Mitt Romney: ‘I Want Everybody in America to Be Rich’
- Posted on September 22, 2011 at 10:53pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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While unwilling to define what constitutes being “rich,” GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney wants everyone in the United States to be wealthy.
“I don’t try and define who is rich and who is not rich,” Romney said when asked what level of income he considers rich.
“I want everybody in America to be rich,” the former Massachusetts governor stated. “I want people in this country to have opportunity. I want everybody to have the kind of opportunities that we on this stage have had.”
When asked what tax rate would be appropriate for average citizens, Michele Bachmann said Americans should not have to pay income taxes at all.
“That’s your money. That‘s not the government’s money.”
“I think you earned every dollar, you should get to keep every dollar that you earn,” Bachmann said.
Megyn Kelly, a former tax attorney, then pressed that government would still need to collect some revenues, to which Bachmann stated,”Obviously we have to give money back to the government so that we can run the government but we have to have a completely different mindset and that mindset is the American people are the genius of this economy, it certainly isn’t government that is the genius.”
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Comments (67)
KrishnaDas
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:52pmHow about “In America, I want everyone to have maximum liberty”? Material wealth will follow if that precondition is guaranteed.
Report Post »SGinNC
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:30pmRick Perry should be running for the President of Mexico. He has done more for their citizens then ours.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:56pmAlmost Everyone in America is Rich when you compare them to other nations around the world. We need to have a something like a scared straight program where we take lower income people in America to low income neighborhoods and cities in AFRICA,ASIA,AND SOUTH AMERICA so the can see what POVERTY REALLY LOOKS LIKE.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:37pmMe too but it isn’t going to happen. Not with people who don’t know what they are doing in office
Report Post »thindime
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:17amRomney is intelligent, but Bachmann is more of “man” than he is (said with respect regarding Bachmann). Sadly, America may not be ready for a female president given the bad experience with the first black president — “novelty” that is wearing off in a big way. No racism, just truly horrific current domestic and foreign policy on ALL fronts.
Any of the GOP candidates will be better than the current sitting closet Islamo-Leninist Fascist and Narcissist (talk about a bad combination!).
Report Post »Partyof1
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:07amI can‘t understand why Cogresswoman Bachman doesn’t refer to the 2009 CDC report laying out the deaths and side effects of the Gardisil injection while she is participating in the debates. She has the facts right but won’t explain why.
Report Post »team1blazer
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:55amHerman Cain is distancing himself from the rest of the crowd, with real answers to America’s problems. The MSM, however is giving him NO credit….perhaps they are searching for Obama lite; which is exactly what we would get with either Romney or Perry.
Report Post »Godfather.1
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:10amMichelle Bachmann doesn’t want income taxes huh? How would she plan on paying for the military, medicare, roads, bridges, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the Secret Service?
Report Post »American Soldier (Separated)
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:52amThere’s a BIG different between the income tax on general wages and income tax on corporate gains and profits. That’s what is suppose to be taxed, not the wages of individuals. Corporate taxes is enough to cover a conservative military defense budget, sans war and a world wide empire.
We don’t need income taxes on individual wages if we were to live within our means.
And we shouldn’t be paying for medicare either.
We can easily eliminate the income tax on individuals if were actually tried to reduce government spending and live within our means.
Report Post »RevoltInPeace
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:02amUntil 1913, income tax was non-existent, temporary, or very (very) low. And, even then, we had a military, paid our govt workers, and protected peoples’ rights and upheld the constitution. Income tax (at least at the rate it is today) is only needed if we let the govt do things that they don‘t need to do or shouldn’t do. I agree with a fair, flat income tax to protect the borders, protect our constitutional rights, and support the sick and unable. But, income taxes are out of control – should be a flat 5-7% or so.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 9:20amI don’t want to have to vote for Romney! Perry looked petty and defensive last night and that won’t work with Obama when the press is all in for the bastard. Michelle and Cain suffer from foot in mouth disease.Newt shot himself in the foot years ago. I like Paul on domestic issues but, his foreign policy is scary. Ryan won’t run. Is it that hard to come up with a candidate that we can all get behind?
