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Romney sticks to his guns on the 47%: Sometimes the truth hurts
Washington Times ^ | 09/20/2012 | Andrew Napolitano

Posted on 09/20/2012 5:23:36 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

As readers of this column and viewers of Fox News Channel may know, I have not hesitated to criticize Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and the governor himself. I have argued that his message is muddled and his values are unknown beyond his ardent wish to improve economic conditions through the use of free-market mechanisms rather than central economic planning, a position with which I agree entirely.

I have also maintained that his willingness to abandon, or not to accept, first principles has made these questions reasonable: If Mr. Romney is elected president, which Mitt Romney will show up for work on Jan. 20, 2013? Will it be the Romney who ran to the left of Ted Kennedy in 1994, the Romney who governed Massachusetts as Mario Cuomo governed New York, or the Romney who now claims to be a “severe” (his word) conservative? Will it be the Romney who spent the entire presidential primary season assuring conservative Republican primary voters that he’ll dismantle Obamacare on “Day One” (his phrase), or the Romney who told reporters last week that he approves of a limited federal role in managing health care? Or will it be the Romney who, when caught by the press saying something not intended for public consumption but demonstrably true, sticks to his guns?

A few months ago, at a private fundraiser, Mr. Romney spoke to supporters and contributors and observed that 47 percent of Americans do not pay any income tax, and thus his call for not raising taxes (though he wants to eliminate some familiar deductions, which is the functional equivalent of raising some folks’ taxes) will not resonate with the voters in that group.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: romney; tax; taxes
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1 posted on 09/20/2012 5:23:39 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

‘bout time someone said it


2 posted on 09/20/2012 5:24:55 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: SeekAndFind

I think it’s really effective, and you can tell by the Dems’ reaction to this. Even the PHILLY INQUIRER, for Pete’s sake, framed it on the cover as “Mitt vs. Moochers.” Wow. You can’t ask for a better alignment.


3 posted on 09/20/2012 5:26:06 AM PDT by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually (Hendrix))
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To: SeekAndFind

needs to stop calling seniors entitlements. Dems are telling seniors “you are just an entitlement to Romney”..it may scare them.


4 posted on 09/20/2012 5:29:40 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: yldstrk

47% was not correct when Hannity went off on his rants for the last half year ~ and it’s still not correct. So, tell us what you think is correct


5 posted on 09/20/2012 5:30:38 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: LS

The funny thing about the Philly Enquirer headline,
they are leftist/communists, and they think that such a headline will hurt Mitt.

The “out of touchness” of the left is going to be magnified over this issue.

Most people don’t like and don’t want to be non-productive mooching “takers”.

The left has successfully branded their dependence agenda as “freeing”, as in, you’re free to not work and still eat.

But people have the concept of “you have to work to eat” written deep in their hearts, and know it to be true, even if some rebel against it.


6 posted on 09/20/2012 5:32:30 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter knows whom he's working fors)
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To: yldstrk

On balance this has been a homerun for Romney, even the Rachel Maddows who normally who would be foaming at the mouth are tepidly touching this one. They know it’s true, that Obama’s core constituency is white trash, illegals and hood rats, throw in another 20% of addled college kids, pointed headed intellectuals, upper middle class Prius driving neutered men and their harpy wives,gays that is the Obama vote. The diarrhea soup of morons, mooches and the mad


7 posted on 09/20/2012 5:33:43 AM PDT by pburgh01
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To: SeekAndFind

I think the media is upset on two points.

A.) Romney refused to apologize. By Romney apologizing media could have hammered him for nefarious/closed door secret motives (unwilling to say publicly). By doubling down, it makes Romney appear more resolute and ready to fight against Obama’s collectivism-centered society.

B.) Deep down the media knows this frames the debate more succinctly - dependency vs self reliance. And they realize America is a center-right country - especially relative to welfare, big government, etc.


8 posted on 09/20/2012 5:33:56 AM PDT by nhwingut (Sarah Palin 12... No One Else)
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To: pburgh01

good description.


