Mitt Romney: 'I'm Not Concerned About The Very Poor'

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said on Wednesday that he's "not concerned about the very poor," citing the social safety net in place for that segment of the populace and adding that he's focused on the middle class.

"I'm in this race because I care about Americans. I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it," the Republican front-runner said Wednesday on CNN, following his victory in the Florida primary. "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."

CNN's Soledad O'Brien pressed him on his comments, adding that they may sound odd for Americans who are very poor.

"Well you had to finish the sentence, Soledad," he replied. "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.' The challenge right now -- 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."

"We have a very ample safety net," said Romney. "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."

Programs in the "safety net" are also suffering during the economic recession. Medicaid, for example faces cuts as states attempt to balance budgets at a time when more people are using the program. GOP lawmakers have also eyed cuts in food stamps as food prices rise, even though more Americans are using the the program as a consequence of the economic recession.

Romney's policies call for cutting federal spending and reconfiguring the social safety net. He calls for an immediate five-percent cut to non-discretionary spending, which would hit the safety net hard. He proposes turning Medicaid into a block grant program and undertaking a "fundamental restructuring of government programs and services." He also calls for capping spending at 20 percent of GDP -- a significant cut -- and adds that he "will pursue further cuts" as spending comes "under control."

Romney's statement is part of a pattern of previously poorly phrased remarks that give his competitors fodder to call the former Bain Capital founder -- who is worth between $190 million and $250 million -- out of touch with the economic recession.

"Don't try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom," he said last October in Las Vegas, the hardest-hit metro area by the foreclosure crisis.

In January, Romney said, "I like being able to fire people who provide services to me" to explain why he favored competition among health insurers. "If someone doesn't give me the good service I need, I want to say I am going to get somebody else to provide that service to me."

UPDATE: Reporters asked Romney about his comments Wednesday on a plane to Minneapolis. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no," he said, according to the AP. "No, no, no. You've got to take the whole sentence, alright, it's mostly the same." He repeated his previous comments about the safety net, and added that "if there are people that are falling through the cracks, I want to fix that."

"President Obama has destroyed the middle class. His policies have given us a stagnant economy, high unemployment, declining wages, increase in poverty, and record amounts of new debt," said Romney spokesperson Andrea Saul Wednesday. "President Obama is so detached from what is happening in the real world that he finds it hard to believe an unemployed engineer can't find a job. President Obama calls the plight of the unemployed 'interesting.' Mitt Romney calls it 'inexcusable.' We look forward debating President Obama on how his policies have failed the middle class."

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Comments

[turkeyfish]

04:25 PM on 05/12/2012

"My focus is on middle income Americans".

Since Romney is not concerned with the very poor as they are coping just fine with the programs already put in place, but which the Romney/Ryan budget intends to eliminate, but rather on the middle class, not only because his proposed budget leaves them out as well with respect to the benefits from tax cuts targeted primarily at the top 0.1%, but because a vulture capitalist like Mitt Romney sees them as his next meal.

I don't know what part of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount Angel Moroni may have missed, but which ever part it was, it would seem that a man of Mitt Romney's wealth finds himself in yet another awkward position.

[Cam Brunner]

07:14 PM on 03/20/2012

Mitt Romney ....................“Romney and his wife had a net worth of between $190 and $250 million, most of it held in blind trusts. An additional blind trust existed in the name of the Romneys' children and grandchildren that was valued at between $70 and $100 million as of 2007. The couple's net worth remained in the same range as of 2011, and was still held in blind trusts. A substantial portion of these assets – between $20.7 million and $101.6 million, as of 2011 – are held in an individual retirement account (IRA). By 2010 and 2011, Romney and his wife were receiving about $21 million a year from investment income.”

[inthelightusa]

05:17 PM on 03/13/2012

IF THIS MAN IS NOMINATED I., MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, ASSOCIATES WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM I DO NOT LIKE HIS NEGATIVE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHOOSING A WRITE IN CANIDATE

[mel2012]

11:37 AM on 03/19/2012

Finally someone is saying the right thing. Thank you.

