Posted on 09/23/2012 5:09:02 PM PDT by Bratch
Anyone who has not seen Steve Flesher's What Romney Must Do should read it immediately. His major point is that the Republicans make a huge mistake by insulting "the 47%." Sure, there are welfare queens who barter food stamps for color TVs, serial collectors of unemployment, etc. etc. Similarly, there are incompetent teachers who rely on the union as a shield, and public employees who retire on the job.
But such parasites are uncommon. Most people who have become dependent on the government would rather not be. Because they have been reduced to a state of desperation, it is not surprising that they cling to the lifeline of government subsidies, and will vote against threats to the handout. Most dependents would rather regain control of their lives, and most public employees would like to be proud of their work. However, it is an axiom of history that those who are close to the edge of survival are always wary of any innovation that might go wrong.
Similarly, social security recipients do not see themselves as drones. They were forced to pay into the system for years, with 15% of their pay taken for Social Security and Medicare (counting the employers' payments, as one must). They were deprived of investment autonomy and opportunity, and now it would be strange if they were not exceedingly sensitive to any threat to their retirement.
The real problem is that the Obamacrats, abetted by the Republican establishment, have done serious damage to the economy, and are preventing people from earning the dollars necessary to control their own lives. The establishment then buys their votes with pennies in relief payments.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Posted on September 23 2012 - 2:59 PM - Posted by: Steve Flesher | Follow Steve on Twitter!
Over at American Thinker, Mr. James V. Delong wrote a thoughtful response to a piece of mine published over there as well:
Anyone who has not seen Steve Flesher’s What Romney Must Do should read it immediately. His major point is that the Republicans make a huge mistake by insulting “the 47%.” Sure, there are welfare queens who barter food stamps for color TVs, serial collectors of unemployment, etc. etc. Similarly, there are incompetent teachers who rely on the union as a shield, and public employees who retire on the job.
But such parasites are uncommon. Most people who have become dependent on the government would rather not be. Because they have been reduced to a state of desperation, it is not surprising that they cling to the lifeline of government subsidies, and will vote against threats to the handout. Most dependents would rather regain control of their lives, and most public employees would like to be proud of their work. However, it is an axiom of history that those who are close to the edge of survival are always wary of any innovation that might go wrong.
[…]
The real problem is that the Obamacrats, abetted by the Republican establishment, have done serious damage to the economy, and are preventing people from earning the dollars necessary to control their own lives. The establishment then buys their votes with pennies in relief payments.
This having happened, it is both foolish electoral strategy and inhumane to threaten to cut off the stream of pennies. As Flesher says, channeling Sarah Palin, the focus must be on economic revival that will end the need for the relief payments. All but a few want to avoid dependency, but they must have confidence that their leaders can chart a course to economic revival, and are not just a new group of looters.
[…]
Finally, one should read Flesher for his link to Conservatives4Palin. I had not been aware of this group, but it is clear that if the Republican brand is so damaged that the party cannot even defeat Obama, perhaps the worst president in U.S. history, then new electoral arrangements will become necessary. Palin is emerging as the most honest and sensible of the political lot, and whether or not she ever runs again as a candidate, she will be a king or queenmaker.
You can read the entire thing here.
In response to my piece which he discusses, some called me a “RINO” and accused me of slamming Mitt Romney. Basically all comments boiled down to the assumption that I don’t want Romney to win. Nothing could be further from the truth. As such, I thank Mr. Delong for helping to set the record straight.
Along with Governor Palin, we believe that it’s best for America if Barack Obama is defeated. That is why you will find constructive criticism against the way Romney is conveying the message of conservatism – especially in these parts. In order for Obama to lose, Romney has to win.
My intention was to demonstrate how the 47% of Americans who don’t pay taxes was made up largely by individuals who do not wish to be controlled by or dependent on the government. Even Democrats know this which is why they work so hard to further burden them with more shared misery. As liberals recently reminded us, the 47% were helped by Reagan in the 1980’s through the principles of conservatism. Today, they are suffering under Obama.
And unlike *some* Romney supporters who didn’t seem to understand the big picture in 2008 of preventing Obama from getting elected in the first place, we do understand why he must not be re-elected in 2012. It’s why we follow Governor Palin’s lead and wish Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan all the best in firing Obama.
