To rich donors behind closed doors – he’s not worried about the 47% of Americans who fail to pay income taxes because they fail to take responsibility for their lives (his words) … to a forum filled with Latinos and broadcast on Univision to a demographic he’s losing by a 45 point margin … he says he’s really the president of 100% of Americans.  Latinos aren’t stupid; they know the score and I don’t think they’re going to buy it.  This is what damage control looks like and it’s embarrassing.

Let’s break this down.

He says that he’s the president for 100% of Americans.  

In May of 2012 he 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.  [M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

In January of 2012 – he said:

“I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there.”

In 2004 – when he was the Governor of Massachussetts he said HERE:

“I looked him in the eye as we were leaving,” recalls Goodridge. “And I said, ‘Governor Romney, tell me — what would you suggest I say to my 8 year-old daughter about why her mommy and her ma can’t get married because you, the governor of her state, are going to block our marriage?’”

His response, according to Goodridge: “I don’t really care what you tell your adopted daughter. Why don’t you just tell her the same thing you’ve been telling her the last eight years.”

In March of 2012 – he said this:

“Planned Parenthood, we’re going to get rid of that.”

In September of 2011 he said this:

The question began by saying how do we attract Latino voters. And the answer is by telling them what they know in their heart, which is they or their ancestors did not come here for a handout. If they came here for a handout, they’d be voting for Democrats. They came here for opportunity and freedom. And that’s what we represent. And that’s why we’ll win collecting support from Latinos across the country. With regards to illegal immigration, of course we build a fence and of course we do not give instate tuition credits to people who come here illegally. That only attracts people to come here and take advantage of America’s great beneficence.

In July of 2005 – as Governor he vetoed $220k to prevent homelessness:

Budget Item 7004-3036 was reduced by the Governor from $1,221,925 to $1,000,000; the Governor disapproved $141,000 for Just-A-Start housing stabilization conflict management services, a program to prevent homelessness; and $80,925 for the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance. A vote of YES would override the Governor’s veto and fund the two programs. (Source: MassScorecard.org Bill H.4001; roll call 127 passed 143-8)

In July of 2005 – as Governor he vetoed a bill that would have given emergency contraception for rape victims (source)

In August of 2011 – he supported a Constitutional Amendment to define “marriage” as between a man and a woman thereby making gay marriage unrecognized and illegal HERE:

But I believe the issue of marriage should be decided at the federal level.  I believe we should have a federal amendment in the constitution that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and woman, because I believe the ideal place to raise a child is in a home with a mom and a dad.

In October of 2007 – he said federal agents had the right to investigate individuals in their places of worship:

And we’re going to pursue any avenue we have to, to assure that people who might be preaching or teaching doctrines of hate or terror are going to be followed into a church or into a school or a mosque or wherever they might be.

In his 2007 run as a presidential candidate – he completely ignored a guy in a wheelchair explaining his story HERE.

He claims “our schools became #1 in the nation”

Romney claims that when he was Governor the schools in Massachusetts were #1 in the nation.  That’s true but they were #1 in the nation before he was Governor; he inherited that (source).  And he still tried to transition to school vouchers in Massachusetts.  And notice he says “became” as in … they moved up from some other number that wasn’t #1.  Yeah – not so much.

He says that he’s concerned that more people are swept into poverty and have ended up on food stamps

As we have explained before – Romney’s leaked comments were very clear that he felt 47% of Americans weren’t pulling their weight.  Obviously – those people need to be paying taxes and as President that’s what he’d do.  Now – they already pay taxes but he’s concerned that those 47% of Americans aren’t paying income taxes.  So – as President he’d raise taxes on at least 47% of Americans; more on that HERE.  And since his tax plan is mathematically impossible – the only possible solution as explained by the non-partisan Brookings Institute is that Romney’s tax plan would cut taxes on the rich and raise them on everyone else.  That’s his definition of being “concerned about people being in poverty”.

Regarding food stamps – this is a common conservative attack.  People are on food stamps because of the Bush economic crisis; it was that severe.  FactCheck.org explains everything we need to know about why so many people are on food stamps HERE:

To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama’s time in office than during Bush’s.

It’s possible that when the figures for January 2012 are available they will show that the gain under Obama has matched or exceeded the gain under Bush. But not if the short-term trend continues. The number getting food stamps declined by 43,528 in October. And the economy has improved since then.

