Santorum Disses The 99 Percent, Attacks Those Too Poor To Pay Federal Income Taxes

[Galraedia]

After nearly edging out former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — the living embodiment of the “one percent” — in the first GOP presidential caucus in Iowa, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has sought to portray himself as the “anti-Romney.” Part of this push involves casting himself as a populist candidate.

The Washington Examiner’s Tim Carney argues this morning that Santorum is positioning himself to champion the interests of blue collar Americans, in contrast to Romney’s elitism. Yet at a campaign event in New Hampshire this morning, Santorum aligned himself with the one percent. He dismissed the 99 Percenters protesting against income inequality, saying that the movement is “dividing” America. “You know, it’s not 99-1,” he said. “It’s anybody who makes money and pays taxes and everybody who doesn’t. That’s the 99-1″:

SANTORUM: [Referring to Obama] When he goes around and tries to divide America and aligns himself with Occupy Wall Street. Says, this dividing of America, 99-1. You know it’s not 99-1. It’s anybody that makes money and pays taxes and everybody who doesn’t. That’s the 99-1. It’s anybody who goes out and succeeds in America versus those who should have that wealth redistributed.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/01/05/398331/santorum-disses-the-99-percent-attacks-those-too-poor-to-pay-federal-income-taxes/

[kestrel91316]

1. Dear Ricky Foamass: I own a small business, work, and pay taxes, and I

MOST DEFINITELY consider myself part of the 99%. I didn't just fall off some rust bucket of a turnip truck. I know who my enemies are: they are the top echelon of wealthy who call the shots and write the rules in the US these days, and they have ensured that I will never be able to achieve half what I would have in my parents' time.

Like I said, I know who my enemies are, and I count you among them. So go pound sand where the sun don't shine.