Re “Romney says dependent 47% back Obama” (Page A1, Sept. 18): I do not understand why the populace is shocked — shocked! — that Mitt Romney expresses disdain for the 47 percent “who are dependent on government [and] who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them.” This is standard Republican fare, spoken or unspoken.
Anyone considering voting for Romney should know that, notwithstanding his protestations, these are his beliefs, and should know that anyone who is in the 47 percent that he describes, which includes many veterans and elderly, will likely have their benefits reduced if there is a President Romney with a Republican-led Congress.
We all benefit when there are fewer in poverty and when those in need receive an adequate safety net. Class division through class warfare as promoted by today’s Republican Party will not help move this country forward.