Report Post »stogieguy7
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:02amRomney wouldn’t be that bad! Is he my first choice? No. But he’d do all right – especially with a solid VP pick.
As for Perry, he lost me last night.
Either way, for the sake of our great nation, it’s A.B.O.!
Report Post »republitarian
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:47amI don’t want to like Romney but he is growing on me. I wish some other candidates could perform as well.
Perry was a train wreck last night.
Report Post »MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:09amShe is RIGHT, the income tax came with PROGRESSIVE Woodrow Wilson. Before that we had the Great White fleet, funded by other forms of taxation, not income tax.
Income tax is the problem; it perpetually creates class warfare, envy and greed. Get rid of it! Amend that mistake out of the Constitution just like prohibition, and replace the revenue with a fair tax!
http://minorityrightsadvocate.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/taxation-today-not-about-revenue-it-is-about-control/
Report Post »Sheepdog911
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:04amUntil Woodrow Wilson and the Income Tax, the tariffs collected by the U.S. Customs Service on foreign importation of good funded virtually the entire U.S. government. If it isn’t still possible to do that, the government has grown too large.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:24amTHANK YOU !
FINALLY someone is bringing this up!!!
Whenever I bring it up myself, I only get short, curt answers like, “That’s protectionism“ and ”Protectionism doesn’t work”. And that is from “CONSERVATIVES”.
But, NOBODY will ever engage in a discussion of WHY “protectionism” doesn’t work.
The last time we operated our government on that model, we were an INDUSTRIALIZED, PRODUCTION, MANUFACTURING, RESOURCES nation. Today, we are a CONSUMER nation, and are not permitted to produce anything!
With no production, our wealth does not grow. With no increase in wealth, we cannot keep taking from the people, let alone pretending you can take enough FROM THE PEOPLE to “give back” (partially) “to the people”. Due to inefficiency, that is a losing model from the onset. Even normal inefficiency would cause that model to fail. Now, add in GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATIC scale inefficiency, and WOW ! That model could NEVER work!
So, before we go hatin’ on import tarriffs, just remember, we are living in a much different society. With the scale and percentage of imports we have today, tarriffs would make much more sense than yesterday.
Oh, but tarriffs are the antithesis of the almighty, beloved, “free trade” agreements – those pieces of paper that sign away a portion of our national SOVEREIGNTY. The ones you can never cancel unless ALL PARTIES agree.
Let’s HAVE the tarriff / ‘protectionism’ debate!
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sWampy
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 9:43amProtectionism doesn’t work, because it doesn’t fit the progressive/liberal goals of mutual assured destruction of the economies if we don’t all trade with each other. The US is one of the few nations with the correct amount of resources, population, climate to survive on our without any help from outside, and without sending our resources outside. We have gone to far down the path of destruction to just ignore the rest of the world at this point though, there are to many weak, sick, insane people with nukes now because of the failed progressive/liberal policies. It’s going to take some real balls and some hard choices if we want to put the world back on a track for a good future, but if we don’t we will be a 3rd world 99% poor 1% rich liberal/progressive utopia within 100 years.
Report Post »American Soldier (Separated)
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:57amUsing tariffs as a revenue source is one thing and using it to inflate the cost of foreign products to “encourage” buying American is another. The gap between foreign made products and american made products is so great that not many people would be able to afford the things we’re accustom to having. Then what would happened? We’d clamor for higher wages. Then American products will be more expensive again. Then I bet we’ll want to raise the tariffs even higher. How is that going to solve our problems? It’ll just add more gas to the inflation fire.
We have to cut back spending, lower our standard of living and want to be productive again. We can’t force out the competition (foreign products) through tariffs and become successful again. It just won’t work.