[b girl]

09:43 AM on 03/25/2012

Rachel Maddow said it best when she brought up all the lies that this man has said he is a liar and if any republican vote for him they deserve what they get. He says and does things to suite his needs not the rest of the free world. Mitt's campaign manager got it right when he said that he will etch a sketch his campaign ideas. This man has been time and time again shown to lie right to the american people and they think he is going to change NO WAY!!!! I say to the republicans keep voting these people in office and they will finish the job of Bush we will be in a depression. Their healthcare that they put out strips medicaid,medicare, cuts all social programs, gives massive cuts to the rich and allows the companies to keep their jets and bonuses. Where does that factor in with the middleclass????

[charismaexpert]

03:28 AM on 03/10/2012

The 2012 Republican Presidential Primaries has definitely turned into a horse race, but Mitt Romney appears to be the party’s preferred candidate. As of March 8, 2012, A Real Clear Poll shows President Obama beating Romney 49.2% to 44.8%. However, Romney has not inspired the enthusiasm that a Clinton, Obama, and even a George W. Bush candidacy once did. Romney’s uninspired candidacy will be under further attack against Obama’s marketing machine that stars an incumbent that is battle tested and even more electrifying.

If Romney is to compete against Obama’s marketing muscle, he will have to enhance his charisma by speaking with specificity. Although charismatic leaders are noted for passionate and effective oratory, it is their ability to speak with specificity and detail that makes them magnetic. By providing clear, precise, and practical information, individuals are able to see their role in an overarching vision. If Romney begins breaking a mission down step-by-step with passionate oratory that speaks to the long term manifestation of an idea, he will not only free voters of ambiguity, he will inspire them to create options to the mission that he may not have considered. In the end, clear and concise communication is used as a motivational device.



Edward Brown
Core Edge Image & Charisma Institute
http://www.core-edge.com



Reference(s)

Real Clear Politics (2012). 2012 general election results. Retrieved from: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html

[Jamie Hankins]

04:24 AM on 05/24/2012

Don't help the guy... Haha!

[srgwriter]

06:41 PM on 02/17/2012

Here is the deal. The government has been propping up the economy, not letting it run it's course for a decade now. They lowered their interest rates to boost the economy in the early 2000s, triggering the housing boom, people can afford more house, also triggering more debt boom, people can buy more on credit. Eventually, it all had to come down. Had the government not tried to manipulate the economic cycle as they had we would not be here. And they are still doing it! Pre W. the national debt was at 6 trillion, when Obama took over it was at 10 trillion, and now it is at 15 trillion. The politicians and the voters need to stop the arguing, and "team" politics and look at reality, tell the country the tough news, and worry about more than the next 5 years(their next re-election), because we really can't keep going at this rate. We are reaching the end of this.

[Trusting Him]

12:47 AM on 02/16/2012

I lived next door to a woman who rented a townhouse condo simular to the one my husband and I owned (and still own). We were (and still are) struggling to get by with 2 children (we hoped to have 3 but couldn't afford it). The woman next door had 5 children with 3 different men, none of whom she was married to, although she did marry an old high shool boyfriend just before she moved out (about 3 years ago - I heard they split up soon after). My kids played with her kids sometimes. I bought Christmas presents for her kids. She had everything paid for by the government: rent, gas, electric, garbage and food stamps for food. I live in California and this is why the state is going broke. I agree we need to help those WHO TRULY NEED HELP more, but having kid after kid and getting it all paid for is wrong. The answer is not ultimately government (too much corruption and abuse) but giving. BUT we need to have enough to give. My husband and I are just trying to hold on as it is.

[drachold]

08:46 AM on 02/09/2012

mobster

[bcwsport]

02:05 AM on 02/09/2012

Trolls, you will not get a pardon. You live in the realm of pathos, you are meaningless to us.Take a nap. The adults in the room will deal with the issues at hand.The people bloging in this forum care about humanity. If you have something constructive to say, please do. If you do not....zip your lip or it will be zipped for you. DO NOT mistake kindness for weakness.

