We have heard it time and time again. “The Forty-Seven Percent” remark is played over and over again by Democrats pushing for a demoralization of Gov. Romney’s character.
As I watched the first Presidential Debate a few weeks ago and the most recent one last week, I could not help but keep in mind Romney’s infamous remark that was leaked last month:
“There are 47 percent … who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them … My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
I will admit that Gov. Romney had a lot fire in both of the debates he has participated in thus far. I will also admit that President Obama lacked that fire during the first debate, but I think that he greatly redeemed himself in the most recent debate on Oct. 16. He came back with a new rush of passion and energy that we as an American people needed and deserved.
In one of the highlighted moments of the night, the President said, “And when I hear Gov. Romney say he’s a big coal guy — and keep in mind when — Governor, when you were governor of Massachusetts, you stood in front of a coal plant and pointed at it and said, this plant kills, and took great pride in shutting it down. And now suddenly you’re a big champion of coal.”
I believe that some people are looking too much at Gov. Romney’s charismatic skills and less at his words and the overarching implications of those words. Just because a man speaks well does not mean he speaks the truth. Much of what he said during the debates was quite the opposite of what he has been saying for over the past year, so it seemed. He repeatedly tossed around false accusations against the President about what he has and has not done over the past four years.
Personally, Gov. Romney has contradicted his beliefs one too many times for me to believe in him. He now knows what the people want, and he is now telling us what we want to hear (for the most part)—not what he truly believes and surely not what he will actually do, if elected. And how can I—how can anyone—remove the comment about the 47 percent from my mind? Even as he insures us Americans he cares about ALL of us?
I do not even feel as though it is entirely so much a matter of beliefs anymore, but rather a matter of honesty. We deserve consistency and honesty.
Gov. Romney accused the President of lying to us and not doing everything he promised to us in 2008. What about everything the President has accomplished and everything he is still trying to accomplish—the Lilly Ledbetter bill, the cutting of taxes for the middle class, Osama bin Laden’s capture and health care reform? Gov. Romney was reaching on many points in both debates, and many times he persuasively asserted lies in the guise of truth.
My purpose is not to step on anyone’s toes; I try to respect the beliefs of everyone. If you believe that Gov. Romney will execute government according to your beliefs, then you should vote for him. However, regardless of the matter of honesty, I have countless reasons for why I support President Obama. Also, I still cannot forget the 47 percent.
As the daughter of a single mother who receives government assistance, works long hours every day to support two young boys, takes online courses to better herself and lives paycheck-to-paycheck, I cannot side with those who put people like her down.
I cannot side with those who blame her for her circumstances, those who criticize her for accepting aid from the government and those who dare to assume that she takes no responsibility for her life. I cannot side with those who, despite what they claim, do not understand and do not try to understand—those who make false promises and accusations.
At the closing of the second Presidential Debate, the President stood up for the 47percent that Gov. Romney put down.
“Think about who he was talking about: folks on Social Security who’ve worked all their lives, veterans who’ve sacrificed for this country, students who are out there trying to, hopefully, advance their own dreams, but also this country’s dreams, soldiers who are overseas fighting for us right now, people who are working hard every day, paying payroll tax, gas taxes, but don’t make enough income.
“And I want to fight for them,” said President Obama.
