I have been the 47% and most likely, so have you.

And the Truth shall...

Apparently in this instance, create a firestorm the likes of which you couldn't imagine. This week, Mother Jones posted video of Mitt Romney speaking at a fundraiser in Florida this past May. The GOP Nominee states, in part, it was not his job to worry about 47% of those who don't pay federal income taxes.  Many news outlets have attempted to unearth who exactly are the 47%.  

Before we get there, one would ask the question: how do you just say it is not your job to worry about them. You decide that it is worthwhile to give up on this population because they won't vote for you despite the fact that you would be president over them as well.  The safety net that you would all but demolish if you were given the opportunity to serve as president doesn't give you the urge to acknowledge and understand their plight and work to bring them to a place of less-reliance. Or understand that not all of them are poor, not all of them are democrat, not all of them are rubber stamps for the president, not all of them even acknowledge that they are members of the 47%. 

The Atlantic created a list of the states where the greatest number of their citizens do not pay federal income taxes. Not surprisingly, they fall in the deep south, as the south also houses some of the poorest states in the nation. Every state from New Mexico to South Carolina and Florida are in that top 10. Thereby, one should have create a quick correlation between those who don't pay taxes and poverty in our nation.  Most middle class and working poor are not paying taxes due to tax credits (earned income and child) or because they don't make enough money to qualify. But if Romney knew this he should be utterly confused by the fact that all electoral college maps have these states colored in red. Red as in GOP-SAFE states. Not leaning GOP. Not colored purple or yellow as toss-up states, with the exception of Florida.  So to say that "these people" are definitely voting for the president and he has no chance of gaining their vote is flat wrong. 

The Tax Policy center outlined the tax payers, which was illustrated in the Washington Post. Obviously, 53% of persons pay federal income tax.  Of the 47% who do not, more than half of them pay payroll taxes. The other portion are either elderly or in poverty, thus don't have enough income to pay either income or payroll taxes. On the other end of the spectrum they are very wealthy- approximately 18,000 who made or otherwise acquired over $500,000- and have qualified for capital gains and other tax deductions. Either way, the manner in which this would-be president speaks with such disdain towards a group of people the majority of which he chooses not to know, is striking.

So, why have I been a member of the 47%? Well another portion of "these people" are students. Students- and I have been a student twice- usually don't make enough money to pay federal income taxes.  Or if they pay income taxes they have credits to return their money. So, is Mr. Romney asking students to pay more in taxes as they are also attempting to pay their way through school? I understand that he wants us to ask our parents for money to attend college; however, all of us don't have the option.

I hope that the elderly, poor, students, military, rich and the rest of those who a members of this unworthy class are ready to vote in November. 

We've been asking who is the authentic Mitt. Well...I guess it is better to know now then on November 7th.