So, who really is the famous 47%?

Dear Editor,

I find myself slightly ashamed in confessing that my first exposure to Romney’s latest gaffe came not from any reputable news publication, but instead from my Facebook news feed. Accordingly, my perception of his “47 percent” comment was intertwined with the opinionated interjections of my Facebook friends. Most of their reactions were what one would expect of the eclectic mix of self-proclaimed liberal and very liberal teenagers – “shocking,” “appalling,” “disgusting,” and a litany of synonyms.  

As repugnant and glaringly cruel that I find Gov. Romney’s comments to be, I couldn’t earnestly say that I was particularly shocked or outraged. I sometimes consider whether I ought to invest in a tinfoil hat when I become convinced that many Republicans view the poor with disdain. However, thanks to the governor, I, at least temporarily, can rest assured that I wasn’t nearly as far off the mark as I wish were the case. 

The GOP is rife with shameful quotes on the topic of America’s poor. Ever since Ronald Reagan famously ginned up the term “welfare queen,” the Grand Old Party has made it a point to take what its supporters may call a tough love stance on the matter of poverty. That is not to say that a serious discussion shouldn’t be had about the effectiveness of public welfare programs. What concerns me is the lack of humanity with which those on the ideological right approach the matter at hand. In the event that our compassionate conservative does not accuse the welfare recipient of being a drug user, he will at the very least write off the needy as being “lazy,” “unmotivated,” or “irresponsible.” Such willingness to resort to victim demonization is, at best, the mark of bafflingly staunch elitism, ergo Willard Romney, or at worst, an almost sociopathic lack of empathy. 

Sincerely,

Josh Gachette

Class of 2016