by
dominique DiPrima
When I first heard about how Willard “Mitt” Romney’s SEC paperwork contradicts what he has been telling voters throughout this election season, it made me think of a time many years ago when I was on unemployment. I was off by just a few days in reporting when I worked somewhere. I had to pay money back to the State Employment Development Department, and got a big old warning letter. I struggled to pay back the $200 dollars and they made me feel like a lowdown cheat on public assistance. All that, and I wasn’t even CEO of the company in question at the time.
In my case I simply made a mistake. I had been working off and on, here and there and mixed up my dates. I was not a shareholder, an executive, or much of anything, just a young person trying to get by.
Fast forward to Willard circa 2012. Mr. Romney claims he left Bain Capital in 1999 to run the Olympics in Utah. He wants no blame for all of the outsourcing, bankrupting of American companies and shady business Bain did from 1999-2002. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it. Even though documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission list Romney as the sole shareholder and CEO through 2002, he says he had nothing to do with the management of the company during that time. I have read business journals including the Washington Post defending that position – saying there is no real definition of what a CEO does exactly. Really?! But whatever they are doing it probably would include working at the company – wouldn’t it?
The campaign of President Barack Obama has implied that Romney’s actions could be felonious. And Willard is demanding an apology – not clearing up the accusations – not releasing tax returns – just demanding an apology.
I tried that with the Employment Development Department and I have to say, they still wanted their money back. (And they never did apologize.) Hundreds of thousands of Americans without jobs who have to file accurate paperwork every week to get their tiny benefits will tell you that crap don’t fly! What you say has to match what you put on paper and that has to match what you deposit in your bank account. Millions of poor Americans (you know, the ones Willard is not concerned about,) who receive public assistance, or food stamps will tell you, that’s not how it goes down. You cannot be off by a day or a dollar, let alone a year and $100,000! (In 2001and 2002 Mitt Romney was paid $100,000 by Bain as an Executive – during a time when he claims he did not work for the company.)
Now the Romney camp says that he retired retroactively, so he is, in fact, not lying. They say that when he realized he was not going back to a bigger role at Bain he signed paperwork officially retiring in 1999. Hmmm…Do you think that would work for me. If I changed my story now, could I get my $200 back? You know as well as I do that the answer is no! Try that on the IRS, see what happens! But then again, maybe that’s what WIllard did…Could explain why he refuses to release his tax returns to the public like every single other presidential candidate has done…
If Willard were on public assistance, backdating and mismatching paperwork and telling tall tales, the media would call him a “Welfare Queen,” and brand him as liar and a cheat. But since he is wildly wealthy, we simply call him…er…uh…a “smart businessman.”
So to me the issue is not whether Willard “Mitt” Romney is a felon or not or even whether or not he worked at Bain during the time in question. The issue is whether or not he believes there are two different sets of rules – financial, moral & ethical – one for the middle class and the poor and one for rich guys like him.
When he decided to run for governor of Massachusetts he went back and “retroactively” changed his primary residence (from Utah where he really lived while working on the Olympics to the state where he wanted to run,) the Democrats called him on it at the time, but he ultimately won out. When he wanted to organize his clique to assault a fellow student in high school, forcibly cutting the boys hair, his dad, the Governor made sure he got no paper trail, no record and no punishment. Had be been a low income Black or Brown student zero tolerance would have led to his suspension, expulsion or even his very first felony back then. But for Willard Romney being super rich seems to have always meant having it both ways…With his paperwork changing as fluidly as his positions on the issues…An Etch-a-Sketch , once again comes to mind.
July 16, 2012 at 5:32 am
John F. Kennedy was THE last great american president. He wasn’t perfect but he made major strides for Blacks and non whites as well as all americans.
Look what he got for it..
July 17, 2012 at 2:20 am
What’s your point exactly? You make the above comment to say what? How does this contribute to the discussion exactly?
So, you’re saying that an American president’s policies shouldn’t help African-Americans or other racial minorities? Or even other traditionally oppressed groups (i.e., women, gays/lesbians)? You need to expand your mentality and level of thinking, and realize that a president in this country is the president of all so-called races…not just blacks, or whites, or any other so-called “race” …he’s the president of all class stratifications — not just the financially wealthy. Which is whose interests that economies of scale are scaled to favor (financially wealthy, but only if you are male and white (European). Stretch your mind, please.
