Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world. - Arthur Shopenhauer.
I’m not a class warfare guerilla. In fact I hold that in a society fueled by capitalism those who are poor should emulate the rich. Discouraging the poor, particularly the young, away from money can do them harm.
In large measure acquiring capital can affect one’s happiness. Life in a capitalist society is much easier after you’ve acquired capital. Sure money can’t buy happiness, but at least you get to sulk in your beach house.
Politicians can not count on the public holding best perceptions. The candidate has to deal with the varied perceptions that exist, be those perceptions accurate or not. In politics, perception IS reality. Let’s face it – the “rich people are evil” meme is more prevalent in American Pop Culture than is the more correct idea that “money is good.” To many, every Wall Streeter is Gordon Gekko, particularly since the bailout.
Mitt Romney is not one of those guys who was born on 3rd base and thought he hit a triple. When you look at his background you see a man who did a great deal of long hours and hard work, particularly with Bain & Company.
But I had to look that up. Romney didn’t make that easy for me to know. In fact Romney’s detractors had me thinking he inherited a spot at American Motors from his father. I’d still believe it had I not read further.
Romney’s campaign has to overcome the all too common perception that a rich man is a workless man born with a silver spoon. Again, be that a bad perception about rich people or not, it exists. Yet I don’t see Romney addressing the issue at all.
Anecdotally, during the 2008 campaign my Monmouth County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner keynote speaker was one of Mitt’s sons – I think it was Tagg.
He began his speech thusly: “I want to share with you an important lesson my father taught me while we were on the family yacht.”
Now even in a relatively affluent place like Monmouth County, those with yachts are far outnumbered by those without. I turned to a friend and asked, “What lessons did your father teach you on your family yacht?” He responded, “He told me I was the anchor and threw me overboard.”
It was clear Tagg Romney has a different view of how important life lessons are learned than the most of us. I’m not knocking it – I hope my children can teach their children lessons on the family yacht some day. But there will be, until we change it, a poor perception many hold about the rich that has to be dealt with if you are a wealthy candidate.
We’ve seen it dealt with before. Rich guy George Bush managed to give off more of a regular guy aesthetic than did rich guy John Kerry. Remember this picture of their vacations?
I wish I didn’t live with an electorate who requires Mitt Romney to popularize himself, but I do. He has to. It’s going to take something from Mitt beyond occasionally campaigning without a tie.
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
I don't have any problem with Romney, and he probably doesn't think that he hit a triple, but there is no question that he was born on third base: father an auto CEO, Republican governor and creditable presidential candidate, raised in Bloomfield Hills, prep school, Harvard Law and Harvard MBA. His wealth is fine with me, but this is not Horatio Alger.
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
I don't know how Romney's wealth stacks up against other politicians. Really, most of them are quite wealthy.....it's just a mattter of degree.
Romney's son making the yacht comment may or may not be bad. Did the lesson have some kind of nautical theme? If not, it shows a tin ear. Or maybe he is so insulated from the real world that he assumes every Republican in a county bordering the ocean has a family yacht. Whatever.
Romney proved he is clueless and elitist back when he was running last time. He was asked why his sons didn't serve in the military and he answered that their involvement in his campaign was equivalent public service to wearing a unifrom and protecting our conutry !!!! Immediately I thought of all the wealthy draft dodgers who pulled strings in VietNam to stay out of action. Clearly Romney fits into that group who consider themselves quite special.
I love capitlism. I have no envy of wealthy people, even the Romney types who did start on third base-- he is a smart businessman & deserves credit. But I do find his attitude quite offensive.
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Exactly. Yes, give him a pat on the back for not taking the family reputation and tainting it like Paris Hilton. But really......he's just not as impressive as the true self made man. It is naive to think that doors were not opened for him his entire life.
GWB had the same advantages. Remember that Texas Rangers deal that made him rich? Don't try to tell me he could have put that together if his name were not Bush. (Don't even get me started on how angry those taxpayer funded stadium deals make me....)
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Tommy, I fear that you are right. I fear also that bigotry against Mormons may also play a role, and I hope that Rick Perry has the good sense to denounce it if it rears its ugly head.
There is another possibility. Romney is handsome and not at all aggressive in tone. There is a certain gentleness about the man, and -- except when caught by a surprise -- he exudes a certain managerial competence of the sort that able businessmen often exude. Most of the time, his status as a wealthy businessman might be a handicap. Against Barack Obama, however, in a time in which the President's incompetence is on display, a candidate like Romney might attract popular confidence.
I am not familiar with Rick Perry. I want to know a whole lot more. He is a fabulous campaigner, I am told. Is he fabulous, however, in a way that works in Texas but not elsewhere? Is he too aggressive?
One of the things I like about Paul Ryan is that he seems low-key. In the debates with Obama, he managed to get his stiletto into the man and out again without the President even knowing it.
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
StickerShock:
Romney proved he is clueless and elitist back when he was running last time. He was asked why his sons didn't serve in the military and he answered that their involvement in his campaign was equivalent public service to wearing a unifrom and protecting our conutry !!!! Immediately I thought of all the wealthy draft dodgers who pulled strings in VietNam to stay out of action. Clearly Romney fits into that group who consider themselves quite special. · Aug 13 at 1:07pm
This is instructive. Is the man tone deaf?
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Yes I think you have a point there Paul. I'm always perplexed when that comes up.
Maybe I'm too unschooled on Protestants. Is Mormonism's teaching about Christ very far from the rest of Christianity?
What compels the backlash?
Feb '11
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Would those folks who feel uncomfortable feel better if Romney were a Hindu?
Dec '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
The religion stuff is nonsense, except within the primary. I couldn't care less and have never met/worked with a Mormon that I did not find worthy of respect. That's all that matters. The Democrats will elect anybody that can at least check off the religion box and gave us Obama.
