Mitt Romney’s Favorite “People”

As if his Wall Street connections, hawkish and unbalanced foreign policy views, and contempt for even the most basic civil liberties and protections weren’t enough to arouse concern among the public, Mitt Romney has surprised the American people yet again after giving his latest opinion about the nature of corporations.

While speaking at a fair in Iowa, Romney stated, “Corporations are people, my friend,” in response to a remark over whether he would raise taxes on people or corporations. This reply is a telling indicator as to where Mitt Romney’s real priorities and loyalties lie, and leaves the public wondering as to which “person’s” welfare Romney would be putting first if elected: the individual’s or the corporation’s?

Instead of focusing on the high unemployment, reductions in basic benefits, and financial uncertainty for the average American, Romney is again revealing that he wants to continue the GOP pattern of prioritizing big business tax breaks, CEO bottom lines, and corporate cronyism at the expense of the needs of the individual. Though not the first time Mitt Romney has offered shocking and revealing statements to the public, including his pledge to “Double Guantanamo” and his newfound beliefs that one of the foremost economic problems is “Illegals,” this new disclosure about his opinions regarding corporate personhood is especially troubling in this time of recession and economic crisis. Wall Street and Corporate America enjoyed eight years on top while the public debt grew and the American people suffered; it’s time to ensure that today, our government puts actual “people” first and creates a culture of accountability when working with business. We can’t afford another decade of indifference, irresponsibility, and greed.