Romney: I'm not concerned about the very poor

[Mercurial]

Interestingly, the networks in America called Florida for Gore before the polls had closed in the west of the state. As a result, thousands of Bush voters decided to forgo voting. Bush should have won Florida anyway.

But those who intended on voting for Gore decided to go out and cast their ballots, even though they believed he'd already won?

[Houyhnhnm]

That is a major faux pas. Americans, on the whole, are very charitable people and give a large proportion of their money to voluntary and religious groups who help the poor and indigent precisely because they' don't have a European-style safety net. For Romney, as a man who is running for president, to say he's not concerned about the poor - even after being given the opportunity to correct/clarify his remarks - shows just how far out of touch he is with the concerns of the average voter.

[mistercrabs]

But those who intended on voting for Gore decided to go out and cast their ballots, even though they believed he'd already won?

A perusal of the county by county electoral map will demonstrate that the west of Florida is far more likely to vote for the Republicans. Might Bush have lost a few hundred or even a few thousand votes? It's very likely!

[Socratus O' Pericles]

The title of this thread which misrepresents what Romney said by inviting people to interpret the word "concern" in a way that was not meant.

Well what he said was I'm not concerned about the very poor there is a safety net and I'll fix it if it necessary--well if that's a safety net I'd hate to imagine what things would be like if there was none! That said I take your point it appears as if the OP was stilted to attract an audience-old trick that.

[Harmonica]

All I heard was him say 5-10% are either very rich or very poor.

[Catalpa]

Politicians anywhere are not really interested in the very poor

- because they tend to be little interested in politics

- and just don't turn out to vote in any numbers worth chasing...

Romney is just being blunt and honest about it

[gaelach]

Not at all surprising. He's going with the quite attractive (to middle America, at least) narrative that the very poor- already have sufficent state aid, in the form of food stamps, housing etc.

Firstly, I wouldn't be surprised if this a genuinely held belief. Secondly, it benefits him electorally by endearing him to middle American and does him no harm whatsoever since very few of the bottom 10%, homeless & by and large minorities are either not voting, or not voting GOP.

[Catalpa]

That is a major faux pas. Americans, on the whole, are very charitable people and give a large proportion of their money to voluntary and religious groups who help the poor and indigent precisely because they' don't have a European-style safety net. For Romney, as a man who is running for president, to say he's not concerned about the poor - even after being given the opportunity to correct/clarify his remarks - shows just how far out of touch he is with the concerns of the average voter.

Romney donates a fair chunk of his income to Charity I believe

However I agree he would be better off not being so blunt about it

- it won't gain him any votes

- and may lose him a few...

[Toman13]

In Ireland, the UK and much of Europe, poverty such as that which exists in many parts of the USA are unimaginable to us, more like what we would attribute to the third world. I say this to contexturalise what Romney is talking about rather than what we understand from the worst estates in Dublin, Limerick, Belfast or Coleraine.

And yet, Romney says this..

Question: Why the FU*K are people going to America for work, when they are arguably in even bigger shyte than us!?! Going to Columbia would nearly be as logical.

[gaelach]

Question: Why the FU*K are people going to America for work, when they are arguably in even bigger shyte than us!?! Going to Columbia would nearly be as logical.

What makes you think America is in worse shape than Ireland? Also, the answer to your question? 1) There is work to be found here. 2) The weather's better 3) The cities are nicer 4) All taxes are lower.