Right-Wing Media Becomes Romney Campaign Consultants Crafting Romney's Attack On The 47 Percent

One of the most interesting parts of this article from Media Matters comes Rush Limbaugh which shows how much Romney listens to Rush to run his campaign.  Is Rush where the Romney people got their welfare lies against Obama?  Isn't this great that the Republican Party candidate now gets his marching orders from this highly partisan, bloviating talk show hose who a lot of us turned off a long time ago. Bloviating which means to speak or write verbosely and windily fits Limbaugh because of his arrogant, know it all attitude which he is now taken to become the pseudo Romney Campaign Manager.  Looks like Rush was touting this 47% last November and now with  Romney running behind in almost all polls,it seems he is following the Rush lead:

Limbaugh: "47 Percent Of The Population Is Content To Be Slovenly, Lazy Takers." During the November 22, 2011 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show, host Rush Limbaugh attacked those who do not pay income tax, claiming they are "content to be slovenly, lazy takers." [Premiere Radio Network, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/22/11] 

Fast forward to this week and you have:

Romney: The 47 Percent "Will Vote For The President No Matter What"

Limbaugh: It's "Obvious" That Obama's Campaign Is "Aimed At The Welfare State." On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said: "It is obvious that this Obama campaign is aimed at the welfare state and what we are affectionately calling the stupid -- maybe ignorant is better." [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 4/4/12] 

The only people I see stupid and ignorant in all of this is first Limbaugh, second Fox Romney News, and then Romney and his consultants  for swallowing the Rush koolaid.   When you are this late into the general election campaign and still trying to shore up your base, you are in real trouble.  That describes Romney who is still in the process of  shoring up his base since the disaster of the GOP Convention.  What are people talking about from that Convention?  Clint Eastwood talking to the empty chair!  You cannot make things up like that -- it was reality.

Media Matters has turned into being a website that you can go to get facts while the conservative Media Research Center has thrown in with the Fox Romney crowd.  It is no longer a news channel because it is a defense of Romney almost 24/7.  In fact they (Fox) ignored the tapes from Mother Jones but covered the press availability with Romney where he left the stage and refused to answer a question.  Fox News wanted the details out on Romnhey and the fundraiser only as Fox could spin them.  Fox has hired a group of consultants who also work for Romney.  Fair and balanced?  Not even close.  

How The Right Wing Media Built Mitt Romney's 47 Percent Line
Research September 18, 2012 11:53 AM EDT ››› ZACHARY PLEAT & REMINGTON SHEPARD 

The right-wing media's assault on struggling Americans found its way in to GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's recently revealed remarks disparaging 47 percent of Americans "who pay no income tax" to a group of wealthy donors, once again demonstrating the conservative media's central role in the GOP. 

 (snip)

Mother Jones Reports On May 17 Recording At Romney Donor Dinner. In a September 17 post, Mother Jones reported that Romney disparaged those who don't pay income taxes and receive govenment benefits in front of an audience of wealthy donors. Mother Jones quoted Romney as saying: 

ROMNEY: 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 upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what...These are people who pay no income tax.

[...] 

[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. [Mother Jones, 9/17/12]

Right-Wing Media Crafted Romney's Attack On The 47 Percent 

Romney: "These Are People Who Pay No Income Tax"

Fox's Doocy: Should The "47 Percent Of Americans Not Paying Taxes ... Be Allowed To Vote?" During the July 28, 2010 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy teased a segment by asking if those 47 percent of Americans who don't pay taxes should be allowed to vote. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 7/28/10] 

Fox's Carlson: Hyped Blog For "The 53 Percent That Are Paying The Taxes" Versus "The 47 Percent Who Don't Pay Federal Income Taxes." During the October 11, 2011, edition of Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson detailed an effort by a right-wing blog to counter the Occupy Wall Street protests. Carlson highlighted this blog's claim that it represented the 53 percent of Americans who pay federal income tax as compared to the Occupy Wall Street protesters who are part of the 47 percent of Americans who do not pay taxes. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/11/11] 

