Romney thinks the military, seniors, students, and working parents aren't worth his time

September 19, 2012

The Washington Post reports, "President Obama holds a clear lead over Mitt Romney in Virginia...according to a new Washington Post poll. Obama leads his Republican rival 52 percent to 44 percent among likely voters... [B]y 54 percent to 37 percent, Virginia voters say Obama better understands the economic problems that Americans are facing. The survey was completed before a video was leaked that showed Romney saying at a fundraising event that 47 percent of Americans consider themselves 'victims' and are dependent on the government."

Progressive Point: There's no question that American families work hard. So it's just plain insulting that Mitt Romney thinks 47% of us are freeloaders who aren't worth his time. Who are these people Romney is accusing of being moochers? Our military serving in war zones, retired seniors, working parents, students, and disabled kids. In fact, just about everybody pays taxes and most middle class families are paying a bigger percentage than Romney.

Before Mitt Romney judges other people about paying federal income taxes, he should come clean about the tax returns he's hiding from voters. First Romney didn't want us to know how little he pays in taxes. Then he didn't want us to know how much more we'd pay under his plan--and how much less he'd pay. Romney apparently thinks that if you're struggling, you're not struggling enough. That's the only way he could justify raising taxes on the military, the elderly, students, and working parents while writing us off as not worth his time.

Get the Facts:

• More than 60% of the families Mitt Romney called freeloaders actually are working, but they just don't make enough income to owe federal income taxes. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, September 17, 2012)


• 44% of families that don't pay federal income taxes are seniors who receive tax benefits. (Tax Policy Center, July 2011)


• Mitt Romney in the last two years has paid an average tax rate of just 14% off his already aquired wealth--a rate lower than the average middle-class family. (Huffington Post, January 23, 2012)


• Under Paul Ryan's budget plan Romney would end up paying less than even 1% in income taxes. (The Atlantic, August 11, 2012)

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