Report Post »BS61
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:43amUnfortunately, Bachmann has lied about Tim Pawlenty’s record, and she lied about gardisal – Very disappointed.
Report Post »MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:11amaccusations without details…. prove it?
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:28amAt worst, I belive her staff may not have adequately prepared her, or they did not thoroughly explain the details to her.
I believe Bachmann strives to be a sincere and honest woman.
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 9:45amMore liberal lies, she skimmed over at best, not putting in all the details that are obvious, but can’t be proven without a lengthy investigation, most likely for fear of being sued if she actually named the criminal activity that was actually involved.
Report Post »endgamer
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:12amBefore you do anything you have to fix the money first!! Otherwise every point and question is moot at best. Meaningless is more like it.. The monetary system IS the problem and has been since 1971 when we completely left the gold standard. No more FED no more IRS and any government agency that is unconstitutional..There are hundreds..
Report Post »louise
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:09amEndgamer,
Report Post »Exactly.
Ron Paul said that a currency crisis would be his reason for running for the Presidency. He knows we are in a crisis, while the darlings of the RNC (Perry and Romney) are still tap dancing around the edge of the cliff just to get votes.
progressiveslayer
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:50amEndgamer: Here’s a quote that I believe is salient,It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.
Report Post »Henry Ford. We need to end the fed and get back to the gold standard,that’s the only way to fix this.
TheePolitinator
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:05amRomney is a sheep in wolves clothing, I hail from MA, I know exactly who and what Romney is. A puppet, and Soros backed, when Romney originally failed, Soros backed Oblahblah. My choice even though his Iran views are ignorant at best is Ron Paul, I think once he got elected his advisers could sway his outlook on Iran. Plus Ron Paul is a Patriot, and a true mans man. Start voting on merit not words.
Report Post »blue_sky
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:05amAgree, both Romney and Perry are plastic men that will continue Bush/Obama endless war, torture, inflation, bail out to monopolies (yes, they both supported TARP.)
Perry deflated himself today.
Romney is also finished if people see this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJgLXC66ttk
====================================
Report Post »pwatkins
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:04amGingrich is looking better each debate to me. He is definately the smartest in the group. I knew Perry had an immigration view slightly different from mine, but he didn‘t come through this very well tonight and I am going to wait before I say he can’t recover from it. I think Perry argued somewhat poorly and he may need to stop listening to his campaign advisors and speak entirely from his heart. I still like PALIN bc she listens to no one when voicing her opinions, well at least no earthly voices..
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:49amAnd all their children will be above average.
Report Post »JMW
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:28amI really don’t want to hear anymore from Perry or Romney! I would like to watch a debate minus those two so we could actually get some good info from the other seven.
Report Post »grandma7
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:59amAgree 100%. They‘ve developed a great racket by mentioning each others’ names every chance they get. The debate rules perpetuate their grandstanding by giving them 30 seconds every time their name is mentioned. They found a great way to monopolize all three debates. Tired of both of them. No Vote for either in the primaries.
Report Post »billybe123
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:12amHmmm, seems I heard Glenn say progressives always say they want everybody to be rich. Matter of fact, I do believe he just said that tonight on his show. Ole Mitt there slipped up me thinks. Hello Mr Progressive in hiding. Got ya. This guy is no good. Typical politician. We had a guy just like him last election, McCain ring a bell. No way on Mitt.
Report Post »Yap
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:24amMitt is SOOOOOOOO far from MCcain. When you say things like that it makes you sound like you don’t have a clue. Have you met Mitt? I have several times, and not at political events. He is so far beyond anyone that is running it is unbelievable.
Report Post »BS61
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:48am@YAP I won’t support Romney, because RINO, Michael Medved does!
