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Romney’s 1 Percent Nation Under God
Although Mitt Romney has yet to win a majority in a Republican primary, he won big in Florida. After he and the pro-Romney super PACs flooded the airwaves with millions of dollars’ worth of ads in a state where nearly half the homeowners are underwater, he talked about whom he wants to represent. “We will hear from the Democrat Party the plight of the poor, and there’s no question, it’s not good being poor,” he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien. “You could choose where to focus, you could focus on the rich, that’s not my focus. You could focus on the very poor, that’s not my focus. My focus is on middle-income Americans.” Of the very rich, Romney assures us, “They’re doing just fine.” With an estimated personal wealth of $250 million, Romney should know.
(Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
Romney’s campaign itself is well-financed, but his success to date, especially against his current main rival, Newt Gingrich, is driven by massive cash infusions to a so-called super PAC, the new breed of political action committee that can take unlimited funds from individuals and corporations. Super PACs are legally prohibited from coordinating their activities with a candidate’s campaign. Federal Election Commission filings made public Jan. 31 reveal that the principal super PAC supporting Romney, Restore Our Future, raised close to $18 million in the second half of 2011, from just 199 donors. Among his supporters are Alice Walton, who, although listed in the report as a “rancher,” is better known as an heir to the Wal-Mart fortune, and the famously caustic venture capitalist and billionaire Samuel Zell, the man credited with driving the Tribune media company into bankruptcy. William Koch, the third of the famous Koch brothers, also gave.
Juxtapose those 199 with the number of people living in poverty in the United States. According to the most recent figures available from the U.S. Census Bureau, 46.2 million people lived in poverty in 2010, 15.1 percent of the population, the largest number in the 52 years the poverty estimates have been published. 2010 marked the fourth consecutive annual increase in the number of people in poverty.
Romney, in his victory speech in New Hampshire, said: “This country already has a leader who divides us with the bitter politics of envy. We must offer an alternative vision. I stand ready to lead us down a different path, where we are lifted up by our desire to succeed, not dragged down by a resentment of success. ... We are one nation under God.”
The next morning, NBC’s Matt Lauer challenged him, asking: “Did you suggest that anyone who questions the policies and practices of Wall Street and financial institutions, anyone who has questions about the distribution of wealth and power in this country, is envious? Is it about jealousy, or fairness?” Romney doubled down, claiming: “I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on the 99 percent versus 1 percent—and those people who have been most successful will be in the 1 percent ... [it’s] entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God.”
And not caring for the poor is consistent? Romney presents a confusing critique of President Barack Obama and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Put aside for the moment that Occupy Wall Street is generally very critical of President Obama, and especially of his appointees like Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (who switched from Republican to independent in order to serve under Obama, but did not switch his politics) and former economic adviser Larry Summers. Romney clearly has no idea what the Occupy Wall Street movement is about if he thinks that the tens of thousands protesting, often facing police violence and risking arrest, are there because of envy. It is, as Lauer put it in his question, about fairness.
In the same New Hampshire speech, Romney said President Obama “wants to turn America into a European-style entitlement society.” Curious words from a man who salted $3 million into a Swiss bank account. His hastily closed UBS bank account stands out as its own form of European entitlement. Coupled with investments in tax havens like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Romney’s effective tax rate was 13.9 percent in 2010, a fraction of the 35 percent paid by average middle-class families that he claims to care so much about.
As Romney campaigns across his 1 percent nation under God, he moves from Florida, the state with the highest foreclosure rate, to Nevada, the state with the highest unemployment rate. Expect him to increasingly care, if not for the very poor, then for the votes they will likely cast against him.
Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.
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32 Comments so far
Show AllI wish he'd explain how a president that has installed so many Goldman Sachs alumni in his cabinet can be promoting resentment by the rest of us. Both parties appear to feel that wealth and the 01% is entitled to untold priveledges and federally subsidized protections.
It's perfectly obvious that we are, and have been, living in a total plurogracy - "rule by the rich." And who are running for office???? Two parties consisting of multi-millionaires, of course. And let's not forget that our President is one as well!
Let's stop fooling ourselves - our country no more resembles a democracy than any of the "reigns" ruling in other countries. We are living in the Unites States of the Wealthy and it "ain't gonna change!"
There is a difference between "multi-millionaires." Having a couple of million is quite comfortable. Having hundreds of millions is a whole different deal. Romney has twice the wealth of all the past presidents combined through Carter when they were in office.
Poor Mitt Romney. It's easy to feel sorry for the guy. Not that I would ever vote for him you understand. I would drink a cocktail of vodka and battery acid before I ever voted for the likes of Mitt Romney. Still, there is a certain....Oh, what's the word...."Pathos?"....in the spectacle of a man coming face-to-face with the ugly reality that even his own people can't stand him.
