Romney/Ryan, wrong for U.S.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and his running-mate Paul Ryan, are wrong for America. Wrong because they hate Americans. Well, maybe not all Americans, but at least 47 percent of us.

Chances are you have heard about the bombshell dropped on the U.S. political world this week when liberal news outlet Mother Jones released video footage of Romney speaking at a private fundraising event in May.

In the video, Romney said, “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’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.”

Since the founding of our nation, politicians have commonly called each other names and attacked each other’s character and intelligence. What’s far less common is attacking the U.S. voting population directly, as Romney has done here. A candidate ought to try and appeal to everyone, even those he expects won’t vote for him. Calling us too foolishly dependent is outrageous.

If you aren’t outraged by these comments you ought to be. Despite Romney’s attempt to cast the 47 percent as government moochers, the facts say otherwise. (Most of the 47 percent pay payroll tax, property tax, and sales tax.) The 47 percent includes many students, the elderly, military veterans, and families with children who don’t make much money. The 47 percent also includes many conservatives and Republicans.

Apart from the elderly, all of these groups are well represented on college campuses across the country, as well as here at CSC. Romney’s statement bashes even those who are likely to vote for him!

Despite being a notorious flip-flopper, when asked to comment on these statements, Romney only admitted he they “were not elegantly stated.” This sentiment was echoed later by Ryan.

It doesn’t matter how he said it, what matters is Romney and Ryan agree that 47 percent of us are useless moochers who don’t deserve to be wooed as voters, or even considered legitimate citizens.