There are times that I’m brimming with optimism about the future. Other days, I am nearly resigned to the idea that American culture and civilization is doomed.
A couple of days ago, Mitt Romney was addressing some people at a fundraiser dinner. His remarks were secretly filmed. He 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 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.”
Before I go any further, you need to know that I find both Romney AND Obama to be repugnant. I won’t be voting for either.
“Romney to Half of US: Not My Job To Worry About You”
“Romney: It’s Not My Job To Worry About The Poor”
“Romney Dismisses Those Dependent on Public Aid”
“Can’t Worry About Those Who Think They Are Victims: Romney”
“Romney Blames ‘Those People’ for What America Has Become”
These are just a few of the headlines swarming around like angry wasps today. The media has been having a hey day with this statement. Because the media is dependent upon advertiser dollars to stay in business, the actions of the mainstream media is a fascinating barometer of what they expect the majority of American’s opinions will be. Any time the mainstream media opens it’s mouth, it’s placing a bet that it will be appealing to the majority of Americans.
I really don’t care what Romney said. Presidential candidates say all kinds of bullshit on the campaign trail that has zero relationship to how they actually carry out the office of President.
I’m concerned about this bet that the mainstream media is placing. Do you see it? The mainstream media is betting that this Romney’s statement actually DOES apply to a majority of the public, and they are now essentially saying,
“This Romney guy believes that you should have to take care of yourself. He believes that the Government shouldn’t have to feed, clothe, house, and medicate you! How insulting! You deserve better than that. It’s obvious that he must be defeated in the polls this November, you’ll be voting against Romney, won’t you?”
This is pandering in its most disgusting form. What’s wrong with a leader that asks people to do a little bit better for themselves? What’s wrong with a leader that openly discourages people from unnecessarily sucking on the teet of the system? The main stream media is placing bets that most Americans will find such a leader repulsive, is a very dark prophecy.
There’s an old book that was written in the late 1800’s, describing the trajectory of an old civilization that was democratic in nature:
“For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.” – Helaman 5:2
I know some of you want to argue with me about kindness, compassion, and taking care of the poor. There’s no argument to be had. I believe that it’s very important to help out those who are in need. We all agree on this. The heart of the welfare state debate comes down to beliefs about human nature. Some feel that if we just relied on the good will of people to volunteer their time and money to help those in need, there would be plenty to go around. Some people feel that it wouldn’t work, that not enough people would step up and help. This is a very dim, pessimistic view of humanity. These people feel that everyone should be forced to “contribute” (at gun point – avoid paying your taxes for long enough and men with guns will show up to force you to pay) to the welfare of their fellow man.
Welfare or volunteer.
Fear or love.
???
What do you believe the fundamental nature of your neighbor is?
Are people basically decent, or are people selfish and mean?
The media has placed it’s bet about you. Are you offended?
2 comments
hmmm… the 47% isn’t just loafers and freeloaders that Romney is trying to get to pull their bootstraps up, tax exempt personnel in the military, children (there’s alot of them) and families who pay their taxes, but get it back in deductions. Or families or individuals who don’t make enough to pay taxes. To me a leader needs to show in his words and actions that he cares about the multiple interests of the nation – not – in the interests of a small percentage of them. There truly is a lesser and a greater evil and in this case I strongly believe that Romney is the greater evil. Romney has shown in this statement and others, and most times he opens his asinine mouth that his interests do not represent the people, but the good ol’ boys. Folks like him. Who did it all themselves. Without any other people. Without anyone working for them, giving them money to go to college, giving them stock so they could pay their rent. Without anyone so much as making them a F#*&ing Latte. (Or in this case “Hot Chocolate”.
We’re all interdependent. An essential function of government IS the redistribution of wealth. That’s what it was made for. Who makes the roads, who pays for public schools? Do you pay for the road that’s just right outside of your house? Nope it’s redistributed. It’s – how – that wealth is redistributed that’s the issue. Romney want’s to (classic Republican platform) cut taxes for the rich, and heap a bit more on the poor while cutting government programs that take care of them. Personally I’d rather not have to a higher percentage of taxes so that people like Romney can pay less. Poor little Romney millionaire and millionaire buddies… let me carry your burden. Whoops, got sick from the extra stress from the extra job I had to pick up to make up for the extra taxes, good thing you were there to repeal Obamacare. Well… guess I’ll “try to be like Jesus” and die for your sins.
America has an incredible potential for good, and an incredibly nasty shadow side.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
Does Romney understand even an iota of what this quote, found on the statue of liberty, means? I’m sure he’s thought long and hard about this when thinking up his “Self-Deportation” attitude towards illegal immigrants. The world is in crisis. It’s imperative that we have someone in office who will not destroy our fragile foreign relations with the world. It’s essential that we have someone in office who actually sees that the world is in crisis. Someone who doesn’t chuckle disbelievingly about the environment being in trouble in his RNC speech. Our species is up shit creek and we don’t need someone who still believes we’re skipping along on dry land, and certainly not someone who’s likely to start poking holes in the bottom of the boat, or making first class leg room by throwing the poor overboard.
This is an age old question, isn’t it! I believe (sadly) that people only really care about something/someone if it links them with a hit-home belief. Such as….donating to an organization only if they have had a personal tragedy or someone in the family has died from cancer lets say. They will help someone out, only if they feel that they may regret it later. No one really does it “just because it’s the right thing to do” anymore. Don’t get me wrong – some people still do! And that is a great thing. But in my experience as an observer, it doesn’t happen unless fear is present. Fear is what makes media go round.