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GOP Needs to Get Over the Makers vs. Takers Mindset

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Anonymous

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GOP Needs to Get Over the Makers vs. Takers Mindset

A Commentary By Scott Rasmussen


Friday, April 19, 2013

Mitt Romney's secretly recorded comment that 47 percent of Americans are "dependent on the government" and "believe they are victims" isn't the only reason he lost the presidential campaign. But the candidate himself acknowledged after the election that the comments were "very harmful."

He added, "What I said is not what I believe."

But many Republicans still believe it, and the "makers vs. takers" theme has a deep hold on the party.
In private conversations, many in the GOP are whispering that Romney was right and that his only mistake was saying it out loud.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say something like, "Well, the half who favor government programs is the half who don't pay any taxes."

This is ridiculous -- on many levels.

First, the overwhelming majority of those who don't pay federal income taxes pay a whole variety of other taxes, including state and local taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, sin taxes and more. They don't feel excluded from sharing the tax burden just because they don't pay one particular tax.

It's also worth noting that these aren't the people pushing for higher taxes. At Rasmussen Reports, our most recent polling shows that people who make $100,000 or more each year are more supportive of higher taxes than those who make less.

Second, the 47 percent who don't pay federal income taxes include large chunks of the Republican base. Many senior citizens fall into this category because their primary income is from Social Security.

They don't consider themselves "takers." They paid money into a Social Security system throughout their working lives and now simply expect the government to honor the promises it made.

Third, low-income Americans aren't looking for a handout. Among those who are living in poverty, 81 percent agree that work is the best solution to poverty. Most would rather replace welfare programs with a guaranteed minimum-wage job. Sharing the mainstream view, 69 percent of the poor believe that too many Americans are dependent upon the government.

Sixty-five percent of low-income Americans consider it "very important" for an economy to provide everybody with an opportunity to succeed. Interestingly enough, low-income Americans consider that more important than those who earn more.

But if I had to pick just one number to highlight how bad the 47 percent remark was, it would be this. Just 11 percent of Americans today consider themselves dependent upon government. Sure, some receive a Social Security check or an unemployment check, but that's not dependence upon government. That's cash received in exchange for premiums paid.

If they want to seriously compete for middle-class votes, Republicans need to get over the makers vs. takers mentality. We live in a time when just 35 percent believe the economy is fair to the middle class. Only 41 percent believe it is fair to those who are willing to work hard. Those problems are not created by the poor.

GOP candidates would be well advised to shift their focus from attacking the poor to going after those who are really dependent upon government -- the Political Class, the crony capitalists, the megabanks and other recipients of corporate welfare.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
GOP Needs to Get Over the Makers vs. Takers Mindset

A Commentary By Scott Rasmussen


Friday, April 19, 2013


Also from Scott Rasmussen Oldtimer
Health Care Reform

It’s Time to Decide, and 54% of Voters Oppose the Health Care Plan

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a House of Representatives vote today on the health care reform plan proposed by the President Obama and congressional Democrats. Yet while in Congress there has been months of posturing and shifting of political tactics, voter attitudes have remained constant: A majority oppose the plan being considered by the legislators.

Comical how you think the Republicans should do as Scott says but you supported the Dems when they defied Scott's polls and passed Obamacare with a very partisan vote. :wink:
 

Steve

Well-known member
the conservatives have been attacking crony politics,.. especially Obama's and the liberals political pay offs to it's donors.. but the liberals don't seems to notice that.. hint Solindra.. GE...

so they resort to re-fighting the 2012 election again.. I guess when you have a hollow victory.. they can't help but to try to relive it when things are going wrong...

But why now,, ..

is it becasue of the huge intelligence failure in Boston this week..


over at msnbc

quick.. drag out something.. divert .. quick... find something else to talk about.. before the right shoves our face in our mistake..
 

cowman52

Well-known member
I really like busting my a** to support someone sitting home and drawing food stamps, a free phone, and rent subsidities, heck I might try it.
 
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