COMMENTARY | Fox News reports that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, while on the "Today Show" on Wednesday, criticized the public focus on income inequality as about "envy" and "class warfare."
Also, any discussions about said income inequality and consequent wealth redistribution should be discussed in "quiet rooms," suggesting that those topics are unworthy of public debate. That Romney believes in a "merit society" rather than an "entitlement society" is not unexpected -- most wealthy individuals like to believe that their personal fortitude, grit, and savvy made them rich. It is uncomfortable for many people to admit that family connections, inherited wealth, and plain ol' luck usually play far more substantial roles.
The comments about income inequality concerns being mere "envy" could easily hurt Romney among working- and middle-class conservatives, especially coming on the heels of his infamous "I like to fire people" quip. Though the comment about firing people was quickly taken out of context by Romney critics, it hurts the millionaire candidate's image by portraying him as insensitive to the many workers who have been fired, or laid off, during the ongoing recession.
Aside from prior comments that could be deemed insensitive, Romney's "envy" quips about income inequality could hurt him due to his widely known background of family money. Romney grew up in privileged circumstances, as detailed in an article by The New Republic, and went on to reap his own millions after attending elite and Ivy League universities. Though Romney may have had plenty of merit as a young man, it is undeniable that wealth and family contacts were vital to his eventual success.
Having someone from such a background patronize your concerns about income inequality as "envy" might just ruffle your feathers.
While this latest gaffe might not dampen Romney's support going into South Carolina, it adds a bit of ammunition to opponent's arguments that the former governor of Massachusetts is out of touch with average voters. A few more insensitive comments and Romney's challengers, both Republican and Democrat, may be able to show the public a convincing "connect-the-dots" picture of Romney's elitist attitudes and opinions. Making someone look elitist and out of touch is a good way to deny them the presidency... just ask George H. W. Bush, who was denied a second term by a man from Arkansas in 1992.
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