What, did Obama give them Rolexes?

by David Safier

Mitt Romney only tells the truth when thinks he's among friends. Otherwise, he says what he thinks will get him what he wants. His "47 percent" remark, a spot-on description of his contempt for the "great unwashed," was intended for like-minded rich folk, but someone stuck a camera on a table and caught the speech for posterity. Yesterday, Romney held a conference call with some of his intimate friends fund-raisers and donors, and he once again told the truth, not imagining a few journalists might be on the line with tape recorders.

Obama, according to Romney, won the election by giving "gifts" to targeted voters, “especially the African-American community, the Hispanic community and young people.” You know, gifts like health care and free contraceptives and forgiveness of college loan interest and the modified Dream Act.

Gifts. That's how Romney sees it. Like the swag bags they give out to rich actors at the Oscars or a couple or Rolexes a CEO might hand out to help seal a business deal. Romney doesn't think of people who are just getting by as actually requiring services they often can't afford. He doesn't understand that high school graduates who are having their educations stopped because they came to the U.S. when their parents crossed the border might have their lives changed immensely by being given greater access to college. Romney has never wanted for anything in his life, and he only gives "gifts" to others to get something back for himself.

And so he can make a callous statement like this:

“You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free health care, particularly if you don’t have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity — I mean, this is huge,” Mr. Romney said. “Likewise with Hispanic voters, free health care was a big plus. But in addition with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group.”

Right. Obama risked his presidency pushing for the Health Care Act every Democrat has hoped to pass for the past half century to win reelection. And he doesn't give a damn about immigration reform or young people who want to pursue their dreams. He just did it to win a few votes. After all, that's the only reason Romney would do it. Why should Obama be any different?