Romney Slams Obama Backers As Dependent On Government, Tax Dodgers

By Seema Mehta September 17, 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, speaking to donors at a closed-door fundraiser this year, said that supporters of President Obama failed to take personal responsibility for their lives, relied on government for their needs and paid no income tax.

“There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care of them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it,” Romney said in a videotaped speech to donors that was given to the news organization Mother Jones, which posted it online Monday.

“That's an entitlement," Romney said. "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.”

In the remarks, Romney said he had no hope of swaying those people to his side and would instead focus on unaligned voters.

"[M]y job is not to worry about those people,” Romney said, referring to Obama supporters. “I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

The Obama campaign immediately lashed out at Romney, saying that he had effectively written off half the population.

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what.”

“[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

I could be missing something, but I’m not seeing this as a disaster or anything. The media will try to rip him no matter what he says, but...

IF you’re an unmovable Obama voter, and you’re insulted by Romney’s remark, it doesn’t matter. Because you were never going to vote for him anyway (much of my family are these people, sadly). Could it up Obama’s base turnout? Meh. - don’t think so.

But if you’re a “gettable” independent who either has a job or desperately wants one, you’re just going to assume Romney isn’t talking about you. The 47% is someone else.

Not sure why an undecided would use this statement to orient them in such a fashion to be more likely to vote for Obama. If you have a scintilla of self-reliance and think the government is too intrusive (a majority still think so), why vote for Obama and deliberately align yourself with those other guys who are voting to keep the DC gravy train rolling? If you work for a living (or WANT to) you vote for Romney to show that you’re still one of those people that wants less government, not more. Why, out of spite, would you vote for Obama and align yourself with the people Romney’s talking about?

It’s almost like it’s a reverse psychology thing. “Prove you’re not a leech and vote Republican.”

Again, the average undecided voter will NEVER think Romney is talking about them when they think of the 47% in their heads. It’s always some other guy.

B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T stratagem!!!

Just think about the 47% right now. The leeches on the belly of the state tit. Sucking/leeches. Can you hear them?

This is like pouring salt on a slug right now. KEEP IT UP BOYS!

When there’s flak you are over the target.

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