Update, Sept. 24: This article analyses Romney’s 2011 tax return and concludes that but for the sleight-of-hand, his tax rate would have been between 12% and 10%.

Original Post:

By now, most are probably well aware of Mitt Romney’s astounding statement about the 47% of the voters who support Barack Obama for reelection.

Here’s his 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 on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing.”

Having long ago concluded that Romney is a duplicitous, say-anything-to-win politician (hardly unique, by the way) who doesn’t appear to have any core values except to shifting positions in order to win, yes, I will be voting for Obama, no matter what.

I have news for the governor: My wife and I:

• Are not dependent upon the government. I have my own business.
• Don’t believe we are victims.
• Don’t believe the government has a responsibility to care for us–yet. But when it comes time to collect Social Security, Medicare and maybe Medicaid–for which we’ve paid taxes our whole working lives–you bet, we expect to be able to tap these funds.
• We’re fortunate that we have our own house and can buy our own food.
• We’ve been paying for our own health care, an individual policy that has gone up generally 20%-30% per year (expletive to you, Regence Blue Shield) when the CPI index has consistently been below 5%.
• And, oh, by the way governor: We also pay taxes, at a tax rate higher than you paid in 2010. I bet our tax rate would be higher for the last 10 years–if you’d release your tax returns.

My 92-year old mother doesn’t pay income taxes, but according to you she is a freeloading moocher. Until March, she still lived in and paid for her own apartment. She now lives in a 24-hour healthcare facility, paying for her own room and board from her life-long savings and her  Social Security earned from a lifetime of working. When the savings is gone, Medicaid will kick in–provided you aren’t elected and gut this program. She paid taxes that went toward Medicaid. Soon it will be time to benefit from it.

My 86-year old mother-in-law also doesn’t pay income taxes, so according to you she, too, is a freeloader. She has her own home, living off Social Security and her savings. Both use Medicare. Both have supplemental health insurance. Both get supplemental financial support from their children. But according to you, governor, they are dregs of society.

There was one Tweet that neatly sums you up, governor: You just tied 47% of us to the roof of your car.