[Monique Vargas]

08:07 PM on 02/08/2012

I am an independent but I am really starting to resent the democratic party. This is so dumb. It clear that he was pointing out that the focus needs to be the middle class because they are the key to turning the economy around. He did not mean to say that he does not care about the poor. Take a look on youtube and you will see that Obama and Biden have said similar things. At least republicans talk about real issues , instead of going crazy over things like this that we all know he did not really mean. It is such a non issue. Its not worth talking about. What we need to talk about is real ways of fixing the economy and how to fuel the middle class into action.

[bcwsport]

01:32 AM on 02/09/2012

you are Not a Dem.... so shut you face.

[Suepsyd]

09:10 AM on 02/10/2012

I AM a Dem and have never yet seen the politician that is left enough for me. I agree with Monique. There are SO many real debacles in Repub thoughts and actions that taking this comment out of context ("finish the sentence") makes Libs look petty and stupid. It also unnecessarily and understandably turns off independents.

[Jimmycrackcorn99]

10:08 PM on 03/18/2012

"At least republicans talk about real issues" like abortion, porn, women's rights, hiring kids to do janitorial jobs, contraception, etc.

Troll.

[kimhdimino]

05:50 PM on 02/08/2012

You people are fools. Trying to take any slip of the tongue to create a monster. I think its obvious to anyone with common sense that he does care about the poor by that african american lady who he helped out financially. Of course in that case the Democrats attacked him for that and then they got all over the black lady for not being racist ,and wanting to vote for Romney.. I am an Independent and am realizing that the left are guilty of everything that they accuse the right of doing. They consider themselves "open minded" and "non judgemental', ect. I am beginning to see it the other way around. The Democrats are desperate witch hunters because their president does not have a factual and realistic leg to stand on.

[mel2012]

11:29 AM on 03/19/2012

Mitt only helped the African American lady for his image. He is only trying to win anyway he can. This is not a religious forum but he belongs to a religion where black people were forbidden to be bishops in the church. It is not the case anymore but they still do not allow women to be bishops in the church. If he belongs to something like that who knows what else goes into his mind. I am for progress and a man that believes in women's limitations is not for me. Besides, his supreme Prophet is the real leader here not Romney. The are bound to do anything the prophet says.

[blockcaptain007]

12:29 PM on 02/07/2012

stop your crying and get a job you did this to your self poor lazy people so many different ways to make money you poor lazy people need to get off welfare nobody owes you anything

[kimhdimino]

05:59 PM on 02/08/2012

Love it. Finally someone who is not part of this herd of sheep

[bcwsport]

01:31 AM on 02/09/2012

you are in need of some punishing realism. I am game.

[kidphaco]

09:45 AM on 02/07/2012

I am not concerned about the very poor! Why? Is it because they have no voice, no allies, or clout. Is it that you just don't see them as important Mr. Romney. Many of the poor have already fallen. It is too late fore the safety net; they need a hand up or a rung to grab onto.

The poor in our countries have been shut out of our minds and driven from the mainstream of our societies, because we have allowed them to become invisible.  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.,

[mel2012]

11:23 AM on 03/19/2012

It is because I think middle class people are more likely to vote than poor people. He is really greedy that guy. Isnt he Christian after all? Arent Christians supposed to care about the poor???

[Mrs Robinsons]

07:11 PM on 02/04/2012

Live from New York...

Its Saturday Night!

[James Titus]

04:16 PM on 02/04/2012

Mr. Romney, I just this morning read an article about folks up in main living on social security and about the oil company who supplies these people with home heating oil. This poor man cannot deliver oil to customers because they cannot pay and are indeed behind a couple of months on their Home heating bills. These people are poor and do not have a safety net. $1200 dollars a month is not a safety net. Mr. Romney a lot of people in the U.S. are in the same boat. I am not a proponent of Mr. Obama's programs however when you open your mouth and out comes statements like the poor have a safety net. I fear we may have four more years of an ungodly man in the white house.

[b girl]

02:21 AM on 02/05/2012

well that is the way he deal with the poor he doesn't care!

[GUITFIDDEL]

02:28 PM on 02/04/2012

And this is the BEST the GOP and their voters have to offer. They should be shamed of themselves if they had any common sense but, according to a new study by Dr. Gordon Hodson....Oh, well.