It’s been a bad week for Mitt Romney. First, Mother Jones released a tape of Romney telling wealthy donors that 47% of Americans are going to vote for Obama because they are "dependent on the government," "believe that they are victims," and "believe the government has a responsibility to care for them." Then we found out that, despite Romney’s disdain for those who receive government aid, his own father was on welfare. Later in the same week, he appeared on Univision in what appeared to be brownface and refused to give a straight answer about his plans for "Deferred Action" for young undocumented Americans. How did the Colorlines.com community feel about Romney’s latest series of gaffes? Here’s what you had to say.
Regarding Mitt’s "47 Percent" remarks, Linda Turbett Elkins commented:
Mitt Romney conveniently forgets that it is the policies that he follows and wishes to exact upon our nation that have decimated the middle class and made them more dependent upon the government for their very existence […] Most Americans are hard working proud people, not born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but willing to work for what little they now make. It is not their fault that the low-paying jobs that are the norm in our society barely put a roof over their heads, let alone put food on the table too, just as it’s not their fault they were not just born into wealth.
Robert Kinne added:
Mitt’s logic is simple – anyone who wants could have been born rich like he was, and not need Medicare or Social Security because they would get all the help they wanted from a wealthy businessman (in his case, George Romney, head of American Motors). It’s actually about 99.9 % that Mitt doesn’t worry about – he’s got Karl Rove and the Koch brothers on his side.
Romney’s 47% comments about those who are "dependent on the government" are particularly ironic in light of the fact that Mitt’s father was on welfare when he first came to the United States. Regarding Romney’s family receiving state aid, Mary Blaisdell noted:
Romney now says that government assistance is okay temporarily to get people back on their feet. What about my 50 year old brother who is on government assistance because he is paralyzed from an aggressive form of MS, has some MS-related dementia, has been profoundly deaf from birth, and is now in a Medicaid nursing home. […] Not all government assistance can be short-term, […] things aren’t that simplistic, and all the poor should not be demonized as lazy or irresponsible.
Though Romney’s comments about Obama supporters were perhaps surprising only in their candor, his makeup malfunction on Univision caused quite a stir. Regarding Mitt darkening his skin for the Univision appearance, Robinskull remarked:
I would totally find it unsurprising if some Romney consultant or staffer thought an impromptu tan would some how subliminally make [people of color] react more positively to him. It’s really no more ridiculous than anything else this campaign has come up with. Though in all likelihood someone just got a little overzealous with the foundation.
Micaela Torregrosa-Mahoney agreed that Mitt may have gone overboard with the bronzer by accident, but noted that voters should remain focused on his words and actions, not get distracted by the color of his face:
I’m happy to accept the fact that he had a lousy makeup job or dipped into Boehner’s self-tanner. […] The color of his face at that appearance doesn’t make him any more reprehensible than all the things he’s said over the past 6 months.
However, on Univision Mitt was characteristically tight-lipped, particularly in regards to his plans for deferred action. Anchor Maria Elena Salinas asked Romney four times if he would allow deferred action to continue, but Romney remained evasive. Tanvir Toy noted that Romney’s silence spoke louder that words, saying:
That answer was pretty clear to me. For those who have not yet applied for deferred action can do so without paying a lawyer, in most cases. Remember to put in two passport pictures. And if you need more help, check out this video in which a NYC immigration attorney, gives you step by step instruction on how to apply.
Each week, we round up the best comments in our community. Join the conversation here on Colorlines.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.