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Seattle residents say, 'We're the 47 percent'

September 18, 2012 @ 4:35 pm (Updated: 9:05 am - 9/19/12 )

"Mr. Romney we pay taxes, I am part of that 47 percent," says Roger Brockway, who put up signs in front of his north Seattle home in response to the Republican presidential candidate's much-talked-about statement or gaffe, depending on your perspective.

While Mitt Romney says he was only talking about campaign strategy, and the voters he's trying to reach with his message, a lot of people took his point the wrong way. Some are offended and have started a satirical "We are the 47 percent movement" through social media sites like Tumblr.

In a video from a private fundraiser, made pubic by Mother Jones, Mitt Romney was captured making comments about people who don't pay income tax in America. Here's Romney's quote:

"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 not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

RomneyMessage

Brockway, a small business owner, says the Romney comment to him seemed, "extremely divisive" and it struck him as "pandering - telling people what they wanted to hear."

"Everybody needs help from time to time whether it's from the government, from religious groups, from your neighbors," Brockway says. "A hand up isn't always a hand out, it can be the right thing to do."

"I was an undecided voter, leaning away from Romney, and now it's a sure thing," says Mark Cherberg. "I'll vote for Obama and hope for the best."

"The comment shows me how out of touch he (Romney) is. Who doesn't pay taxes? My sister is unemployed so she collects benefits, but other than that my family has always tried to get by without help, and that isn't easy on a teacher's salary supporting six people," says Jonathan Wilder.

Is it true that 47 percent of Americans pay no income tax? The answer depends on whether you focus on the statistic, 47 percent, or the phrase "no income tax."

The Tax Policy Center provides data showing that in 2011, 46.4 percent of American households paid no federal income tax. True statement. The same data shows, however, that nearly two-thirds of households that paid no income tax did pay payroll taxes and most people also pay some combination of state, local, sales, gas and property taxes. They may not be paying federal income taxes, but they are paying something.

Only about 18.1 percent of American households paid neither federal income taxes nor payroll taxes in 2011. Of those, about 10 percent were elderly and almost 7 percent were households earning less than $20,000 year, which include low-income families and students.

In defending his comment Tuesday night, Romney told Fox News, "I do believe that we should have enough jobs and enough take-home pay such that people have the privilege of higher incomes that allow them to be paying taxes. I think people would like to be paying taxes."

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By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (132)


  • Add A Comment

  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    That is fine.
    September 18, 2012 3:59 pm
    The rest of the 53 percent who pay taxes will vote for Romney!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Steinsbu wrote...
    It's me! Ha ha
    September 18, 2012 4:33 pm
    you have always been a PUTZ. I pay my fair share of taxes as well, always have hopefully always will and still be a democrat. The thought of big business running my life anymore then they already do is assinine.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    My reason
    September 19, 2012 4:05 pm
    that I am an independant. I don;t have to sell out to one side. I don't watch MSNBC or FOX and get all worked up about the propaganda and spin. You know we can get the facts with just a google search instead of reading emails from hate groups (mostly my right wing friends, my left wing friends emails are just asking for money:). I certainly won;t vote for someone just because they are not Obama, that is just stupidity and laziness. Obama has not done a great job, but considering where we started, I don't think anyone else would have pulled a rabbit out of thier hat. I guess the fact that he is Mormon, and they are inheriently racist (google it), and that he was born with a spoon in his mouth and has boght his way into politics (Yes, same can be said of JFK, but he didn't run to France when a war was going on: Read PT109). I am leaning toward Obama at present. Romney hasn't convinced me he is any better, just a lot of talk and no real plan. And IMO experince counts. Besides, I am tired of paying 15,000 in taxes (minimum) each year and thought about just going on welfare (read: Joke, not the taxes, just the welfare part)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jaysonoo7 wrote...
    The truth is hard to hear...
    September 18, 2012 4:47 pm
    I bet he is not that far off when he says that 47% of the population is entirely to dependent on government and or consider them selves victims, that they can't do anything to change the outcome of their own lives... Its sad really but true
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    And the truth apparently hurts...
    September 18, 2012 8:35 pm
    doesn't it, Seattle? Romney has nothing to apologize for and it's so blatantly obvious how the media is able to turn this not a "gaffe." This country has already tilted too far in the direction of government dependence -- far, far away from what it was founded on -- and folks, the snowball is heading down the hill. Too many, just like Romney says, are going to continue to vote for the type of government that bails them out, that minimizes their need to work and stand on their own and take responsibili for their lives. It couldn't be any more obvious. So if you're "hoping for change," I wouldn't hold my breath. The cat is out of the bag.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Sean, keep it real
    September 19, 2012 5:14 pm
    Do you feel it necessary to spin it in his favor. Even the "top" right wing Pundits considered it a gaffe, and are pulling away from Romney in numbers. Any honest person would see that calling half the country smootchers won't win you voters and it shouldn't. Thinking that all democrates want a handout, and live on the Government Teat, is typical propaganda. I am sure many republicans collect government assistance. By the way, I'm an independant, so I don't have to try and spin everything around when someone from either party screws up.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Jaysonoo
    September 19, 2012 4:13 pm
    So you plan on giving up your SS check and denying Medicare benefits when it's your time, right? Good for you. Served in the military? Then stop using the VA or collecting that retirement (Government) check (after all you would only have served 20 years, half of what every other American has too) And if you think 47% think they are victims, your a very confused person. But maybe you are just hanging out with the wrong friends (birds of a feather?)If this country is fallingg apart, it's not due to Obama, but the attitude that nobody needs a hand up (not hand out) at sometime in thier lives. God, I hope you never get reall sick and end up owing hundereds of thousands of dollars, and end up on the street.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dsbab wrote...
    Typical lib
    September 18, 2012 4:49 pm
    Start with name calling, end with talking points about "evil" big business. Your guy used my money to bail out "big business". Remember GM? So you must be against obammy?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    dsbab
    September 19, 2012 5:17 pm
    Must be hard backing a liar and fake. Since your such good friends of his, could you ask why he isn't showing his taxes? I mean, they cried when the president wouldn't show his birth certificate (man, were those people stupid or what?) Yes, I remember GM, Willard was going to let it fail, then took credit when Obama saved it. What's you point?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Howdy wrote...
    Big woop
    September 18, 2012 4:51 pm
    I pay taxes too, and I agree with Romney on this one. His little comment on campaign strategy became ammunition for the class warfare being waged by his opponent, and Obama's followers just love to gobble up the garbage.

