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Romney Admits Tax Plan Is Based on Fox News Lie That 47% of Americans Don’t Pay Taxes
Mitt Romney has admitted that the economic rationale for his presidential campaign is the Fox News lie that half of Americans don’t pay taxes.
Here is the video from Mother Jones:
Romney said, “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, 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. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax. My job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
There you have it. The entire economic rationale behind Mitt Romney’s campaign is that he is overtaxed, and it is time to make you deadbeats pay.
The idea that 47% of Americans pay no income taxes is a conservative myth that has been pushed hard by Fox News.
As I wrote in July of 2011, “The 47% statistic is not all Americans pay no taxes, but single filers who will pay no federal income taxes. According to the Center On Budget and Policy Priorities the real reason why 47%-51% of Americans paid no federal income taxes in 2009 is,
The 51 percent figure is an anomaly that reflects the unique circumstances of 2009, when the recession greatly swelled the number of Americans with low incomes and when temporary tax cuts created by the 2009 Recovery Act — including the “Making Work Pay” tax credit and an exclusion from tax of the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits — were in effect. Together, these developments removed millions of Americans from the federal income tax rolls. Both of these temporary tax measures have since expired.
The combination of the recession and the Obama stimulus cut taxes to low and middle income Americans led to fewer Americans owing federal income tax in 2009.
In April 2010, the Tax Policy Center tried to straighten out Republicans and conservative media who were continuing to misuse their research, “Let me explain—repeat actually—what this means: About half of taxpayers paid no federal income tax last year. It does not mean they paid no tax at all. Many shelled out Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes. In fact, only 14 percent of Americans didn’t pay either income or payroll taxes. Some paid property taxes and, it is fair to say, just about all of them paid sales taxes of one kind or another. So to say they pay no taxes is flat wrong. However, this class warfare-like rhetoric plays to a perception that the income tax is a chump tax: Only hard-working folks like us pay it. The welfare queens don’t. The super-rich don’t. It is a powerful emotional argument. It is also flat wrong.”
Mitt Romney has taken a recession year anomaly and extrapolated it to mean that nearly half of Americans pay no federal income taxes ever when the truth is 86% of Americans pay taxes.
The entire basis for Mitt Romney’s tax plan and economic beliefs is a lie. It is a falsehood Fox News placed into the discourse, and the Republican nominee for president has made the centerpiece of his economic worldview.
Regularly, liberals and progressives will visit this website or contact me to tell me to stop writing about Fox News. They think that if we just stick our heads in the sand, and ignore them, Rupert, Roger, and the gang will go away. But Mitt Romney has just shown us why we have to do more than pay attention. We have to combat the misinformation.
Fox News isn’t just influencing your parents, grandparents, or that crazy uncle who always ruins Thanksgiving by screaming about some Obama conspiracy. Fox News is shaping candidate views and positions within the Republican Party. The lies of Fox News have formed the basis for Mitt Romney plan to enact a reshaping of the tax system that would forever change America.
A Romney presidency would mean that the poor and middle class would carry the tax burden for the rich. As president, Mitt Romney would view those who aren’t rich like him as parasites who are sucking the life out the wealthy.
Fox News is important because the Republican nominee for president is using their lies as justification for policy. Mitt Romney doesn’t needs advisers when he has Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Roger Ailes telling him what to do.
Romney’s entire plan for the economy is based on a lie, but for once it isn’t one his own. The lie in Romney’s ear has come straight from the lips of Fox News.
Mitt Romney is the ultimate Fox Bot.
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22 Responses to Romney Admits Tax Plan Is Based on Fox News Lie That 47% of Americans Don’t Pay Taxes
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Joy
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
My first question: Does Mitt Romney pay income taxes? We know of at least one year, but every year? Alas, we will never know because King Mitt has decided that he doesn’t have to answer that question for the “poors”. What a privileged asshole. This man is so severely out of touch he doesn’t have a clue. The sense of entitlement oozing out of his pores reeks. If he should win (shudder) there will be a coronation, not an inauguration.
dave palmer
Sep. 18th, 2012 at 5:13 pm
Mitt “The Moocher” Romney says he’s against expanding the Welfare State
tinyurl.com/8l2wxy5
Reynardine
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Believe me, if I had even a tenth of Mr. Romney’s income, I would pay taxes on it with tears of gratitude.
