Middle income: $200,000 to $250,000 - Romney

[BigAnth]

I think I finally see what the Romney strategy is. He's going to keep spouting this inane tripe from now until election day so that Obama's supporters will eventually stop making donations and won't even bother to vote since Romney will have put himself in the position of being totally unelectable. Don't fall for it! Keep up the good fight! Keep up the donations! GOTV!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/romney-middle-income_n_1883819.html?utm_hp_ref=business

[bluestateguy]

1. Maybe if you live in Manhattan or San Francisco and have two kids

But otherwise, no.

Having said that, I do think that folks making 200-250K should pay a lower tax rate than folks making $1,000,000 or more.

[tifanyhunter]

2. Just sayin

Huffington quoted Romney out of context. The context was that Middle Income goes up to somewhere between 200k and 250k, not that middle income was the range between 200k and 250k. There have been a number of news sources (ABC, CBS) who corrected Huffington.

[mother earth]

4. Glad you signed up here to make that correction.

Next time, post the link.

[tifanyhunter]

9. you are right, link would be nice

but that was yesterday's news. Thought it should be common knowledge at this point. Huff already corrected itself even in the link the original poster provided.

Haven't been around long enough on this site to determine whether it leans toward political trash talk or toward more rational discussion of news, candidates and policies. But quoting stories out of context to create shock headlines is a Drudge trick and I find this pattern of deliberate disinformation more reprehensible than any conservative policies I disagree with. Hope that is not standard practice here as well.

Yeah, I know there are thousands of people on this site, so there is probably not a uniform modus operendi, but discussion sights do have a way of policing themselves, so I am sure there are some cultural norms here that people tend to stay within.

[mother earth]

11. This is what you are saying clarifies his statement, it makes little difference.

His campaign later clarified that Romney was referencing household income, not individual income.

The Census Bureau reported this week that the median household income — the midpoint for the nation — is just over $50,000.

The Census Bureau clarification plainly makes Rmoney's campaign clarification redundant. Still out of touch!

[gatorboy]

10. Actually, this makes what he said even worse.

Romney clearly has no idea what the average income for the middle class is. that's why he started with such an obscenely high number. He was spit-balling.

The U.S. Census Bureau in 2007, reported an income range of $36,000 to $57,660 was considered middle class. You'd think the man would take the time from riding his car elevator to read up on this sort of thing. Talk about out of touch.

Just sayin'.

[mother earth]

3. Rmoney is completely out of touch, and this is a prime example, he thinks this is middle class,

or average. Guess he was making this when they lived in that basement apartment, eating on the ironing table.
What a jerk!

[panzerfaust]

12. How does president Obama define middle class?

I have seen quite a few secondary references suggesting that he also puts it at 250K - but have not been able to find an actual quote from him on this issue.

Anyone?

[mother earth]

13. Less than 2% make more than $250,000, the median average is $50,000 - I don't think Obama would be

as glib as Rmoney is making that kind of statement, household income or otherwise. The fact of the matter is the wealthy are completely out of touch with everyday struggles of "middle class" America and the poor. It's just another glaring example of not understanding the average American struggle....does he even get it on any level? NO.

Who does he think is getting entitlements? Perhaps that's the reason he's so against Medicare/Medicaid...if the average family is pulling in that kind of money, they sure don't need Medicaid. Even poverty classifications are out of date and out of touch!

[RagAss]

5. They can't even fucking see that far down the mountain !!!

And these fuckers never climbed that mountain...they were fucking born on the top !!!!!!

[applegrove]

6. Is Romney trying to spread that "you are separate from the herd" meme to

middle class families not making $200,000? To get them to be filled with anxiety enough so that they cower to their rich masters and vote for the GOP?

[renate]

7. my son was INCENSED about this yesterday

And couldn't figure out why it wasn't all over the MSNBC shows we watch in the evening. But I think it was that "or less" that made Ed and Rachel cautious, and perhaps rightly so. On the other hand, his "No" about $100,000 being middle-class was a bit suspicious, but as we all know he's not a great speaker. So I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt--what I think is revealing is that it was so easy for everybody to assume that his definition of "middle class" is actually the top 1-2% of people. His reputation for being out of touch colors everything he says.

[justiceischeap]

8. So that means I'm poor and should qualify for assistance, correct?

I make MUCH less than those middle income numbers, I want my foodstamps and section 8 housing.

[PD Turk]

14. If that's what he thinks

Then he should be asked what he thinks the poverty line should be as well as minimum wage.