9 posted on 09/20/2012 5:40:37 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: muawiyah

what is your hostility about? If you have a different figure let us all in on it, don’t just play keep away


10 posted on 09/20/2012 5:42:38 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: nhwingut

Also this through the MSM for a loop, Republicans usually get MORE liberal as the election approaches, this was a decided tack towards the right for Romney. I know many here thinks its BS but speaking form pure political strategy it was brilliant. Granted the tape was aired by the Obama camp, MN stepped right in it. I think over ther next week, Zero’s camp will want to get back the Mitts tax returns. Do you hear of any ads being made with the 47% comment..NOOOOOO. They are not that stupid, they don’t want to get into that big picture debate, its loses every time. I see though last night Fox and the others in the tank for O are back to peddling..”Polls show Romney is doomed” meme. I heard a guest on MSNBC complain almost naming FR, that “Hardcore Republicans” are ignoring polls and ignoring the media. They are actually mad that out here in the alternative media we are openly calling them liars and cheerleaders. We see the Matrix.

We don’t buy all your polls, we are going to out work and out hustle your messiah, your candidate is going to be beaten and face his defeat on a rainy Grant Park stage. Wondering secretly WTF happened.


11 posted on 09/20/2012 5:47:54 AM PDT by pburgh01
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To: pburgh01

I hope you don’t mind me plagerizing and poaching your post. I want to use it on another poly board.


12 posted on 09/20/2012 5:51:22 AM PDT by tshaun
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To: SeekAndFind

thanks, Mother Jones, for inadvertently helping Mitt break out of the media envelope


13 posted on 09/20/2012 5:53:02 AM PDT by Puddleglum (http://www.facebook.com/paulhawkinsauthoradventurerexplorer)
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To: MrB

I maintain, and I think Romney believes and is counting on the fact, that many in that 47% are the “proud” poor who WANT to work and are champing at the bit to get off welfare, the Jimmy Braddock types who repaid his welfare money during the Great Depression. It may only be 5%, but that’s a helluva lot and turns a close race into an electoral landslide.


14 posted on 09/20/2012 6:13:44 AM PDT by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually (Hendrix))
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To: dalebert

I think their fear of being called “entitlements” pales in comparison to their fear of Obamacare and the Death Panels.


15 posted on 09/20/2012 6:14:39 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: pburgh01
I heard a guest on MSNBC complain almost naming FR, that “Hardcore Republicans” are ignoring polls and ignoring the media. They are actually mad that out here in the alternative media we are openly calling them liars and cheerleaders. We see the Matrix.

I don't think we are ignoring the polls. What they don't get is we are no longer falling for their BS relative to oversampling Dems.

It doesn't take a genius in probability and statistics to realize that a poll is useless if its sample is not reflective of the likely voter demo.

It's not a matter of believing this poll or that poll. It all comes down to turnout. If it is anything less than D+5, I say Romney wins. If it is D+5 or greater, Obama wins.

I personally think it's going to be a dead even turnout (like in 2004) and Obama will lose in a landslide.
16 posted on 09/20/2012 6:21:42 AM PDT by nhwingut (Sarah Palin 12... No One Else)
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To: nhwingut

I hope that you are right. However, doesn’t the “likely voters” aspect of polling take into consideration the turnout element (although the oversampling of D’s still skews the polls in their favor)?


17 posted on 09/20/2012 6:29:28 AM PDT by NCLaw441
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To: SeekAndFind

You can make a Conservative angry by lying but it is the truth that makes a liberal mad.


18 posted on 09/20/2012 6:47:11 AM PDT by JayAr36 ( Political Correctness is the death sentence for America.)
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To: pburgh01

This is the best synopsis that I have read regarding the 47%. Great job!


19 posted on 09/20/2012 8:43:19 AM PDT by Shane (When Injustice Becomes Law, RESISTANCE Becomes DUTY.----T.Jefferson)
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To: SeekAndFind
Sometimes the truth hurts

If you want to piss of a Conservative tell him a lie.

If you want to piss off a liberal tell him the truth.

20 posted on 09/20/2012 3:03:15 PM PDT by MosesKnows (Love many, Trust few, and always paddle your own canoe)
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