DianeF
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
So, in Romney’s view, “healthcare, food and housing” is an ENTITLEMENT. I won’t even go on about the lie he’s holding up that 47% of Americans pay no taxes. But somehow, food, housing and health care are entitlements… I had no idea that basic human needs…the little things like food, shelter and clothes on our backs are “entitlements” caused by perceived victimhood! The level of disconnect that Romney possesses never fails to amaze me.
Shiva (Moderator)
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
I dont make much money. I dont have kids. I dont have enough deductions to claim anything. I pay the full amount of taxes I am supposed to pay.
Unlike the liar in pretend
50 days to tell us you care all of a sudden. Jerk
buckeyewill
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
To paraphrase the late Ann Richards:
“Poor Mitt;he can’t help himself.He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”
willowtree59
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
This is important to get right in our arguments though. I read the post, and I see a lot of negating that 47% (or 51% or whatever) of voters who don’t pay “taxes”… but in various places we see them referred to as “income tax” and then we start talking about how 86% of voters pay “taxes”.
This is comparing apples to oranges.
I want to have the right facts when I get myself into an argument on behalf of those folks in that 47%…. so which is it?
Is it really that 47% of people still don’t pay *income* taxes? If so, what are the facts of why? I’ve read various descriptions – and it’s important to note to people arguing the point with you that when folks don’t pay income taxes, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t working. It means that their income and circumstances entitles them to take certain deductions, like the mortgage deduction, child care credits, tuition credits… etc. In other words, all the middle class credits for working hard and taking care of your family. And so when Mitt talks about making people who don’t pay taxes pay more…. he’s talking about eliminating tax credits on the middle class.
Here’s a pretty good explanation, as far as I can see. I’m happy to hear others’ viewpoints – this has never been my strong suit (I let TurboTax lead me once a year…)
abcnews.go.com/Business/s...
YinYangMind
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Please do some research before making the mistake of believing highly partisan data.
Here’s the details from the IRS:
www.ntu.org/tax-basics/wh...
Reynardine
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
“My job is not to worry about those people” (47% of Americans, including kids, old people, veterans, the sick, the disabled, people who have taken care of them, and the many, many people impoverished by predatory business policies). What a pr (whoops)(strike that) prince (whoops) (strike that) President!
Elizabeth
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
He also chooses to believe that the 47% are no goods who are a drain on the system and demand all these “entitlements” from the system. He doesn’t realize many of them vote Republican.
Jose Martinez MSQR
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Romney pays big bucks to find every loophole and deduction that exists so as to pay as little tax as possible. So why does he begrudge those who can do it (pay no income tax)legally. Say it ain’t fair Mitt.
Enjay in E MT
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
DINKs
Double Income No Kids at our house – we don’t have enough to itemize deductions on Federal. We do get to itemize on State income tax, however, the state only allows us to deduct a maximum of $5,000 (each) in Federal withholding taxes. Regardless that combined we paid over $16,000 in Federal withholding.
Where is our “loop-hole” Mitt’ens?
We make good wages, – yet our combined salaries are still less than HALF of the $250K Mitt’ens says is middle class.
Rocky in texas said...
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Romney has a lot of nerve talking about people not paying taxes…
He pays little to no taxes…
Let’s see 10 years of complete tax returns Willard.
Mitt Romney is A Crook.
Reynardine
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
That *certain smile* is becoming iconic.
sugapea
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Everywhere I post…There’s always a few comments: “You people voting for Obama just want free stuff! We’re the ‘Maker’s and you’re the ‘Takers’…Go get a job”!
I don’t know anyone on Unemployment nor Food Stamps. I suspect it’s mostly those in Red State’s. Red States who bleed our Blue States of money.