It's oodles of fun these days to watch a moderately intelligent guy like Romney stumbling around the country saying all sorts of mind-jarringly stupid things. He knows that this is the only way to appeal to the chowderheads - particularly in the Deep South and Midwest - who vote in Republican primaries. It's even going to be more fun to watch him shift back to the left in the general election.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com/
Tom Degan
Unlike the sophisticated Republican voters on the West Coast and Eastern Seaboard who will vote in Republican primaries? Give me a break. The whole country is made up of Republican chowderheads. Quit pitting geographical area against geographical area.
Romney's entire foreign policy staff is made up of neocons from the Bush presidency. He won't shift left when it comes to war, and therefore, Obama won't have to shift left, either. The one candidate who actually IS left on many issues is dismissed by the left because he doesn't pass their purity test.
Would it not be something if the same people who put W. in office just put Mitt in the White House by rigging the vote in Jeb's FL? (Rigged with a 1% money bomb or voting machine - no matter) Would it not be rich if all this was planned in advance when FL. moved its primary date up. Mitt all of a sudden has the momentum and is assumed to be the candidate. What great timing. No debates for a month and Mitt friendly NV and MI before the next big primaries on super Tuesday. What luck for Mitt! Could Rove have seen this coming? What do they do in those think tanks anyway? The 1% wanted Mitt in '08. Bush Sr. has endorsed him in '12. Stranger thing have happened. This is the really big show.
Count on it. That is, if they don't run Jeb against Obummer, after this clown show primary is over.
Reading about Romney right after breakfast is not a good idea, but I'll try to refrain from vomiting. The "class warfare" that has been occurring has not been emanating from President Obama (for whom I have little regard) but, rather, from the likes of Romney. I can't recall any candidate who has been so out of touch with what's going on in our society than this (insert the dirtiest language that you can think of here!).
They only call it class warfare when we fight back.
on yesterday's democracy now! broadcast, i learned about the romney/marriott connection AND...
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"So, his father was then born—you know, his ancestor was sent down to Mexico to start this enclave to—where polygamy would be allowed, as it was cracked down on in America."--David Bernstein
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ooh, that won't sit well with the tea-bag crowd! i keep hearing that the top issue for "conservatives" is the stupid economy. now the g.o,p pushes the idea that romney, not only born to wealth and from those "humble" beginnings increased his personal wealth has the key to make us all filthy rich. now the guy tells us he'll come into office and apply his financial expertise to "spread the wealth!" do they truly expect this self-serving leopard to change his spots?
Yes, romney is truly a member of the juan percent.
"... Florida, the state with the highest foreclosure rate."
One wonders how many Floridians foreclosed upon voted for this sociopath, who likes to fire people and shows no concern for the poor?
It looks like the Republican presidential race is more akin to a sado-masochistic session than a democratic and rational process.
His supporters are most likely the retired NY investors who benefit from his psychpathic economics program of short term profits on borrowed money that bankrupts company and throws people out of work.
And then the newt ran this ad: "Bain, under Romney’s “supervision”, purchased and ran the Damon Corporation, who pled guilty to Federal conspiracy charges as a result of tens of millions of dollars in systemic Medicare fraud committed under Romney’s and Bain’s control. Damon was fined over $119-million which was, at the time, the largest criminal healthcare fine in Massachusetts history and Mr. Romney’s participation was characterized in 1996 by Corporate Crime Reporter thusly: “As manager and board member of Damon Corp, Mitt Romney sits at the center of one of the top 15 corporate crimes of the 1990’s.”
Maybe there's hope in the apparent divisions within the mere 1% [Edited] Otherwise, we may have to depend on romey bankrupting the rest of the drones so they wake up to reality. Keiser's reference today http://www.psychopathiceconomics.com/DavosEconomicForum/
Rommel sez: "... [it’s] entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God.”
***
Yeah? So is the U.S. Constitution.
The 1% is obviously jealous of the freedoms the 99% enjoy.
Romney's 1%
is also
Obama's 1%.
Both major parties are sucking from the same masters.
Of course the 1 % nation is under God. That the 1% prosper shows their special connection, their special grace and favor from God. As for the 99%-- well, you can't expect God to love everyone equally can you? And even if he did the 99% can blame themselves for not accepting, "the way , the truth, the life" which has been given to those 1% who truly do represent God's will on the eath. How do I know this is true? What greater gift is there than to be filthy rich--and Mitt is rich ergo he must be the special recipient of God's grace.
So what is to be done about the majority of the 99% zombie-like voters who claw, crawl, and stumble towards the polls to vote for their 1% demonic master?
This game is so insidiously rigged when the only apparent choice is one poison over the other.
We need leadership in this area.
Or are we like a nation of alcoholics who have not yet either died or hit rock bottom yet?
This occupy group is setting up a convention type general assembly in Philadelphia for July. http://www.facebook.com/pages/99-Percent-Declaration/162341870530356
Mitt Romney could actually win the Presidency simply because Obama turned his back on his Progressive base. That progressive base is what pushed him over the top in what was a close race. That same base won't bother voting for him this time while all those who rely on the FCM for their guidance, will flock to the voting stations in November. While I believe Obama is definitely a traitor to the 99%, Romney will accelerate the demise of the middle class at a break neck speed.