As Governor Palin has suggested a few times, Romney and Ryan already have the Republican vote wrapped up. They now have to take their argument to the independents. Further, they have to provide hope for those in the 47% to believe in conservative principles. My suggestion to Romney was that he encourage and offer to include these folks hoping for a better future that we all want in lieu of making them feel like their votes are already decided and therefore should be given up on.
Conservatives don’t believe that. There’d be no point of running a campaign or working to convince people to vote for you if minds couldn’t be changed. Since he’s the party’s nominee, it is his responsibility to do it and I hope he does.
The good news is he still has a good amount of time before November to make it happen.
Notice he said Republicans?
“But such parasites are uncommon”
Wrong. There is a huge population that is gladly dependent and that will vote to stay so.
I'm afraid I'd have to disagree
Lost me right there. Go get tags for the car, or renew a license. Shop at Wal-Mart. Refutation right there.
/johnny
I have an entire Dictionary at my disposal for any Useful Idiot that Votes for Obama.
In 2008 we had 63 Million Voters suffering from mass Delusion fueled by Ignorance. If any of them Vote for Obama this year we will have mass Stupidity fueled by Willful Ignorance.
No matter how much you like Romney and oppose Obama, whenever Romney says something that reinforces that he is truly out of touch with the lower working middle class reality, the more many voters wince. The ‘middle class’ is not $250,000. Does he really understand what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. To have to cut out tv service, ride the bus, etc in order to make ends meet? Does he understand how inflation is eating away at dispoable income month by month? Does he know what an unexpected hospitalization can do to someone who is not offered insurance through work and how bankruptcy and refusal of followup treatment can follow?
Statements like the 47% statement and the $250,000 middle class one just focus a glaring light on the fact that he is wealthy, born of privilege and hasn’t a clue what most American voter’s fiscal realities are.
However, what he said did cheer me up a bit. Someone needed to say it.
I'm one of the impoverished you are talking about. My paychecks show up a couple of times a year, and I get by on what I have set aside. No government handouts like SS or Medicare or food stamps for me.
/johnny
[ Most people who have become dependent on the government would rather not be. ]
This is of course a blatant LIE..
If it wasn’t a lie, socialism would have self-destructed.. long ago..
Anyone spreading this blatant lie should be SLAPPED HARD..
URP proves this a lie.. over many generations..
Not only France but England and Germany.. need I say “Canada”..
The economy stinks. Unemployment is unbelievable. The rest of the world doesn’t just hate us, now they think we’re weak. The only thing Romney should have to do to win is make sure his name is on the ballot. Yet, that’s not enough. Why? Why would someone still vote for Obama? They can’t be thinking, and they’re not. You have to get their attention. I think Romney got their attention. We can’t keep going to every election knowing that the Democrats will automatically receive 47% of the vote by putting “(D)” behind their names. The Democrat voters have got to start thinking about where the money comes from that they receive. If we don’t change their minds now, when will we? We can’t keep skirmishing with the Democrats at every election. We have got to start fighting the “Deep” battle to shape the future. I hope that’s what the Republicans are doing.
Hoping for the GOP to do something smart is a long wait where the train don't come.
/johnny
We need to identify that our communication problem involves many of us... moderates, neo-cons, paleos, libertarians, and whatever we are. Most people do not talk like us.
And we seem to lie without really lying. Our side repeatedly says “Only the rich pay taxes”. The average non-political worker looks at pay stub deductions and concludes: “The Dems are right. The Republicans are liars.” These people are for tax cuts and vote Democrat because we fail to communicate.
You are exactly right.
I have friends who have nice homes (one couple has a home/business in Montana, a rental in the Bakken field, a getaway place in Arizona and are now buying a hunting cabin in Minnesota), horses, dogs, cats, extra vehicles, I-phones and theater-class movie screens, and pay and have always paid ZERO in income taxes.
Yet they rely on every federal program that most of us find ourselves caught up in, and many we don’t, including the EPA, Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife, Department of Ag, DOT, armed forces, etc. etc., etc.-—PRIDING THEMSELVES ON PAYING FOR NOTHING AND YET DERIDING AND LOATHING REPUBLICANS AS THE PARTY OF THE RICH.
As I see it they are mooching as much as any welfare queen and almost annoy me more because they consider themselves superior to the poor and holier than everyone else.
I know what you mean. Sometimes it seems like the Republican leadership is standing at the bus station waiting for the train.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.