    Steinsbu, how is big business running your life? Are you being forced to purchase specific products or services at gunpoint?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Big business running government?
    September 18, 2012 5:02 pm
    Wow, good luck getting that hook out of your lip. Big business and Wall Street are behind Obama. It's the small and mid-sized businesses that are against his regulatory hydra that sprouts new heads on the whim of some pencil pusher. Big business will be fine if Obama gets to golf on our dime for another four years. They get their bailouts, and grants to build propellers, and invites to the in-crowd functions. Obama has his hands on that straw man puppet he rolls out that Romney will deregulate Wall Street. What a crock. Look at all the volumes of mindless regs on the guy who runs a small shop. That's what he's talking about. But if you want to see a Quixotic battle between Obama and the Scarecrow, keep drinking that Kool - Aid.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Snout
    September 19, 2012 5:48 am
    While your at it remove that couple of hooks from your mouth also.Your side continues to bring up government regulations standing in the way of business making money.Sorry friend but thats simply code talk for big business wanting roll back of regs that give us clean air and clean water.In todays business world that mall business that you refer to is likely owned by the KOCH BROTHERS
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Messy 101
    September 19, 2012 6:35 am
    Dude, ever hear of George Soros? BTW Jeff Immelt is Obama's jobs guy you moron. Those two have actually destroyed entire industry's & Soro's nearly collapsed the entire Britsh economy. Obama has quietly shipped nearly 65,000 GM & GE jobs to China. So agai, you have you hypocritical liberal head up your A SS
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tmbull wrote...
    and don't forget Jay Z and Beyonce
    September 19, 2012 10:28 am
    they just dumped millions into the game too
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Hey maple
    September 19, 2012 5:20 pm
    With fact checking just a few clicks away, you must really be lazy or illiterate. Whose the moron, moron?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Kief Sloberman wrote...
    Seattle libtards will "vote for Obama and hope for the best."....
    September 18, 2012 5:07 pm
    wow, didn't see that coming.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    The Libs single biggest problem:
    September 18, 2012 5:14 pm
    The truth hurts. And it really pisses them off.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Haha
    September 19, 2012 5:26 pm
    Is that the best you have. Didn't know middle school students had time to post here. Oh, and my mom can beat up your mom. Besides, I haven't read much truth coming from the right wingers here for sometime. Just the same old inaccurate email garbage that duffs circulate around the internet and other dummies think it's true. Repeat after me: Fact check. At least when you disrespect the president, stick to the facts.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sohojo wrote...
    Millionairs
    September 18, 2012 5:15 pm
    Running the country is a problem. None can relate to the average American be it a Democrat or Republican. If you don't think Obama loves the useless idiots in his voting base you are truly clueless.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Only telling the truth and evidently the truth hurts.
    September 18, 2012 5:17 pm
    Regardless of how you twist it, 47% do not pay federal income tax which leaves the other 53% to pay the federal income taxes and the programs that are supported with those funds. Considering the trillions that we are now in the hole, it would be nice if everyone paid FEDERAL income tax in addition to the myriad of other taxes that our government has invented. As far as all the entitlement programs, there should be a reorganization of said programs and a five year period to get a constitutional amendment passed to support said programs i.e.: Obama care, welfare, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare.….if not ratified by the states these programs should be defunded after a 4 year phase out period. We have a Constitution and we should start following it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Gar57 wrote...
    Agreed, mnpat....
    September 18, 2012 6:33 pm
    Now what would you do about the billions in corporate welfare handed out annually in the form of tax beaks and "incentives"? The billions in subsidies to oil companies? Restoring the top marginal tax rate to what it was under Reagan? You are interested in consistency, right?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Mnpat...
    September 18, 2012 8:38 pm
    Let me buy you a beer. Well stated.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    mnpat
    September 19, 2012 5:55 am
    A Constitutional Amendment ??? Your a JOKE. So you expect a family earning $28000 a year to pay more money to the Feds yet guys like Romney pay 0-15%? Perhaps if they eliminated 1 meal a day and used that money to pay the tax huh?By the way how do you feel about cutting the military budget by $100,000,000 a year for 10 years? Would you go along with a larger cut perhaps $300,000,000 every year for 20 years that would save $6 TRILLION. So why not
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    @mnpat
    September 19, 2012 6:38 am
    You nailed it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MittensRomney wrote...
    47 % paid no taxes TO ME!
    September 18, 2012 5:32 pm
    I said nothing about Federal or Sales Tax, Property Taxes. I was talking about the 47% of 10 % that would vote for Obama no matter what! Get a clue LIBERALS!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MittensRomney wrote...
    I bet you stole that sign from a demonstrator anyway!
    September 18, 2012 5:33 pm
    Wait until I find out who you work for, buy them out, steal your pension and send your job overseas with the rest! What a jerk!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Yep,
    September 19, 2012 5:30 pm
    Sounds like Romney's plan alright.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }