EDITORIAL: Leaked video shows true Romney
When trying to become president of the United States, it is probably not a good idea to denounce half of Americans as lazy moochers.
Yet that is exactly what Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said in front of donors at a $50,000-per-plate fundraiser back in May, according to a recently-surfaced video.
"There are 47 percent who are with (President Barack Obama), 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," Romney said. "They will vote for this president no matter what ... These are people who pay no income tax.”
So far, most of the outrage directed at Romney over the comments are over what he said, and for good reason: What he said has no basis in reality. The idea that all Obama supporters are moochers who take no personal responsibility is absurd, and of those 47 percent of Americans who pay no federal income taxes, the vast majority of them either do pay taxes through the payroll tax or are either too poor to be eligible to pay income taxes, or are retired.
But there is a larger problem with the Romney video that speaks to what is wrong with modern American politics. Speaking to these wealthy donors, Romney seemed perfectly at ease, speaking off-the-cuff, displaying a passion for policy and politics and showing off his sense of humor, which we hear so much of but rarely see.
This stands in stark contrast to the Romney seen on the campaign trail. To Mitt Romney, the average voter has come to know is stiff, robotic and looks almost uncomfortable speaking in front of the Average Joe, rarely offering a vision of what his term in office would look like, but rather speaking in generalities, trying not to offend anybody.
This begs the question: How would theoretical-President Romney govern? Would he govern as president of the whole country or only his wealthy donors and the 53 percent of voters he has shown no disdain for?
It's hard to tell. One can't make assumptions of someone's governing abilities, especially when that person refuses to release their tax returns.
We can make assumptions, however, about how in tune with the country he is when Romney revealed he thinks an income between $200,000 and $250,000 qualifies as middle class.
Simply put: Romney is out of touch.