Report Post »mikevolt
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:46pmMan, What is wrong with you people??? He gave the correct answer. If the government would get out of the way, prosperity would flourish. We live in America for hell sakes where wealth is not a zero sum game. Everyone has the opportunity to become what ever they put their mind to. We are all richly blessed because of those freedoms. Yet the Mormon hating bigots on this website live in the dark corners of hate and intolorance. Why would you think that you have a lock on Jesus Christ? Is he not the savior of all mankind? That is what Catholics believe. That is what my baptist friends believe and I know that is what glenn beck believes who by the way in case you did not know is a mormon!! HELLO
Report Post »Herman Cain and Newt G won the debate tonight hands down. Perry looked like the dumbest one on the stage. Honestly. I can’t believe the meltdown I just witnessed. Like it or not, Romney gained momentum and will be the republican nominee unless Palin gets in. Then its anyones game.
ashestoashes
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:01amI liked Mitt Romney hands down. This guy is more for the people, our people.. He’s for getting the illegals out of the way and not preferring them for college students over our own. He also stands for Israel. He has lowered taxes and he admitted his mistakes on his healthcare. He also wants to fix Social Security and Medicare which is only right. Young people want to manage their own..but that means that there will be many living in the streets in their old age because many live from paychecl to paycheck. Romney has a very good sound platform. I too will vote for Romney unless Sarah jumps in.
Report Post »slr4528
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:13amI completely agree with you, the Morman bigotry is really getting old. How would Evangelical Christians like it if they were discounted for a position or office because of their Religion.
Report Post »JMW
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:25amActions speak louder than words! If you want a conservative democrat, progressive vote Romney!
Report Post »thelonious
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:28amIt’s impossible for everyone to be rich. This is typical wide-eyed capitalist optimism. The rich exist in their splendor because of the abundance of poverty.
Report Post »JMW
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:31amCain and Newt have been my favorites for a while.
Report Post »Okie from Muskogee
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:01amI do not like Mitt Romney and it has zero to do with him being Mormon. In fact, his belief in God is one thing I do like about him, whether it is my God or not.
-Social Security is a Pontzi Scheme. That is truth, even if we like it.
-Social Security is a Socialist Policy. That is truth, even if we like it.
-Romney has flipped flopped on Abortion
-Romney installed RomneyCare. Government can not force commerce, not even a State. Federal Government should have told Mass No you can not force commerce. We can only regulate commerce. Regulate does not equate to force, require, or mandate.
-Flipped flopped on Gun Control
-Flipped flopped on Carbon Tax
-Flipped flopped on Mandates
-Flipped flopped on Stimulus
I’m can not vote for a candidate that flip flops on every issue. If Romney is a man of God as you proclaim he is disliked for then maybe it isn’t because he is mormon but because he says one thing and then does another and most know men of God do not do that.
Report Post »BS61
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:07am@ashestoashes
I won’t vote anyone running for Prez who ran before!
Report Post »noah2854
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:15amYou are right I experience that myself .
Report Post »MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:24amSLR,
You said: “How would Evangelical Christians like it if they were discounted for a position or office because of their Religion.”
THEY ARE! It is called Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann! Is it holding them back more than Mitt?
By the way, the left knows there are more bigots that won‘t support a Mormon than there are that won’t support a black president, so maybe that is why Mitt does so well, and Huntsman joined in… Just saying. (By the way I was a Romney delegate at the convention in my State last time around, as he was the last best choice over McCain, but far from it this time).
We have a better chance with Cain or Bachman, even Santorum than we do with Mitt, but the media certainly won’t honestly report that, they are pulling out all the stops to re-elect a progressive, and hedging their bets on both sides like they did with McCain. They never expected a VP candidate like Palin, that upset the plan completely.
You have to wonder how a conservative can get elected in the Kennedy state? Believe me, it can only happen by deception, so is he honest now, or then? Remember he comes from a long line of politicians, with a father that tried to be president, which taken alone deserves some investigation.
