Comments on: Mitt Romney, 47-percenter http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 14:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Robert Drop http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1593345 Robert Drop Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1593345 "Abstentions 35.8%" So yet again, nobody wins. “Abstentions 35.8%”
So yet again, nobody wins.

]]> By: eviladrian http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1593066 eviladrian Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1593066 If I'm reading this chart right, Mitt's reviled 47% are getting by on about 1% of the nation's wealth.  What does he care what they do with their money?  Every one of those people could sell everything they own, send the money to Red China and drown themselves in the Washington reflecting pool, and 99% of the sweet, sweet moolah would still be roaring around, creating jobs, right? If I’m reading this chart right, Mitt’s reviled 47% are getting by on about 1% of the nation’s wealth.  What does he care what they do with their money?  Every one of those people could sell everything they own, send the money to Red China and drown themselves in the Washington reflecting pool, and 99% of the sweet, sweet moolah would still be roaring around, creating jobs, right?

]]> By: Donald Petersen http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1593045 Donald Petersen Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1593045 Did the Barr/Sheehan ticket fare so poorly as that?  Or are we counting them as votes for President Abstentions? Did the Barr/Sheehan ticket fare so poorly as that?  Or are we counting them as votes for President Abstentions?

]]> By: corydodt http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1593009 corydodt Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1593009 Captains of industry have a force-multiplier called money. Captains of industry have a force-multiplier called money.

]]> By: Hamfisted http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592992 Hamfisted Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592992 I picture the republican voting base as farmers collecting subsidies. The captains of industry are of limited numbers at the voting booth, though they do have a big voice thanks to all the money they can throw around. BTW I found it odd that no pundit mentioned increasing urbanization as one reason that "Real America" is slipping at the polls. As we all know, cities have a liberal bias. I picture the republican voting base as farmers collecting subsidies. The captains of industry are of limited numbers at the voting booth, though they do have a big voice thanks to all the money they can throw around.

BTW I found it odd that no pundit mentioned increasing urbanization as one reason that “Real America” is slipping at the polls. As we all know, cities have a liberal bias.

]]> By: wysinwyg http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592964 wysinwyg Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592964  I think you pretty much covered everything and quite succinctly.  Nicely done.  I think you pretty much covered everything and quite succinctly.  Nicely done.

]]> By: Michael Crumpton http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592935 Michael Crumpton Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592935 It is especially ironic that the Ayn Rand loving Paul Ryan's voter base is made up largely of the folks that Rand describes in her books as moochers leeching off the productive members of society. It is especially ironic that the Ayn Rand loving Paul Ryan’s voter base is made up largely of the folks that Rand describes in her books as moochers leeching off the productive members of society.

]]> By: Michael Crumpton http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592930 Michael Crumpton Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592930 I guess they are sort of emulating Groucho who famously said "I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member". That is sort of like "I would not want to vote for any politician who will have my interests in mind". I guess they are sort of emulating Groucho who famously said “I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member”. That is sort of like “I would not want to vote for any politician who will have my interests in mind”.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592920 Boundegar Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592920 It maps fine, he just reversed the sign.  It's the 47% of government-dependent moochers who DID vote for him. It maps fine, he just reversed the sign.  It’s the 47% of government-dependent moochers who DID vote for him.

]]> By: regeya http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592699 regeya Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592699 His own supporters don't think they're in that 47%.  Some of them know they're hard-working, or that they worked hard for the entitlements they now receive, so they're not the moochers, obviously.  But if you work hard but are low income, there's a good chance that you get a hefty "refund" from the IRS every year, which puts you in that group of "moochers". His own supporters don’t think they’re in that 47%.  Some of them know they’re hard-working, or that they worked hard for the entitlements they now receive, so they’re not the moochers, obviously.  But if you work hard but are low income, there’s a good chance that you get a hefty “refund” from the IRS every year, which puts you in that group of “moochers”.

]]> By: nowimnothing http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592652 nowimnothing Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592652 Sure, it is Reagan's welfare queens driving Cadillacs all over again. Not to mention the wide variety of government subsidies and handouts the wealthy and large business avail themselves of. They seem genuinely confused when someone like Paul Krugman points out the hypocrisy:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/krugman-moochers-against-welfare.html Sure, it is Reagan’s welfare queens driving Cadillacs all over again. Not to mention the wide variety of government subsidies and handouts the wealthy and large business avail themselves of.

They seem genuinely confused when someone like Paul Krugman points out the hypocrisy:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/krugman-moochers-against-welfare.html

]]> By: ifreecarve http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592581 ifreecarve Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592581 Based on the 2010 census results (191.2 million adults age 18 to 64), these are the more accurate percentages for the popular vote:  Obama: 32.7% Romney: 30.9% Johnson 0.5% Abstentions 35.8% Based on the 2010 census results (191.2 million adults age 18 to 64), these are the more accurate percentages for the popular vote: 
Obama: 32.7%
Romney: 30.9%
Johnson 0.5%
Abstentions 35.8%

]]> By: corydodt http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592576 corydodt Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592576 The government moochers were in fact his constituency the whole time. It's just that we were picturing people in shanties collecting welfare checks. We should have been picturing people in corner offices collecting subsidies and sweetheart no-bid contracts and undeserved tax breaks. The government moochers were in fact his constituency the whole time. It’s just that we were picturing people in shanties collecting welfare checks. We should have been picturing people in corner offices collecting subsidies and sweetheart no-bid contracts and undeserved tax breaks.