Most Americans may say that they sympathize with the 99% movement, but in reality they don't understand the message. Rather than blaming corporate influence for the sweet heart deals granted to Wall Street, they focus their rage on the puppets in government that the FCM has served up to the masses to deflect attention away from the 1%. The rabid following of this corporate created theatre known as the 'Primaries' is a case in point. None of the candidates can even address the solutions on most American minds (i.e. universal healthcare, raising the minimum wage, taxing the wealthy, reversing free trade, shrinking the Pentagon budget, replacing the Marine Corps with the Peace Corps, implementing a national civil service to tackle high unemployment, eliminating education tuition costs or closing U.S. military bases abroad) for risk of losing their lucrative corporate sponsorship. Yet the empty rhetoric resonates with an incredibly high percentage of Americans who have learned to implicitly trust their T.V. sets, their demonic radio show hosts and their written journalistic sermons that have cleverly crafted arguments for the status quo while perpetuating myths through omission. As one commenter here mentioned earlier, perhaps the country is like an alcoholic in that it must hit rock bottom until it realizes the extent of the tragedy that has unfolded.
It was blue collar and rural voters who had long voted Republican and switched in '06 and '08 who put the Democrats into office, not progressives. The main role that progressives play is in influencing the national political discussion. There are not enough progressives to constitute a significant voting bloc.
Speak for yourself. I'm a progressive and I saw what an empty suit Obama was back than. Robert Gates, bailouts, and buying toxic assets all in his first month. This is Bush's third term.
Hey, Space Cadet has shown his (her) position which i take to be a 'common sense cadet'....thanks for a brief breath of honesty and pithy perceptions!
"a resentment of success"
Rumney equates success with actions of evil. This is the biggest lie driving Merkan dysfunction. Rumney campaigns on a platform build in a partnership of Mekan konservatives and liberals. To preserve the kapitalist empire. We should not vote for either faction of the Kapitalist Party of Merka. Instead, we should write in a third-party or independent person we personally trust to carry the people's torch.
Space Cadet & Two Americas -
I agree that the disillusionment of young voters, many union people, and the progressive portion of the traditional Democratic Party base will make the 2012 election close enough for Obama to lose. The DLC strategists who formulated policies and focused partisan moves upon chasing after center/right independent swing voters may be in for a big surprise when a significant chunk of Obama's 2008 electoral base simply stays home. If between now and November there's a major military conflict in the Persian Gulf which sends the price of oil through the roof, or a terrorism incident happens on American soil, Obama could lose big.
If the main role progressives play is simply influencing national political discussion, then the sorry state of meaningful public debate on militarism, civil liberties, and domestic economic inequality says it all. Progressives are an important electoral bloc in the Democratic primaries, much less so in the general election.
Bill from Saginaw
Not one of Amy's best articles I must say. Way too superficial, she know better. I personally don't give a toss about Obamney.
Bottom line is that the USA will continue to descend into a neo-fuedal/neofascist bizarre dystopia unless we have massive collective civil disobedience to force the oligarchy into substantive concessions.
A hero of the left, Howard Zinn repeated this many many times. History is crystal clear on this. It seems Amy has forgotten.
Right on! The powerful have never voluntarily given up their privileges - they have to be taken from them: usually by force.
I am ashamed of this guy already and I'm not even a republican.
No voting for any of these sociopaths.
By the by, I consider Oilbomber to be a sociopath, no less than those bastards of Mittens, Grinch, Paul Ayn Rand, and Santa. All sociopaths.
Our political life is no less toxic and pathological than our big cities and our military bases all over the planet.
It figures that cow governor in Arizona is backed by the Koch brothers, Scott Walker and the tea party. Hope she gets what's coming to her, rot in hell bitch!
It may be a good idea to let Romney win in November. The next president will be in charge when the USA craters in 2013 & his party will go into the political wilderness for 20 years.
One would ask him if thinks everyone should be self- made? He is always talking about rugged individualism and the self-made man.
His influential father was thrice elected Governor of Michigan, and appointed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Richard M. Nixon administration. Romney had a privileged upbringing, attending the Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills. He went on to Brigham Young University before matriculating at Harvard Business School and then Harvard Law School..
Romney and the rest of the rethugs would sell your grandmother for dog food, if he could make a decent profit.
Obama occasionally has a trace of moderate values and responsibility to the people.
ps there is more scientific evidence that JFK was killed by a conspiracy than not -- What does that say about the military industrial congressional media security complex? What does that say about the chances of anyone working for the general good in government?
Google Bill Hicks + JFK
I surely do remember that Jeb was dining with the brother of the Reagan shooter at the time of the shooting. A good alabi, one presumes. . . . and not too much patience for those tax cuts for the 1%.
Remember when Charleton Heston said "God damn you, God damn you all", something in a movie about "apes".