Mitt Romney Downplays $374,000 In Speaking Fees As 'Not Very Much'

[Mustang]

Just one of the guys...

If middle class conservatives think that Romney can relate to them and their real life struggles in any meaningful way, they should rethink that idea.

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney has a new definition of "not much": $374,327.


On Tuesday, the Republican presidential candidate finally admitted that the effective tax rate he has been paying for the last several years is likely below that of middle-class workers, which would also include military servicemembers.


In Greenville, S.C., Romney was asked directly what his effective tax rate is. It was a hot topic of discussion at Monday night's debate, at which Romney repeatedly declined to fully commit to release his tax returns.


"It's probably closer to the 15 percent rate than anything," said Romney on Tuesday. "For the past 10 years, my income comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past, rather than ordinary income or earned annual income. I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. Then, I get speakers fees from time to time, but not very much."


Not very much? According to his personal financial disclosure, from February 2010 to February 2011, Romney earned $374,327.62 in speaking fees. A few months later, Romney joked that he was "unemployed."


Mitt Romney Downplays $374,000 In Speaking Fees As 'Not Very Much'

 

[California Girl]

It really isn't that much for a high profile speaker. Do the research on how much a 'name' gets paid.

 

[Mustang]

It really isn't that much for a high profile speaker. Do the research on how much a 'name' gets paid.

Romney is tone deaf and essentially clueless when it comes to PR. He's also extremely awkward when it comes to relating to people on a one-to-one basis. A primary is supposed to help smooth off the rough edges. It Romney's case, it's merely highlighted them. Being in the spotlight in a national campaign will only make it more obvious to average people who have yet to decide who they're going to vote for.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Mitt Romney Downplays $374,000 In Speaking Fees As 'Not Very Much'

Of course no one should begrudge Romney his fee, he earned it, after all.

But understand Romney is no advocate of the middle/working class, he supports the same failed economic dogma of ‘trickle-down’ as previous Patrician republican presidents.

 

[California Girl]

It really isn't that much for a high profile speaker. Do the research on how much a 'name' gets paid.

Romney is tone deaf and essentially clueless when it comes to PR. He's also extremely awkward when it comes to relating to people on a one-to-one basis. A primary is supposed to help smooth off the rough edges. It Romney's case, it's merely highlighted them. Being in the spotlight in a national campaign will only make it more obvious to average people who have yet to decide who they're going to vote for.

Ohhhh, you don't like Romney so that's what your basing your comment on. My bad. I thought it was on some kind of actual fact. I do apologize for mistaking you for wanting a rational discussion.

 

[liason82]

He is still making several a million a year off of Bain. Interesting to see how this will play out in the general election.

 

[Mustang]

It really isn't that much for a high profile speaker. Do the research on how much a 'name' gets paid.

Romney is tone deaf and essentially clueless when it comes to PR. He's also extremely awkward when it comes to relating to people on a one-to-one basis. A primary is supposed to help smooth off the rough edges. It Romney's case, it's merely highlighted them. Being in the spotlight in a national campaign will only make it more obvious to average people who have yet to decide who they're going to vote for.

Ohhhh, you don't like Romney so that's what your basing your comment on. My bad. I thought it was on some kind of actual fact. I do apologize for mistaking you for wanting a rational discussion.

Actually, I think that Romney would be a far better chief executive right out of the gate than Obama was for the first couple years of his presidency. But he's his own worst enemy when it comes to relating to people where they live.

 

[driveby]

Just one of the guys...

If middle class conservatives think that Romney can relate to them and their real life struggles in any meaningful way, they should rethink that idea.

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney has a new definition of "not much": $374,327.


On Tuesday, the Republican presidential candidate finally admitted that the effective tax rate he has been paying for the last several years is likely below that of middle-class workers, which would also include military servicemembers.


In Greenville, S.C., Romney was asked directly what his effective tax rate is. It was a hot topic of discussion at Monday night's debate, at which Romney repeatedly declined to fully commit to release his tax returns.


"It's probably closer to the 15 percent rate than anything," said Romney on Tuesday. "For the past 10 years, my income comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past, rather than ordinary income or earned annual income. I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. Then, I get speakers fees from time to time, but not very much."


Not very much? According to his personal financial disclosure, from February 2010 to February 2011, Romney earned $374,327.62 in speaking fees. A few months later, Romney joked that he was "unemployed."


Mitt Romney Downplays $374,000 In Speaking Fees As 'Not Very Much'

Class warfare is gay .......

 

[rdean]

That's a lot of money. Most people don't have that much in their 401.

 

[Zander]

This is the Democrat strategy? Attack Capitalism?