Well, folks, we've finally got the inside look at Mitt Romney we have all been waiting for. But it wasn't the exploration into his "human side" that everyone was expecting. Instead, we learned something else: There is a 47 percent chance that Mitt really doesn't like you.
In a leaked video of Romney talking to a group of wealthy donors, he conceded that 47 percent of the country will vote for Obama no matter what, and that "My job is not to worry about those people." These "people," he says, pay no income tax, are "dependent on government," and "believe that they are victims." In Romney's view, he can "never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
I'm not so quick to jump on the critical bandwagon because, after all, Mitt's right. Some people are dependent on government. These are likely people who, unlike Mitt, didn't care enough about their lives to be born to a wealthy, prominent father who was able to pay for two degrees at Harvard and provide for their every need.
And Mitt's also right that those same people are happy to collect food stamps and feed themselves with $150 per month. Those same people probably love getting laid off and supporting a family on unemployment benefits. Mitt's right: being poor and depending on the government to keep yourself and your family alive is awesome!
After all, Mitt does have some credibility on this topic. He knows very well how dependable one can be on the government: he was sure to take advantage of the carried interest loophole in the tax code that allowed him to pay less federal income tax than many middle income families.
In fact, if you take into account all tax credits, deductions and exemptions in our tax code, you find that 67 percent of those who benefit are in the top fifth of incomes. On the other hand, when looking at the programs that perpetuate the so-called dependance Mitt is talking about -- Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, housing assistance -- you see that only a third of the benefits go to those in the bottom fifth of incomes. Maybe we should listen to Mitt, because as a really rich guy, he knows better than anyone what it's like to benefit from government.
Regardless, Mitt's right, everyone: It's time we stand up to all these poor, suffering Americans and ruin their fun.