Posted on 02/01/2012 8:41:49 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Fresh off his big win in Florida Tuesday night, Mitt Romney made the most stunningly stupid remark of his campaign.
“I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there,” Romney said in an interview with CNN's Soledad O'Brien this morning. “If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of the America, the 90 percent, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.”
"There are lots of very poor Americans who are struggling who would say, 'That sounds odd,'" O'Brien replied.
"Well, finish the sentence, Soledad," Romney said. "I said I'm not concerned about the very poor that have a safety net, but if it has holes in it, I will repair them. We will hear from the Democrat party, the plight of the poor. And there's no question, it's not good being poor, and we have a safety net to help those that are very poor. But my campaign is focused on middle-income Americans. You can choose where to focus, you can focus on the rich. That's not my focus. You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus. My focus in on middle income Americans. Retirees living on Social Security, people who can't find work, folks that have kids that are getting ready to go to college. These are the people most badly hurt during the Obama years. We have a very ample safety net and we can talk about whether it needs to be strengthened or whether there are holes in it. But we have food stamps, we have Medicaid, we have housing vouchers, we have programs to help the poor. But the middle income Americans, they're the folks that are really struggling right now and they need someone that can help get this economy going for them.”
It's obvious that Romney's statement that he's "not concerned about the very poor" is incredibly tone-deaf. A candidate can say he's "focused" on the middle class without saying he's "not concerned" about the very poor, just as a candidate can say he's "focused" on the economy without saying he's "not concerned" about national security or even less vital issues like education.
But Romney's remark isn't merely tone-deaf, it's also un-conservative. The standard conservative argument is that a conservative economic agenda will help everyone. For the poor, that means getting as many as possible back on their feet and working rather than languishing as wards of the welfare state.
And then of course there are the poor who will rely on the safety net even in good times. Romney isn't sure if the safety net is in need of repair, but for the poor, Medicaid is a dysfunctional system because of federal regulation. So Republicans are united behind the proposal to block-grant the program back to the states--not just to save money but to help the poor. School choice is another conservative program designed to help poor children flourish.
Medicare and Social Security--programs Romney promised to protect the other night--are the two huge safety net programs, and they are being threatened by runaway spending. To be anti-debt is to be anti-poverty. As Congressman Paul Ryan says, when a debt crisis hits the elderly and the poor are hit the first and the worst.
Had Mitt Romney picked up his conservatism sooner, perhaps he would know these arguments by heart.
He’s a gaffe machine. I can’t believe so many Republicans have been tricked into believing this idiot is the only shot at winning in November. That’s the only reason people are voting for him according to exit polls. How well will that “platform” stand up when his [lack of] principles are made of sand? Ridiculous.
I’ve heard Romney called a lot of things, but never that.
You can bet that IF Newt had said this, the media and internet would have been all over it. He would then be forced into what you refer to as "school yard arguing."
Romney doesn't care about the poor, because of the safety net?! Remember when people talked about this country as "the land of opportunity." That extended to the poor, as well.
We don't only need jobs and the economy straightened out, we need someone that can inspire. Romney fails at that.
More Big Government, goody! /sarc
I’m not concerned about the very poor either! In fact I believe that the tax code is lopsided. Those making less should pay more so they’ll try harder to succeed at ANYTHING other than collecting food stamps and government handouts!
Perhaps the dismally poor are just stupid!
Yes. Conservatism is a foreign language to him. Even Soledad O’Brien seemed surprised, and basically gave him a prompting and a second chance to modify his words.
I should have written Arrogant Bastard. I’m not talking about the beer, the beer is great, Romney, not so much!
My agreement with him on the deeply poor (our EBT society) stops at the sentiment that they are afforded EVERY opportunity and chance at money they did not earn.
I hold no misconceptions that Romney would choose to continue this despicable practice (paying the poor to be poor while stealing from hard working taxpayers).
I’m not sure what Newt would do in this case, but Romney’s tacit acknowledgement indicates to me that this group will be pandered to instead of being forced to get out and work is a real eye-opener for me.
I am sick of seeing able bodied, YOUNG men and women, at WalMart spitting out that goddamned EBT card for their junk food purchases merely because baby-daddy don’t have a job and couldn’t use a rubber.
“Hello, Gov Romney? Yes, this is Barack Obama’s campaign manager. Listen, I just wanted to thank you for giving us the one ad that we will be able to loop on radio and television 24/7. I really do appreciate it!”
He misses the essence of what being conservative is because he's a big government MANAGER!
Exactly. My take as well.
What is that photo from? What is the context?
Play WHAT?!?!??!?! over and over again?
Ahem. Don't ya sometimes wish we had an edit function on FR?
Yes, he’ll be crucified for this, but I understand what he is saying about the VERY poor. The very poor are often mentally impaired and will always be there, as a Wise Person once said. And Mitt pointed out we do have a safety net.
I hope Newt won’t go off on this red herring. Newt needs to contrast his far superior economic plan to Romney’s anemic one.
He desperately needs to hire you as a speech consultant.
Reagan ALWAYS spoke of the safety net. And to the next poster, I am not a Romney supporter never was. I will, however, support the nominee.
Do you not like that if Newt wins?
I’ve defended Newt here as well, many many times.
Romney, “I’m not concerned about the very poor.” Newt, just play that clip over and over and over again, just play the clip!
Rush is hitting it hard right now.
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