Obama Ad: Meet the 47%

Politics & Elections
1

No, this is not a real advertisement.

But what do you think about the following:
<voiceover>
Recently, Governor Romney said the following at a $5,000 a plate fundraiser:

"“There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47% 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 they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it…These are people who pay no income tax, 47% of Americans pay no income tax.”

We’d like you to meet some of these people in the 47%

<"man/woman on the street (or home) interviews>

“Hi, I’m Gloria. I’m a student, going to university studying engineering. I don’t pay Federal Income Tax. I work to put myself though college, and I’m also getting a Pell Grant, so I’m very grateful that it’s helping me get an education. I hope to get a great job when I graduate and start paying taxes, thanks to the breaks I’m getting now. I’m Gloria and I’m part of the 47%”

“Hello, I’m Janice. My husband John passed away three years ago, because we could not get medical coverage due to his pre-existing conditions. I’m living on Social Security now, and I’m also very glad to be on Medicare. John worked very hard his whole life, and I’m proud to have raised three great kids. I’m Janice and I’m part of the 47%.”

“Hi there, I’m Frank. A few years ago, I lost my job when the company was bought out. I spent several months on unemployment until I got back on my feet again. I really appreciated the hand up, and it helped me to be where I am today - employed and paying taxes. I’m Frank and like many other folks, I was part of the 47% and it helped me.”

Hello, I’m Nolan. I proudly served my country in Iraq, and paid the price of losing both legs. I’m doing more physiotherapy now, and planning to do retraining to learn a new job. I don’t pay Federal Income Tax, but Mr. Romney, I’m not a victim. I’d like you to come here and say that to my face. I’m Nolan and I’m part of the 47%.

"Hi folks, I’m Grant. I worked for a company my whole life and was looking forward to retirement. Then Romney’s Bain Capital bought my company and shut it down. I lost my pension, so now I rely entirely on social security. I’m Grant and I’m part of the 47%

“Hello, I’m Travis. I work hard for a living, and I pay my bills and my mortgage on time. My wife Jeannie looks after our 3 kids at home. I have enough deductions so that I don’t pay Federal Income Tax. I do pay Federal Payroll taxes though. I don’t rely on the government. I’m not a victim. Actually, I’m a Republican. Mr. Romney, I’m a Republican that you just insulted, and I’m part of the 47%.”

<Voiceover>

The 47%. They are your sons, your daughters, your neighbors, your co-workers, your mothers and your fathers. They are in this group at the beginning of their careers, or the end or perhaps for only a few months in the middle. They are Americans. And they are worthy of the attention of the President.

2

Nitpick: $50,000 per plate dinner.

3

They need

  • an active duty military in the war zone
  • someone like my neighbor who grossed over $300k last year, but paid no taxes because he works the system
  • An MBA w/six figure income who pays taxes and is voting for Obama
4

Quibble - it was $50,000.00.

5

It would burn. The Obama campaign really ought to capitalize on this ASAP.

6

I like this one: Romney’s Responsibility Map

7

Couple of questions.

Wasn’t the quote that 47% pay no taxes not no income taxes?

But assuming Romney meant (or said) income taxes, can’t you only get to 47% by counting everyone – including 5 year old children? Wouldn’t having a small child saying “Hey his 47% includes me and I’ll be paying taxes when I grow up as long as I can finish going to school” also be quite effective?

8

[quote=“OldGuy, post:7, topic:635183”]

Couple of questions.

Wasn’t the quote that 47% pay no taxes not no income taxes?

This is the direct quote from Romney: (bolding mine)

Full transcript here:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/full-transcript-mitt-romney-secret-video

No. The 47% does not count children. From what I"ve read, the stats are that 47% of those 18 years of age and older do not pay Federal Income Tax. Of course, that does not mean that many of them do not pay other taxes, such as payroll tax, sales tax, Alcohol and tobacco tax, property tax etc.

9

The problem with saying you’re the “47%” is that it puts you in the minority. Something like “the 99%” implies that you have the power to change things. Something like “1%” implies something being elite or detached. 47% just sounds like the wrong side of average.

I’d go with people who make under the line for paying federal income taxes – your single mother, your father working to support his kids, your elderly, your soldier and introduce these people with Romney saying how he can’t convince these people to show personal responsibility and how they’re not his problem. Leave the 47% number out of it – it’s a misleading figure designed to promote the Right anyway. Just human stories of hard work and struggle and trying for a better future and Romney shitting all over them.

10

As I mentioned in another thread, the statement that 47% pay no income tax is correct. However (according to last night’s newscast), 40% of that number are retired senior citizens (who mostly vote Republican), 30% of the number are working poor who don’t meet the tax threshold, and 3% of the number are the wealthy who are able to hide their assets (and who also mostly vote Republican). That all comes up to about 35% of the total number of people in the 47% of Americans who are legally not obliged (yet) to pay income tax, leaving 12% that are perhaps collecting some sort of assistance as sole income. They’re not slackers or professional victims or addicted to welfare. Romney is a sleazoid of the first order.

11

That’s why I’d leave the 47% thing out of there. Defending the number just gives it false validity. Better to focus on Romney’s contempt for half of the nation than the statistics themselves.

12

Probably a good idea. Too many folks seem to latch onto the 47% and misinterpret it as "47% stealing money from good hard working people’

13

The commercial would do better by including percentiles. Rather than saying, “I am part of the 47%”, they would say, “I am 15% of the population.” Of course, that wouldn’t work if all of these groups, added together, didn’t come to approximately 47% (or more). If they added up to 2%, it’s not such a great ad.

14

My niece’s husband for one. I never heard someone bitch so loudly for no good reason.

15

Well, of this group, most paid payroll taxes, so they were the working folks mentioned who take advantage of deductions for children, mortgage or education credits. [From here](some of those people who did not pay income tax still paid payroll taxes, for social security and Medicare, so that it was only 18.1% of households that did not pay any income or payroll taxes.)

And a large group of the remainder were elderly, as mentioned in the “ad”:

So, if you had a **group of 100 **people representing the “47%” that Romney said “I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”, they would break down as follows

**61 **would be working and paying payroll taxes. They would not be making enough money though, or would have enough deductions so that they would not owe federal tax. I guess they don t’ take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

**22 **people would be elderly, and most would have paid taxes throughout their lives. I guess Romney thinks that they need to take a bit more responsibility.

15 people would be poor, disabled or students with no income.

**2 **people would not pay either income tax or payroll taxes - 1 of these would be from a household with an annual income above $200,000 who did not pay any taxes whatsoever.

16

Let’s get that ONE !! LOL

17

I wonder if that “one” would be Mitt Romney at some point in the past, and that’s why we’re not seeing his old tax returns.

18

I actually know a couple named Travis and Jeannie, so that kinda creeped me out.

19

Quote:
All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that 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. And I mean, the president starts off with 48, 49, 48—he starts off with a huge number. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax.

I heard the audio and I swear I thought he as going to keep going past 50% and then say voter suppression was the only way they were going to win. And THAT’S why he needs your money so that he can fund an all day rap concert in Cincinnati.

20

There is a reason why 46-47% of tax units pay no federal income tax.

Many are covered under tax benefits for the elderly. That would include the extra standard deduction for senior citizens and the exclusion of some social security benefits from taxation.

Benefits for the working poor and children (The Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit and Child and Dependent Care Credit).

Then there are itemized deductions, education credits and tax exempt interest.