Romney Believes "Middle-Income Americans" Make $200,000 to $250,000 a Year
[There was a video here]
Fresh off a real godforsaken run at foreign policy chops in the wake of deadly riots in Egypt and Libya, Mitt Romney has focused his attention back on making blundering statements about our very own U.S.A. This morning, during a Good Morning America interview, the ultra-wealthy businessman said that he plans on reducing taxes for "middle-income" Americans. But how does he define middle income?
"No one can say my plan is going to raise taxes on middle-income people, because principle number one is (to) keep the burden down on middle-income taxpayers," Romney told host George Stephanopoulos.
"Is $100,000 middle income?" Stephanopoulos asked.
"No, middle income is $200,000 to $250,000 and less," Romney responded.
Romney's camp later clarified that its candidate meant to say middle income for households is $200,000 to $250,000, which would align his beliefs with Barack Obama, who has in the past defined middle class as being families who make up to $250,000 annually. Going against both men, of course, is the Census Bureau, which this week pegged the median household income—the real midpoint for U.S. earners—at about $50,000.
Flub or no, Romney's perceived obeisance to the wealthiest in America is starting to rub some people the wrong way. Reuters recently interviewed a Virginia woman who said that even though she believes Obama to be a Muslim lying about his religion, she refuses to vote for Romney:
Sheryl Harris, a voluble 52-year-old with a Virginia drawl, voted twice for George W. Bush. Raised Baptist, she is convinced — despite all evidence to the contrary — that President Barack Obama, a practicing Christian, is Muslim.
So in this year's presidential election, will she support Mitt Romney? Not a chance. "Romney's going to help the upper class," said Harris, who earns $28,000 a year as activities director of a Lynchburg senior center. "He doesn't know everyday people, except maybe the person who cleans his house."
She'll vote for Obama, she said: "At least he wasn't brought up filthy rich."
When you're a white Republican who's losing the paranoid white Southern Baptist vote, maybe it's time to rethink some things.
[Image via AP]