]]> By: Robert Drop http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592563 Robert Drop Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592563 While he was tailoring his statements to a private event, they weren't completely out of line with statements made publicly by himself and other Repub politicians.  I suspect that statements like that are, in part, cynical ploys and racist codes.   He darn well knows that the elderly (who are more likely to vote Republican) make up a good chunk of that 47%; he also knows that red states are big users of federal assistance programs.  But he was also taking the chance that Repubs on federal assistance aren't likely to see themselves as lazy welfare moochers.  He could dismiss the group without his base seeing themselves in that group - when he talks about people on welfare, people not paying (federal income) taxes, I think he's counting on Repub voters interpreting that as "those lazy, unemployed (Democrat-voting) minorities on welfare," not as Republicans who avail themselves of Medicare, Medical, food stamps and the EITC, etc. While he was tailoring his statements to a private event, they weren’t completely out of line with statements made publicly by himself and other Repub politicians.  I suspect that statements like that are, in part, cynical ploys and racist codes.  
He darn well knows that the elderly (who are more likely to vote Republican) make up a good chunk of that 47%; he also knows that red states are big users of federal assistance programs.  But he was also taking the chance that Repubs on federal assistance aren’t likely to see themselves as lazy welfare moochers.  He could dismiss the group without his base seeing themselves in that group – when he talks about people on welfare, people not paying (federal income) taxes, I think he’s counting on Repub voters interpreting that as “those lazy, unemployed (Democrat-voting) minorities on welfare,” not as Republicans who avail themselves of Medicare, Medical, food stamps and the EITC, etc.

]]> By: Robert Drop http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592535 Robert Drop Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592535 But it <i>does</i> map (which is part of the irony).  Of the people Romney was dismissing, probably more than half were going to vote for him (while not recognizing themselves as being in that group). But it does map (which is part of the irony).  Of the people Romney was dismissing, probably more than half were going to vote for him (while not recognizing themselves as being in that group).

]]> By: Robert Drop http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592531 Robert Drop Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592531 Well, there are such things as political polls and questionnaires. (I mean, we know how people are likely to vote based on age, gender, ethnicity, etc.) Well, there are such things as political polls and questionnaires. (I mean, we know how people are likely to vote based on age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)

]]> By: Shashwath T.R. http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592493 Shashwath T.R. Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592493 <blockquote>There's apparently no federal data that links income to voting,</blockquote> One would certainly hope so; any such data would imply that the principle of the secret ballot was being overtly subverted!

There’s apparently no federal data that links income to voting,

One would certainly hope so; any such data would imply that the principle of the secret ballot was being overtly subverted!

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592489 EH Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592489 It doesn't map, that's part of the funny. It doesn’t map, that’s part of the funny.

]]> By: tw1515tw http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592481 tw1515tw Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592481 In the UK at least there's a strong blue collar community that strongly identifies with the right. They see the solution to improving their lot as hard work. It's the archetypal Alf Garnett/Archie Bunker. In the UK at least there’s a strong blue collar community that strongly identifies with the right. They see the solution to improving their lot as hard work. It’s the archetypal Alf Garnett/Archie Bunker.

]]> By: MB44 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592478 MB44 Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592478 delicious  delicious 

]]> By: nowimnothing http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592479 nowimnothing Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592479 Well he was speaking to fellow 1% folks at that fundraiser. So to them the other 99% are probably to be counted among the rabble and fit for derision (at least at private events.)  The gaffe was that he was incorrectly conflating several different things. People who pay no federal income tax, people who receive government assistance and people who consistently vote democratic. Of course, anyone who took the time to look would know that the overlap between these groups is very far from 100%. If we are being charitable we could say Romney was confused and guilty of oversimplifying  If not we could just say he was lying. Well he was speaking to fellow 1% folks at that fundraiser. So to them the other 99% are probably to be counted among the rabble and fit for derision (at least at private events.) 

The gaffe was that he was incorrectly conflating several different things. People who pay no federal income tax, people who receive government assistance and people who consistently vote democratic. Of course, anyone who took the time to look would know that the overlap between these groups is very far from 100%. If we are being charitable we could say Romney was confused and guilty of oversimplifying  If not we could just say he was lying.

]]> By: Ian Birnbaum http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592456 Ian Birnbaum Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592456 Doesn't this mean that 53% didn't vote for him? Looks like he lowballed it. Doesn’t this mean that 53% didn’t vote for him? Looks like he lowballed it.

]]> By: Robert Drop http://boingboing.net/2012/11/27/mitt-romney-47-percenter.html#comment-1592430 Robert Drop Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196406#comment-1592430 I wonder how that 47% maps to the 47% he was deriding.  There's apparently no federal data that links income to voting, but "red" areas tend to be low income.  So there's significant overlap at least.  It always struck me as strange - Romney must have known he was deriding his own supporters. I wonder how that 47% maps to the 47% he was deriding.  There’s apparently no federal data that links income to voting, but “red” areas tend to be low income.  So there’s significant overlap at least.  It always struck me as strange – Romney must have known he was deriding his own supporters.

]]>