He and I had had a rousing discussion on the topic a few nights before, as we soaked in the hot tub.
He grew up in a family business that has served a large population of Welfare Abusers, and, as such, didn’t see anything wrong with Romney’s 47 statement.
“I think it’s good,” he said, “but I’d argue one thing.”
I expected him to launch into another rant about how he agrees with Romney, that forty-seven percent of the population doesn’t pay income taxes, and are looking for handouts.
“Read that part about the two and three jobs, again.”
And that money is coming, in part, from the other caste of your 47 who don’t pay income taxes.
Those of us who work one, two or three jobs.
“Now read Romney’s quote, again.”
There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it — that that’s an entitlement. 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. … [M]y job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.
“If you work, you pay income taxes.”
I argued that we had, at a time in our married lives, fallen into the category of people who didn’t pay income tax.
“The government takes income tax out of every paycheck you receive and I pay self-unemployment tax every year.”
“But we’ve gotten refund checks,” I argued.
“Yeah, but we still paid in,” he said, “that money that we got back was because of Earned Income Credits we received. You don’t qualify for earned income credit if you don’t earnany money.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Checkmate.
“There’s nothing wrong with Romney’s statement. The only thing wrong with it is that I think it’s really going to hurt his campaign. He’s not talking about people like you and me and the millions of others who do work. He’s talking about those who do nothing and do expect free food and housing and electricity and health insurance.”
Well, folks, it’s gonna happen every now and again…
Warren was right. (Tongue in cheek, folks, tongue in cheek…)
I was wrong to jump into the emotional fray that really did take Romney’s statement out of context…
And I hate to say it, but no matter your party’s banner, this one’s kind of hard to deny…
Soon…