The rise started long before Obama took office, and accelerated as the nation was plunging into the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.

The economic downturn began in December 2007. In the 12 months before Obama was sworn in, 4.4 million were added to the rolls, triple the 1.4 million added in 2007.

To qualify – a family of four can make $29,000 a year or less and just under half of all food stamp recipients are under the age of 18; kids.  But he’s concerned they ended up on food stamps and wants to cut the program by significant amounts that’s how concerned he is.

He says his “campaign is about helping people who need help”

He says it’s time for a “different course” which by the way is the exact same course as George W. Bush.  That’s fucking hilarious.  It’s a different course than the fix Obama is putting in place … no doubt but his policies are right out of the George W. Bush toolbox.  There is no daylight between their two policies except for Bush had a genuinely good plan for immigration that his party wouldn’t support.

This is Romney’s entire economic plan.  There is nothing else … this is it.  If it looks light on details to you … then you’d be right.

Romney says that he has a record as Governor of Massachusetts

Why yes he does.  Let’s look at that record.

His state was 47th in the country in job creation.  Politifact says HERE: “For 2002 to 2006, the national growth rate was 5.2 percent, while Massachusetts’ rate was just .7 percent.”

When he was Governor – he increased fees on citizens.  He says it’s not a tax – it’s a fee.  And he was interviewed by the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press and it just got brutal.  See it for yourself HERE:

A fee on the blind
A fee for the mentally handicapped
A fee for having tuberculosis
A fee on volunteer firefighters and EMT’s
A fee for golfing
A fee for cremating the dead
A fee for prison phone calls
A fee for driving permits
Quadrupling already existing gun fees
A fee for cottages
A fee on ice skaters
A fee for barbers
A fee for hairdressers
A fee on nurses
A fee on pharmacists
A fee on plumbers
A fee on pscyhologists
A fee on Realtors
A fee on home inspectors
A fee on auto repair shops
A fee for divorce
A fee for changing your name
A fee on milk
A fee on funeral directors

He says that Obama failed Latinos on immigration reform … and is upset about that Obama didn’t put a “permanent solution” in.  But he wouldn’t say what a permanent solution looked like.  During the primary – he said he felt undocumented workers should self deport since they wouldn’t be able to find work.  In other words – they’ll realize that they’ll either starve or they’ll go back home.

He sidesteps the question about what he would actually do though.  He just says … when I’m president – I’ll fix it.  Trust me.  What’s that fix look like?  Well in the primary – he said people would need to go to the back of the line.  Been here 20 years?  Sucks to be you – go back to the back of the line Abuelo and then in 8 years after you’ve filled out the proper paperwork you and your other illegal family members can become Americans.

The interviewer sucked on this question because the obvious question is why did Romney call Arizona’s immigration law “a model for the nation” and has he changed his position on that?

This is just one of many anti-latino quotes from Romney:

I disagree fundamentally with the idea that the 12 million people who’ve come here illegally should all be allowed to remain in the US permanently.

But as we’ve shared HERE – Romney won’t take a stance on the Dream ACT.  And the only reason that the DREAM Act isn’t law is because of the Republican party.

On December 8th, 2010 – the Dream Act passed the Democratically controlled House of Representatives with the vast majority of votes coming from the Democrats.  81% of Democrats voted in favor of the measure; less than 5% of Republicans voted in favor.  It still passed.  You can see more on this vote HERE.

In the Senate – Democrats received 55 votes for the Dream Act.  That’s more than a bare majority.  Unfortunately – like everything else in the Senate – Republicans made a calculated decision to block EVERYTHING President Obama offered as a solution.  They gambled and won that the American people would not understand what a filibuster was … and Democrats would be blamed regardless of the GOP obstruction.  You can see more on that vote HERE.

So Romney is blaming Obama because Republicans filibustered a bill that got a majority of 55 votes but not the 60 that Republicans were forcing them to get.  36 out of 39 voting Republicans voted against the Dream Act.  50 out of 55 Democrats voted for it.  Had the bill gone to his desk – Obama would have signed it.  Romney to this day would not say whether or not he would or not.

And if you want to see Romney’s horrible anti-Latino history – you can watch all the videos HERE.

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