Fox's Hannity: "50 Percent Of American households No Longer Pay Taxes." During the April 9, 2012 edition of Fox News' Hannity, host Sean Hannity claimed that 50 percent of American households don't pay taxes and then asked "What does that mean for America if you have a voting electorate that's not paying any taxes?" [Media Matters, 4/9/10]
Romney: The 47 Percent "Are Dependent Upon Government" And Are Unlikely To "Take Personal Responsibility" 

(snip)

Limbaugh: Do Low-Income People "Even Want To Work?" During the April 21, 2011 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that low-income people "don't know anything" before asking if low-income people "even want to work?" [Premiere Radio Network, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 4/21/11] 

Romney: The 47 Percent "Believe That They Are Entitled" To Government Aid

O'Reilly Railed Against "Prospering" "Entitlement Mindset" In America. On his Fox News show, Bill O'Reilly demanded to know "why this mindset" of acceptance of government aid "has taken root." [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 3/20/12] 

Fox's Charles Payne Expressed Regret That People Feel They Earned Government Assistance. On the Fox Business show Varney & Co., Fox Business' Charles Payne said that while anti-poverty programs "are good programs," people should feel shame for using them and expressed disappointment that Americans feel they are entitled to these programs:
I think the real narrative here, though, is that people aren't embarrassed by it. People aren't ashamed by it. In other words, there was a time when people were embarrassed to be on food stamps. There was a time when people were embarrassed to be on unemployment for six months, let alone demanding to be on it for more than two years. 

 I think that's what Stu is trying to say, is that when the president says Wall Street is at fault, so, you are entitled to get anything that you want from the government, because it's not really your fault, no longer is the man being told to look in the mirror and cast down a judgment on himself. It's someone else's fault. So food stamps, unemployment, all of this stuff, is something that they probably earned in some indirect way. [Media Matters, 5/19/11]

Romney: The 47 Percent "Will Vote For The President No Matter What" 

Limbaugh: It's "Obvious" That Obama's Campaign Is "Aimed At The Welfare State." On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said: "It is obvious that this Obama campaign is aimed at the welfare state and what we are affectionately calling the stupid -- maybe ignorant is better." [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 4/4/12]

Read More on this story at Media Matters 

The fact that conservatives and their pundits are defending Romney on this is all you need to know about how the Republican Party in 2012 (also 2010) have left the common sense Republicans who believe that everyone has something to give back to to the people of America.

We see it right here where I live in Norman with students from the University of Oklahoma including not only academic students but the athletes who volunteer countless hours to help in the community.  We have a bright future ahead with these leaders of tomorrow who make community service a part of their lives.

I have seen it over the years with parents who had a hard time making ends meet but wanted to help out at their children's school parties.  As a Room Mother for years, I really appreciated those who agreed to help.  It was easy to find people to donate but not to do hands on help.  Watching a little boy's face light up as his Mom came to his school for the first time was worth it all.  Or as a reading tutor watching a little first grader who came from a horrible family background who couldn't tell her letters at the beginning of the year read a short book by the end of the year.  She is now a first grade teacher.  The success stories of those students born to parents of poverty is why so many mentors volunteer in the schools.  The feeling you have helping some else succeed is a great feeling to know you made a difference.

Today's Romney Republican Party and those on the far right instincts are to criticize those who were not born with a silver spoon in their mouth as not being as worthy as they are to be in office.  Some of the comments I have seen on websites from the Romney supporters and their friends on the far right make me shudder and ask how I could possibly be a member of the same party.  Then I realize I have a lot company who feel exactly the same way I do.

President Bush was made fun of because of his compassionate conservatism but it makes sense today as he was trying to get Republicans to be kinder and gentler to those less fortunate.  Romney and his supporters have taken that and tossed it under the bus.  There are lot of words that come to mind to describe the hostile takeover the the Republican Party by Romney and far right but most I wouldn't write on a website so please use your imagination.