If You're an American, There's a Good Chance that Mitt Romney Doesn't Care About You

Mitt Romney says that the 47% of Americans who didn't pay federal income tax last year "believe they are victims" and that he'll "never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." He says, "My job is not to worry about those people."

Romney apparently doesn't know or care that a majority of these folks pay payroll tax at a higher rate than his own 13% overall rate revealed in the single year of tax returns he has released. They also pay state sales taxes at the same rate as everyone else. Plus most of these people are elderly or the working poor--or even military members receiving nontaxable combat pay--not exactly irresponsible people with victimhood issues as Romney claims.

While Romney dismisses these folks as Obama voters, he's wrong. The facts show that they are predominately from red states, the base for Republican voters. Romney himself may have paid no federal income tax for some years because, like many of the ultra-wealthy, his money comes primarily from investments, not earned income. Of course, we can't know for sure if Romney is part of the 47% that he dismisses because he refuses to do what every other nominee for president has done in recent years: release more than one year of his full tax returns. Perhaps Romney needs a lecture about victimhood and personal responsibility more than the people he vilifies.

Basically, Romney has shown even more clearly what has been evident all along. He is a hypocrite who may love America, but he has deep contempt for a large percentage of actual Americans.

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