The folks that are all weirded-out by Mormonism need to go look at their own, ridiculous churches. Mormons believe in Latter Day Saints, so they have extra apostles; they believe there were more. Really, that's the problem? I dated a Methodist minister until I found out she spent her vacation by going to Mexico and running a boat full of illegal immigrants into the U.S. The Catholic church is just as bad on that subject, so desperate for parishioners that it strongly advocates for amnesty and you will not find a church that doesn't have in it's publications, advocacy for "social justice". Churches are desperate for parishoners and are trying anything, in my observation. I just don't go to any of them, anymore.
Romney's problem is his trouser crease. Somebody told him it should reach his shoe; he never noticed.
Aug '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
There's no question that Mitt has a bit of a patrician air about him. He can be stiff at times and, as Kenneth pointed out, he wasn't exactly the life of the party on the NR cruise after the 2008 election.
However, it doesn't really bug me if my president doesn't come across as Joe Sixpack as long as he is competent and shares my governing philosophy. From all accounts the people who worked for Mitt at Bain were very loyal and had great respect for him as a boss. Who cares if he didn't hang out with them after work?
George Washington and Calvin Coolidge were a bit stiff and stand-offish but were great executives. I don't want the guy next door running the country - unless the guy next store really knows what he's doing!
Edited on Aug 13, 2011 at 4:40pmMay '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
I was at a smallish Romney gathering in New Hampshire yesterday. His wife spoke first. One of the things she mentioned is that the whole family--5 sons, 5 daughters-in-law, and 16 grandchildren--are with them at their summer house on Lake Winnipesaukee. "And since 11 of the 16 grandchildren are boys, I've been spending a lot of time cleaning toilets."
It was clearly meant to connect with normal people—a way of saying we're not pretentious; we're not elitist; we don't take ourselves too seriously; we respect hard work.
Mitt impressed me more than I had anticipated.
Just as Prof. Rahe says above, it was the air of competence that was especially welcome. The sense that he's a good man, a serious man, an American patriot, and a man of experience both in business and in government came a relief.
Feb '11
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Romney's money problem has nothing to with his wealth.
I heard a while ago that Romney bought a factory in Ohio, shipped the machinery to China, and started exporting back to the US.
In fairness to Romney I couldn't find anything about this when I searched google. Perhaps it never actually happened.
But this is the sort of thing corporations- they're people too, you know, and best pals with Romney- do all day long. It isn't popular with the people who lose their jobs and pensions.
You know- voters.
So I have a suspicion why a man who has been campaigning as the world's greatest businessman would make it tough to find out what he actually did in business. It's because he knows that the public won't appreciate it once they find out he made his money by throwing Americans out of work, hiring foreigners at lower wages, and pocketing the difference.
I know I don't. And if you think I'm being harsh or unfair wait until Obama gets rolling.
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
"Maybe I'm too unschooled on Protestants. Is Mormonism's teaching about Christ very far from the rest of Christianity?
What compels the backlash?"
Mormons hold many beliefs that are very different from most Christian faiths. I in no way would jump in and declare they are not Christians, however. And even if that were the case, I don't follow why being a Christian is a requirement for the Presidency!
I think there are two big Mormon issues that create a backlash. First is polygamy. Even though it has long been outlawed, and now only practiced by fundamentalists, the association of Mormonism and polygamy is still a strong one, particularly among the least informed. Second is founder Joseph Smith's criminal record, involving various charges of fraud throughout his lifetime. This is a real concern to those who are more informed about Mormon history. A few other things that raise eyebrows: Never using alcohol and caffiene, special undergarments, recent discrimination against blacks. It would be pretty darn hard to find any faith that has no embarassing skeletons in the closet.
Common ground can be found.......Mormons and Catholics share the "distinction" of having their faith mocked on Broadway.
Aug '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
StickerShock:Mormons hold many beliefs that are very different from most Christian faiths. I in no way would jump in and declare they are not Christians, however. And even if that were the case, I don't follow why being a Christian is a requirement for the Presidency!
I think there are two big Mormon issues that create a backlash. First is polygamy. Even though it has long been outlawed, and now only practiced by fundamentalists, the association of Mormonism and polygamy is still a strong one, particularly among the least informed. Second is founder Joseph Smith's criminal record, involving various charges of fraud throughout his lifetime. This is a real concern to those who are more informed about Mormon history. A few other things that raise eyebrows: Never using alcohol and caffiene, special undergarments, recent discrimination against blacks. It would be pretty darn hard to find any faith that has no embarassing skeletons in the closet.
· Aug 13 at 7:15pm
Joseph Smith actually didn't have a criminal record because he was never convicted of any of the trumped up charges against him. There are many misconceptions about our faith. Learn more here www.mormon.org
Jun '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
"Joseph Smith actually didn't have a criminal record because he was never convicted of any of the trumped up charges against him. There are many misconceptions about our faith. Learn more here www.mormon.org"
I really don't want to argue about Joseph Smith. There is no good way to do that without seeming dismissive of your faith. Suffice it to say that his entire life had many incidents of fraud charges and a general disregard for the laws of the United States. If Romney can convince voters that he has the answers to our current mess, I really don't think they will focus too much on Joseph Smith and his troubles with the law 100+ years ago.
Nov '10
Re: Romney and the Filthy Rich Perception Problem
Frankly, I find most of the "class warfare" rhetoric expressed on this thread both disturbing and inappropriate on a supposedly "right-center right" site.
Mitt Romney's family provided a lot of opportunity for their son, but he was expected to excel as an individual and he certainly succeeded. His net worth and personal accomplishments have far surpassed those of his father. And best of all, he married one of the loveliest and most gracious women of his generation.