Report Post »bolsen00
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:22amRomney is the most intelligent and sharpest candidate. That showed in spades Thursday night. Perry has faded away and we need a candidate who will beat Obama and do great in a debate against him. Palin is a terrible debater and talks too much without getting around to the point. Her comments are too simplistic, and this new book on her is causing a lot of problems for her. Thursday night, insiders were saying Todd Palin is filing for divorce and has had enough. Palin’s got serious problems, not the least of which is thenfact that she didn’t complete term as governor and resigned. That’s pretty serious. She’d be smarter to just be an analyst for Fox news.
Report Post »izzy1127
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:43pmDid anyone lose access to the Fox News Channel during the debate? I lost it half way through. I had all other channels except fox. I’m on Time Warner cable.
Report Post »izzy1127
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:35amSeriously, it just happened again. Fox replayed the debate from 12 to 2. The guide had On The Record scheduled from 1 till 2 a.m. and that was the second half of the debate. I set the dvr to record it and watched Glenn Becks show while it was recording. On The Record is in my list of recorded shows but it didn’t record not the one second of the debate. Time warner had to shut down Fox News again for it not to record. I wish I had left the television on, but I’m really curious if anyone out there experienced anything like this with Time Warner. ROKU is coming and cable is going. Will get an antenna and the digital box and go old school for local channels. This is bullsh@t.
Report Post »Any_One_But_Obama
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:36pmRomney really showed his style and strength and that is in debate and negotiation. He has also shown that economy is his number one issue and that came out in a powerful ad he released about the pains of a poor economy in Florida: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2011/sep/romney_ad_florida.html
Perry couldn’t deliver the needed blow to Romney when he had so many chances. But his strength is also the economy, though some question if he played a part in it. We will have to see how this plays out.
Romney won this one, if either of the two did?
Report Post »neverending
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:06amSadly it really isn’t a debate but just a p@ssin@ contest between perry and romney – I say sadly and I do mean sadly – we have a commie sitting in the whitehouse and this is what we get??? Really like Santorum but he is just so angry??? Just kind of depressing.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:14am@NEVERENDING.. The only ******* that was done was by Perry. Perry’s only asset was his jobs growth which actually preceded his governorship. He has raised taxes, given prioity to illegals over our own. The illegals that he has imprisoned, he has forced us to pay on our tax dime. Romney is the clear winner here.
Report Post »GrannyATL
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:32pmThat answer is exactly what a Progressive would say. Pie in the sky drivel meant to tug at your heartstrings.
Been there, done that. Have the T-Shirt to prove it.
Next!
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:30pmI want Obama to fade away; just fade away.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:14amhe will go on a I hate America tour with Carter
Report Post »Messenger4God
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:29pmHow can we all get rich when our country’s finances are in shambles? He must the Republican’s self-appointed “Messiah”. Yes, promise us everything before the election then do whatever you want once in office. Typical politician!
Report Post »Yap
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:19amWow Really? There was no promise there?He would like everyone to have wealth. What is wrong with that. Are you an anti-Mormon because the argument you made has no substance…
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:25pmWell, not everyone can be financially blessed. However, if you are involved in the Mormon religion–which is a cult; you can have more money than most. But be prepared to believe some crazy stuff that the true and living God; who gave His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world; does not accept in any way, shape, or form. If money/mammon is the prize, then so be it. I’d rather starve and not be eternally lost.
Report Post »Yap
Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:21amYou are already lost buddy? All of the Mormons I know are the nicest, hardest working people around! Maybe get out bubble you keep around yourself…
Report Post »Marnin
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:07pmWhy do so many believe that for someone to get rich, someone else must be driven to the poorhouse? Innovation and entrepreneurship increases the overall wealth of the nation, it doesn’t force someone else onto welfare
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on September 22, 2011 at 11:02pmAnd I want everyone to be free from hunger, thirst, pain, or fear of death, but that doesn’t mean I can make any of those things happen–certainly not on my own at least.
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