freeloaders who don't take responsibility for themselves. Romney was already falling far behind in the polls, but some observers believe that these remarks will cost him the election. Bloomberg's Josh Barro, for example, had this to say: You can mark my prediction now: A secret recording from a closed-door Mitt Romney fundraiser, released today by David Corn at Mother Jones, has killed Mitt Romney's campaign for president. On the tape, Romney explains that his electoral strategy involves writing off nearly half the country as unmovable Obama voters. As Romney explains, 47 percent of Americans "believe that they are victims." He laments: "I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." So what's the upshot? "My job is not to worry about those people," he says... This is an utter disaster for Romney. Romney already has trouble relating to the public and convincing people he cares about them. Now, he's been caught on video saying that nearly half the country consists of hopeless losers. Romney has been vigorously denying President Obama's claims that his tax plan would raise taxes on the middle class. Now, he's been caught on video suggesting that low- and middle-income Americans are undertaxed. After the remarks came to light, the Romney campaign released a statement saying that Romney "wants to help all Americans" and that "he is concerned about the growing number of people who are dependent on the federal government." If he's concerned, it certainly doesn't sound like it. ("My job is not to worry about those people...") One defense of Romney's remarks is that he didn't really mean what he said - that he was just sucking up to rich donors and telling them what they wanted to hear. Another defense is that Romney was just saying what a lot of people in his "base" believe. Neither of those defenses sound much better than the remarks themselves. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/bloomberg-mitt-romney-just-lost-014641042.html ..... I believe that Romney was stupidly giving his secret beliefs to a group of his wealthy peers who have the greed credo close to their hearts and will do anything to get away with no taxes, tons of deductions, incentives etc so that they pay no taxes at all... It is simply a conviction that if help goes to the unemployed, sick, elderly, the Democratic Party will become the majority party with extravagant powerful resolution to run the country as they see fit. But what is the alternative? If no help is given to our poor, as prescribed by God, citizens will die, as will everyone as they age without proper medical care, food, and medicines. This may be ok with Mitt Romney, but it is not ok for the Democrats who believe that we need to help the unemployed, poor, and elderly; that it is a necessary part of our Democracy, and which has guided us into being the greatest country on this Earth, and to make a portion of our electorate a throw-away, disposable group based on age, health, employment, or financial worth is evil, against all of Gods precepts, and should rightfully lose the election for Romney for his callous, cold-hearted observations to his peer group.
Romney only needs slightly more than 50% to win and if we still have that many people who work and pay taxes and don't like being sucked dry by the takers then Romney will win.
47%? More like 99%. This is a moocher society. Yes, take that away from them, but not me, I need my home tax deduction!
Spoken like a true renter. The home owner on average pays WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more taxes than the non-home owner.
I suspect that we'll see more and more of these 'Romney has already lost' threads as the elections approach. Romney scratched his nose, he's lost the election. Romney has already lost. He closed his eyes during a speech. The election is already over, Romney is wearing a white shirt. He loses. It's kind of funny, in a pathetic sort of way.
Bloomberg's sudden epiphany is all well and good, but I say Romney lost the election the day he got nominated.
The National Media is trying their hardest to keep Barack Obama afloat even though he has failed miserably on every front.
I have a bet with HB Surfer--winner gets to write the others signature for a week. I'd enter into a similar wager with you over avatars.
I own my home (mortgage). Real estate tax is not federal though...whats that have to do with anything?
But, Romney wont have a race card to hide behind whenever he screws up. That makes Romney infinitely better than obama, even before we discuss real world experience.