Dear Mitt Romney: "I am the 47%"

Dear Mitt Romney: "I am the 47%"

Sandi BachomFilmmaker, Author, Citizen Journalist

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandi-bachom/i-am-the-47_b_1894492.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZp_snhOxQ&feature=player_embedded#!

I'm on Social Security, Medicare and apparently, I am the 47%... with one little wrinkle (pun intended)... I used to be rich!

Gotta tell you Mitt, my cankles are rankled!

Let's do the "arithmetic"... I worked my whole life, was married, had a huge six-figure career, house in the country, million-dollar apartment in the city, kid in private school, the very first of every electronic device ever invented... and a closet full of Prada.

So, we're really not that different, you and I.

After 9/11, I did what George Bush told me to do... I went shopping. And then, I got a divorce, lost my job and was run over by an SUV, not able to walk for a year. And when the dust cleared, I was in my late 60's, unable to find work for the FIRST time in my life, and oh yeah, I was just evicted. So please put me on your list for one of those 12 million jobs after you're elected.

You see Mitt, everybody in this country, except you, the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson are all just "one bad thing away" from the woman on the street. Get used to it, there are more and more of us, but nobody is talking about it.

At 68, I am considered 'elderly' by the statisticians, although I can't even ask for senior rate at Dunkin' Donuts because I'm too mortified. And if one of the guys asks if I want a senior rate, my entire day is ruined.

Here's the deal, when I lost my career, I opted for early Social Security benefits at 62 and not 67; for some reason, the year I was born, 1944, a "War Baby', you aren't fully vested until 67. And it was a good thing. There were times when I wouldn't have eaten were it not for my Social Security check, deposited the third Wednesday of every month, and sometimes, there's an extra, agonizing week in there so in some months it's touch and go... like today! At midnight tonight, Pacific Standard Time (3 a.m. in NYC), the money is deposited into my account. It's gone the minute it's deposited because you can't possibly live in New York City, or anywhere else for that matter on your Social Security check.

Oh, one more thing, you know that slacker, 'victim' Medicare thing I'm on? Well for your information, my full Social Security benefits would be $96 more... but they don't tell you this... they take away $96 to pay for the Medicare when you turn 65 -- Medicare I already paid for, taken out of my paycheck since 1965 the year it was enacted!

And... when you apply for food stamps? They account that you are making the full amount including the $96!

Now Mitt, I want you to hear me. Did you know that you can't get food stamps if you're income is over the poverty limit? Bet you don't know what that is? Well, I didn't know either until last year. It's $999, or at least that's what it was in my case.

So when I hear the word 'entitlement' uttered with disdain, it just makes me CRAZY! It's not an entitlement, I know you've never had to find it, but there is a line on the paycheck stub up to the first $100,000 for FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) you pay half and 'the job creators' pay half, which could possibly be a reason why you guys want to get rid of it.

Now I know your FICA ran out on the first paycheck you ever made, but for the rest of us working stiffs around the water cooler, you could always tell how much people were making by when their FICA ran out!

Mitt, about those tax returns: I produced television commercials for 30 years, and I produced one for the Cayman Islands years ago -- beautiful place, they have glass bottom boats where you can watch the sea creatures and... 600 banks!

I bought my Rolex there... half price.

At that time, the Cayman Islands had the most numbered bank accounts outside of Switzerland. There is only one reason to keep your money there and it's not to pump up the Cayman economy.

When I was a girl, there were the "Three Biggest Lies", the first one started out, "Trust me, I won't..." none of which I can't repeat here, but the fourth might be a Romney Presidency.

I know who I'm voting for and it's a president who's got my back and not one who's stabbing me in it.

Here is the 'Dear Mitt Romney: "I AM THE 47%"' on Social Security and Medicare to 50,000 in Times Square 10/15/11 video:

--
"When crazy people call you crazy, you know you're sane.

When evil people call you evil, you know that you are a good person.

When lairs call you a liar, you know that you are truthful.

Know who you are and don't let others tell you who you are." - Dave Kitchen