Was Mitt Romney’s 47 Percent comment out of Line?

Crystal L., 14, South Island School

  

        Mitt Romney recently made the comment that 47 percent of America are self-pitying freeloaders and think they are entitled to housing and do not pay taxes. there was a lot of backlash against this matter as people in the United States dislike him even more than they did before. Mitt Romney was certainly out of the line when he made this comment as even his father is part of the 47% and if it wasn’t for the hard work of his father, he wouldn’t be standing there making that comment that 47% of the American population isn’t important.

       47% of the American population is either elderly or people who work but do not earn enough to pay tax. Mitt Romney has never experienced financial issues since he was born into a privileged and wealthy lifestyle and didn’t really have to work for anything. He certainly was able to get a room full of rich people who paid 50,000 USD to go to the fundraiser to agree with his statement on the unimportant 47% of America. That just proves his arrogance and selfishness.

       Mitt Romney was also out of line when he implied that 47% of America thinks they are entitled to everything as if they were greedy and spoilt. I think that statement was ironic as he was the one born into a rich family where his father was a governor. Most of the 47% of the United States are only trying to find chances and opportunities to support themselves and their families. They are only trying to survive so when Mitt Romney made that comment it was almost like he was holding their lives against them.

       The speech was really disrespectful and mean and that wasn’t the only time he said something like that. He frequently takes speech out of context. He has taken Obama’s speech about teamwork out of context when he used the quote “You didn’t build that” against him when he started telling companies and organizations that Obama doesn’t think that you built your business and also Obama doesn’t give credit to a student who made the honor roll. I don’t think Obama meant he didn’t give individuals any credit. I think Obama meant that you can’t do anything alone like how Mitt Romney wouldn’t have made it that far without his father. Mitt Romney didn’t build his legacy, his father did and he completely ignored him when making that 47% speech.

       Overall, I don’t think much of America supports Mitt Romney. After his speech there have been a lot of haters and even though it was in private and he had the chance to apologize for it, he continued to back himself up. I think that the speech was so out of line there is no way that anyone would forgive him for saying that and it was certainly no accident. I don’t think he understands the American system because he grew up privileged and he shouldn’t have made that speech.