Somebody has to look out and stick up for the poor or middle class, including the oppressed, underserved, disabled, mentally handicapped, or all the young children out there– it is clear that the republican Congress members isn’t doing the job of standing up for 99 percent of people.
Stand with Obama.
July 17, 2012 at 2:06 am
I’ve been busy lately since my schedule has changed but I wanted to comment on this one (excuse the typos)…
These CEOs and corporate executives of many private corporations, like Bain, and other companies, push responsibility and accountability down to the lowest levels of the organizations while many of them refuse accept responsibility and accountability as it pertains to them – especially as it relates to tough ethical choices like choosing whether to keep jobs here domestically, or ship them off abroad, in order to increase bottom line profits and while destroying families – those who lose jobs, have been loyal to these companies for years and then can’t find comparable work and a similar salary elsewhere.
I went down and applied for food stamps to help me get through college and so did a college friend of mine, and that $200 each month we each received as a poor, broke and struggling student really helped us out. Now, these republicans are trying to take from poor households, the little that helps those who are living below the poverty line keep food in the mouths of their families. Everyone on public assistance is not a welfare queen. You had more wealthy rich, white bank executives with their hands out begging for government aid to the tune of millions, and accepting it – while they were charging poor folks $10 or $15 monthly fees to maintain a checking amount there – checking accounts that used to be FREE to open and keep open. Later, we all found out that some guy sitting behind a computer has been rigging bank’s interest rates…the rates beyond people’s control that the interest rates on home loans, etc.
This is the corruption the capitalism and corporate GREED breeds. The focus is on the little guy who steals $2 worth of pizza…while the thieves who are robbing this nation and consumers blind out of BILLIONS just get a slap on the wrist and settle out of court with no JAIL TiME! Time to free up space in prisons by releasing non-violent marijuana offenders to make space for these CORPORATE THIEVES — who are committing grave offenses against the nation and its people and the nothing is being done about the White Collar Criminals dressed in business suits. It is scandalous and backwards, Only in America. It is no wonder that “somebody blew up America” back in 2001 – the twin towers, the financial representation of America’s wealth which was driven even further into the ground under Bush W.
Republicans spent over 30 years destroying this country and they expect President Obama to fix it all overnight with the snap of a finger. This mess takes time, and which the “Party of NO!” in the white house obstructing progressive, it is taking even longer. We need to boot out every last tea bagger out of Congress so some REAL change and action-based work can be achieved. (Kind of reminds me of Michael Jackson’s song, “They Don’t Care About Us.”) These tea party folks, Mitt Romney included, only care about their own self-interests. Republican Congressional members absolutely hate the president because he’s black and are trying everything in their might to hopefully (but it won’t happen) see to it that he won’t get re-elected…baggers are even going as far as to take America backwards 40 or 50 years by trying to get rid of the Civil Rights Act…and they are serious about it.
I say shift the economy theories from fraudulent Greenspan economic theories to something free of corruption and that works for the lil guy…time to put the money back into the hands on “the people”…the 99 percent.
Anybody who is reading this, make sure you get off your butt and vote! And vote in the sitting president! Not voting is tantamount to voting for Romney. Show up and be informed and VOTE – far too many African-Americans marched in streets, protested in huge numbers, were attacked by dogs, sprayed with water from fire hydrants, and were killed, etc., so its time to get serious now — and be made enough to do something with ACTION — by voting in someone who reflects and shares many of our same interests – the man is President Obama.
July 17, 2012 at 5:37 am
While race has and always will have everything to do with everything in this country, I have also said a number of times on this site that the fight more and more is about the haves’ vs the have nots’..
My point about Kennedy is that actual factual leadership, compassion and caring about all americans and making things right, fair and in balance will not be tolerated. Kennedy was not killed by some lone assassin with some pea shooter sniper rifle. His BRUTAL killing was a clear message to those who seek the presidency that things will be run a certain way. It’s not about the people and it’s damn sure not about Black people who by the way the Kennedy presidency benefitted greatly. Not only King and X but countless activists have been silenced in their fight for justice, truth and equality. I thought my point would have been obvious. Hmmmm..
Am I suggesting giving up? Hell NO!! I’m saying that the hour is later than most think or even want to admit. I’m saying that the drips and drabs of today’s politics is not good enough. I’m saying that if a sitting president with a stroke of a pen can sign into law certain things without opposition(which benefit the wealthy or the millitary or Israel) then he can or should be able to do the same with matters concerning all americans(us)..
I’m saying be weary of Obama.. Be weary of ALL OF THEM!!!!