2008 Presidential Candidates

Mitt Romney’s comment concerning the poor was on the mark

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney

“I’m in this race because I care about Americans. I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling, and I’ll continue to take that message across the nation.”

I’m not a Mitt Romney supporter, but I can’t believe anyone with common sense would be bothered by this comment. Sure, progressive Democrats are going to seize upon it, but the last time I checked, they lacked any semblance of common sense. Let’s take a look at what Romney was saying, shall we?

First, the wealthy don’t need any help. They have all the money they need. That’s simple enough. As for the poor, that’s going to take some explaining, especially for those who are accustomed to government sponsored hand-outs.

If you’re poor, you’re eligible for welfare payments, subsidized rent, childcare, heat, utilities, food stamps, free college, free healthcare, and lots of other breaks. These programs are all established at the state or federal level, and are (overly) generous. How many more handouts and programs should be created for those who have a track record of bad decisions? We have a safety net, and Romney said he would fix it if need be.

The middle class? That’s a different story. They’re usually too “wealthy” to qualify for help, and can be a layoff away from economic chaos. Again, this chaos could very well result from bad decisions, but the truth of the matter is that the middle class tend to work harder, and have a track record of better decisions. I don’t have hard numbers to back up those assertions, but I do feel comfortable making them.

With that said, I think we all know that Romney’s interest in the middle class is due solely to their large numbers. Mitt cares about whatever group has the most voters who will turn out at the polls on election day..