Unless you live in a cave, you’ve probably heard a ton about Mitt Romney’s latest remarks. Speaking at a private fundraiser, Romney commented that 47% of Americans would automatically vote for President Obama because they believe they are entitled to health care, housing, and food. He said that they are dependent on government checks and “believe that they are victims.”
Count me as one of those “victims.” I’m a “victim who pays income taxes to my state. I do not receive government checks. I have a college degree. In fact, I have a Master’s Degree. I have a job. I go to work regularly. I work overtime quite often. I own a house. I pay my bills. AND I believe that people are entitled to health care, housing, and food. I believe these are fundamental rights for human beings, not just Americans.
Romney wasn’t talking about the Obama supporters like myself. He was trying to put down those who get government assistance. He implied that they are lazy, play the victim and want to live off of food stamps. Yes, I’ve heard this argument from many people. Working with the public in a way that many people do not, gives me the opportunity to really see many of these “victims”, the people using government assistance. Working with children, who are often much more honest and open than adults, has allowed me to see that most people using government assistance are hard working and would love to be able to afford things on their own, without help. They work at low paying jobs where they are given 35 hours a week, not 40. 40 hours a week would get them health care. They are people who worked at factories that closed. 46% of that 47% Romney mentioned are working poor, retirees and the disabled, including disabled veterans, along with students and some people suffering long-term unemployment. But who is counting, right?
Some of the 46% are people who are trying to make it but weren’t given the same opportunities as I was, and yes, I said given. I was taught at a young age that education is important. I was told from early on that I would go to college. And luckily, I was intelligent enough and studious enough to make that happen. I’m not saying that to be belittling. There are people that truly do not have the mental capacity to make enough to live comfortably in America. Don’t even get me started on the mentally ill who rely on government assistance. Do we really expect a paranoid schizophrenic to go out and get a job? My best friend’s sister-in-law has paranoid schizophrenia. I can tell you that remembering to eat or getting her to take her medications is a full time job.
Are there people who take advantage of the system? Of course. Anybody who has lived long enough knows that. But it really comes down to if you think people are intrinsically good or intrinsically bad. That’s the bottom line. If you think people are intrinsically good then you realize that sometimes people have no where else to turn except the government to help them. They are trying. If you think people are intrinsically bad, then you think that everyone is out to play the victim and get something for nothing. That’s it. That’s what it comes down to.
Mitt Romney made it clear what he believes. I’ll be voting for someone who sees the good.
source – source – source – photo source – photo source
Sarah
09/19/2012
A beautifully-written post.
I worked for a bit with profoundly impaired children. Many were on some type of assistance (food stamps, Medicaid, you name it). Their parents were some of the hardest working people I have never met. Imagine working full time and then taking care of a profoundly impaired child all night and weekend. They never had a break or a vacation.
I have yet– to this date– to meet someone who abused the system. I’m sure there’s someone out there. I’ve just never, never seen them. Missouri passed a bill a while back demanding drug tests before state assistance, and then nothing has been mentioned anywhere since. Crickets. Want to know why? Because people receiving assistance aren’t inherently bad people. In fact, they are doing a horrifically embarrassing, invasive, and time consuming thing (aka, the application process) in order to ensure their children have food, insurance, and utilities. That’s what good people do. They suck it up and make it happen, only to be rewarded with this type of vitriol.
I still want to challenge Romney to live like the 47% for a month. It’d be a learning experience, to be sure.
Nichole
09/19/2012
A-men! Romney wouldn’t last a week.
Andrea
09/19/2012
thank you. very well said. Romney is an entitled and pompous ass and I keep hoping he keeps opening his mouth because he is digging his own grave. that said, I am so offended. for me, but for every American.
I also apolgize for the long rant that is to follow. I’m just so fed up with this vilification of the poor.
it is a great lie that the majority of the poor are happy to be so. I am sure some people take advantage of the system, both at the top (ahem) and at the bottom. that’s human nature. but the truth is most people don’t delight in unemployment, don’t relish their lack of resources, don’t laugh when they struggle to feed their families. minimum wage does not support a family.
we are in an American caste system, where the poor are stuck in a cycle because they lack the resources to escape it. both my parents came from very, very little. and my dad only went to college through the GI bill. I watched him hold two jobs my entire life and sometimes still struggle to put food on the table because he was too proud to take assistance. I watched him go further and further in debt paying my mother’s medical bills when she lost her job due to disability. and I worked my own way through college and I work damn hard for my tiny paycheck and I still give back to my community where I can.
because it is our moral obligation to help those who are downtrodden! we have a responsibility to lift up those who cannot lift themselves up! I believe in an America that is by the people, for the people; not, for some of the people that we deem most worthy. whatever happened to, “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses?”
now those huddled masses are seen as entitled moochers. the wealthy take advantage of the system and villify those who make that possible. it’s the greatest con of our time.
Nichole
09/19/2012
Abso-fucking-lutely!
BuenoBaby
09/19/2012
I overheard the lady behind the deli counter tell her co-worker she needs to find more cleaning jobs. (Lazy 47-percenter!) Anyway, this got me thinking…I wonder how much the Romney’s pay their domestic help? (You know, the people that clean their toilets, mow their lawns and shovel Ann’s horse dung.) I wonder if they pay them enough so that those same people can “take responsibility and care for their lives” and pay federal income taxes.
Nichole
09/19/2012
I hope they are in the 47% who have already made up their minds and are voting for President Obama!
Angie Uncovered
09/19/2012
As a single mom with an income that puts government assistance out of reach, but paying the bills barely within reach, I find myself wanting a healthcare plan that doesn’t make me choose between feeding my kids $3 box dinners and medical bankruptcy. I work 2 jobs and try to live the dream (cough). I am part of the 47% that doesn’t make enough money for Mitt Romney to care about.
I find it difficult to grasp the logic in voting for someone who makes it clear that my vote doesn’t matter to him. I’ve been in enough shitty relationships to know that you don’t chase after someone who won’t chase after you.
Nichole
09/19/2012
Exactly! And I know a TON of people in similar shoes as you! According to Mitt, I don’t make enough either….He said middle class is $200,000-$250,000 a year. I’m a teacher. So divide that middle class salary by…… a lot. He’s just so out of touch.
Lance
09/20/2012
The problem with SOME rich people is their disconnectto those who unike them is so great, they don’t know how to deal with that.
The reason our American political system is broken is you have to be wealthy to be elected but the wealthy aren’t the most qualified to deal with American problems and ideas.
Good post.
Handflapper
09/20/2012
I read this while it was in the draft list, I read it last night, I read it again just now. It’s just depressing. What Lance said. No one who can represent me can get elected because I’m poor and poor people can’t make it in politics.
I didn’t used to be poor, but I’ve never been rich. But I can tell you, once you are poor, really poor, it’s next to impossible to claw your way up. It does take resources (mostly money) to make money.
There are lots and lots of people like me, and we’re not lazy, we’re not stupid, and many of us aren’t even receiving government assistance because it’s not worth suffering the indignity.
Romney doesn’t get, and worse, he doesn’t even care.
brahm (alfred lives here)
09/20/2012
Good post… it is astonishing to me when I see videos like this one; aside from my inherent mistrust of all polticians, i am still shocked when I see people who simply do not care about other people… and then they have the gall to run for office.
If this pompous windbag becomes president it will be a sad state for everyone.