Yet, the selfishness of this GOP truly amazes me…and it’s getting worse!
labman57
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
One striking aspect of these leaked comments is the utterly callous, non-empathetic attitude exhibited by the Romney campaign regarding the plight of the socio-economically disenfranchised sector of American society as well as the inability to relate to the economic problems facing middle class Americans — the TRUE middle classers, not Romney’s middle class earner who brings in an annual salary of $250,000.
A peek into Mitt’s psyche:
“I don’t worry about the problems of poor people … because there is a “safety net” … which I want to defund … because people (including single, full-time moms) who depend upon financial assistance such as food stamps lack dignity … because you must be completely self-sufficient to have self-worth … unless you inherited vast wealth … like I did … in which case you are inherently highly dignified … because you are a person of power and authority … who gets to enjoy the sheer pleasure of firing people … which I did countless times while running Bain Capital, creating huge profits … for myself and my fellow investors … at the expense of fired workers … who, as a result, often joined the growing ranks of poor people in America … which I don’t worry about.”
sugapea
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Wow, Great Post…Labman!
Here’s one of my favorite Robert Reich video’s. Wish the Republicans truly understood these Romney money facts. Instead, they’re brainwashed into a frenzy from the well financed FOX&RADIO-FRIENDS Propaganda.
How Did Mitt Romney Get So Obscenely Rich?
www.youtube.com/watch?fea...
Lar5
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
So all the people who work for minimum wage or even a bit more for Burger King, Mc Donald’s, Target, Walmart, chain grocery stores, the local mall etc etc are all freeloaders not worth bothering about. Most are just trying to get by, feed their families and get through life.Many work 2-3 jobs. But Romney treats them as worthless. As for the 47%,all of them are not democrats.Many are republicans working hard just to exist. Romney has just dissed a huge portion of this country.God help all the common ,hard working people if this man is elected.
A Walkaway
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 11:52 pm
Something I’ve noted about people who denounce or demonize the word “victim” by comments such as “don’t be a victim!”, “Don’t play the victim!”, and even Romney’s “who believe that they are victims”. Usually the ones who like to prattle that crap are religious abusers… they use religion to abuse people. Sometimes political. I’d bet that sexual abusers also spout that line (I’ve never heard anyone mention getting that from a sexual abuser, but I wouldn’t be surprised).
They’re abusers or have the abuser nature. ALWAYS.
I’d ask that bastard Romney “What do you call the people who were hurt by your Bain Capital?
“What about the people who lost their homes because of the greed of some bank or rich developer?”
“What about the people whose life savings vanished because of the greedy banks?”
“What about the people whose home was taken from under them even though they’d been making their payments – or worse yet, HAD PAID OFF THEIR HOME AND STILL IT WAS REPOSSESSED?”
(Yep, it happens.)
“What about the people who cannot find a job because of the color of their skin, or because they’re over 50, or because they’re disabled, or because of their sexual orientation?”
“What about the people whose health was ruined by the greed of a corporation or the carelessness of a government agency and can no longer work as people think they should?”
I could go on and on.
The thing is, I’ve heard CRAP like Romney’s before, many times. I heard it when we were in the mainstream churches… they’d usually come out with it after doing something that made life damn near impossible for us, and then throw that crap in my face. We both used to get it all the time (not just us BTW) from two of the most abusive Episcopal priests I’ve ever met – one was so bad that he threw us out of the church when he learned we were American Indian by birth (although I admit that maybe the fact that we weren’t openly ashamed of it as…
A Walkaway
Sep. 17th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
… We weren’t openly ashamed of it (being American Indian) as the “Good Christian” churches expected us to be.
j
Sep. 18th, 2012 at 7:11 am
Anyone else see Rachel last night, most of the folks on FOX payroll are Romney advisers.
Amber3902
Sep. 18th, 2012 at 10:23 am
And the truth comes out- remember this one – “I’m not concerned about the very poor”.