I hate to admit when Governor Mitt Romney is correct. But when he said 47% of Americans are dependent on government, I have to face the facts. Romney had it right.
He just understated the claim by 53%.
After all, 100% of us are dependent on government, and it’s been that way for the entire history of the nation. One hundred percent of us are dependent on publicly funded national defense, roads, highways, bridges, police, fire, water, sewage, environment and health protections and education. We can’t compete and succeed without those things. We are dependent.
But despite Mr. Romney’s bitter private preaching to his special interest congregation, my fellow Americans don’t need to hang their heads in shame for collecting Social Security and Medicare after a lifetime of supporting their neighbors on Social Security and Medicare. I’m proud to support them, just as I’m confident younger generations of Americans will be proud to support me when I reach that stage of life.
Likewise, my fellow Americans who served in the military don’t have to hang their heads in shame for using a broad array of expensive VA government services. We non-veterans have their backs, because that’s what patriotic Americans who love their country do for each other.
Americans don’t have to apologize for not being able to do their own police work, firefighting, consumer protection, public health, and educating while holding down a job. We Americans will get those important tasks done, together as a community, through our democratically elected government.
Americans who pay a high proportion of their income in sales, payroll, property, and sin taxes don’t have to apologize for not paying one form of taxation, the income tax. We know that those Americans are contributing too, even if they can’t always afford to contribute as much as the most successful Americans.
No, Mr. Romney, we Americans are all in this together, and we want it that way. That’s why 78% of Americans oppose cutting Medicare, and public opinion support for most type of government services remains high. That seems to be the biggest thing you just don’t understand about the nation you propose to lead.
Yes, we Americans also bring personal responsibility, talents and drive to our lives, and those things are central to our individual and national achievements. Those personal traits are absolutely necessary components of our success. But they are not sufficient components. We also need to band together as a community to accomplish things that we can’t achieve on our own.
So again, Governor Romney is correct when he says 47% of us are dependent on government. He is 47% right, and 53% wrong. Let’s give him that much credit.
– Loveland
Note: This post was also featured as one of the “best of the best” blogs by Minnpost’s Blog Cabin feature.
GREAT Commentary. Funny thing is that I know one millionaire who claims to have only paid federal income tax once since the Bush Tax Cuts of 2001 as he, like Mitt, makes most of his money off investments and operates a business to offset gains against losses (remember Ann Romney’s horse business produces a nice tax offset).
That said, there were some other more troubling aspects than the 47% comment …
“We are having a much harder time with Hispanic voters, and if the Hispanic voting bloc becomes as committed to the Democrats as the African-American voting bloc has in the past, why, we’re in trouble as a party and, I think, as a nation.”
Read that again … WE are in trouble as a NATION if Hispanic voters participate in elections.
Romney is asked about the “Palestinian problem.” He gives a detailed, though somewhat rambling, response and says, “the Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace,” “the pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish,”
Palestinians are “committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel” and that the prospects for a two-state solution to Mideast peace were dim.
Palestinian lawmaker and scholar Hanan Ashrawi accused Romney of “destroying the chances for peace” and called his remarks “irresponsible and dangerous and both ignorant and prejudiced.”
SideNote : While Romney’s comment about the 47% — “my job is not to worry about those people” — may discourage some people, isn’t it good to know that John Kline plans to represent all the people … remember his comment after the Court reconfigured the district boundaries :
“While no map is perfect and analysis of the new boundaries continues, it appears redistricting efforts will preserve the best interests of Minnesotans while reflecting the changing demographics of our state,” said John Kline. “Regardless of your home address and what congressional district you live in, we are all conservatives who love liberty and freedom and shudder to think what could befall our nation if the current Administration gets another four years to work its will. The consequences at stake in November are too important to ignore.”
That’s the GOOD NEWS … in Kline’s Mind, we are all Conservatives