Julián Castro, one of the Democratic Party's rising stars, portrayed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney - one of the wealthiest candidates in American political history - as being incapable of relating to Americans who have struggled financially over the last several years.
Is Castro right?
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"Mitt Romney, quite simply, doesn't get it," Castro said on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, being held in Charlotte, N.C. "A few months ago he visited a university in Ohio and gave the students there a little entrepreneurial advice. 'Start a business,' he said. But how? 'Borrow money if you have to from your parents,' he told them.
"Gee, why didn't I think of that? Some people are lucky enough to borrow money from their parents, but that shouldn't determine whether you can pursue your dreams," Castro continued. "I don't think Gov. Romney meant any harm. I think he's a good guy. He just has no idea how good he's had it."
Castro, the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, struck a theme that is common among Democrats seeking to re-elect Presidential Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the 2012 election: Romney, as the son of privilege, does not understand that it is the middle class, with help from the government, that drives the nation's economy.
"Of all the fictions we heard last week in Tampa, the one I find most troubling is this: If we all just go our own way, our nation will be stronger for it. Because if we sever the threads that connect us, the only people who will go far are those who are already ahead," Castro said. "We all understand that freedom isn't free. What Romney and (Republican vice presidential nominee Paul) Ryan don't understand is that neither is opportunity. We have to invest in it.
"Republicans tell us that if the most prosperous among us do even better, that somehow the rest of us will too. Folks, we've heard that before. First they called it 'trickle-down.' Then 'supply-side.' Now it's 'Romney-Ryan.' Or is it 'Ryan-Romney'? Either way, their theory has been tested. It failed. Our economy failed. The middle class paid the price. Your family paid the price."
So who is Castro, and where did the man many have described as a "Latino Obama" come from? Here's a bio of the first Hispanic American to deliver the keynote address at a national convention. And here's a transcript of Castro's remarks on Tuesday night.
[Photo: San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro speaks at the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. Joe Raedle/Getty Images News]
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Comments
I can’t help but comment regarding the statement; Mit Romney doesn’t get it” when it comes to the middle class. There was a time in my life (I’m now a very active 67) that I considered myself as a perfect example of a “middle-class American”. Unfortunately, since the ‘take-over’ of Obama, I find we have slipped into the lower class. Our retirement monies are fast depleting as the cost of living continues to climb. The cost of gas alone is exorbitant! And from what we hear, the increases have only just begun!
I really believe it’s Obama that doesn’t get it! He should be ashamed of what he has done for the economy and for all of the “working class – the used-to-be – middle class. There are few good paying jobs. It takes 2 incomes to try and make ends meet. Most of our retired friends are now working again – to make their dollars last.
Obama – give us back the light – the light at the end of the tunnel that says there is hope. Four more years of you in office will completely destroy America! Go back where you came from and let a real
American lead us!
I grew up in middle America and believed in the Democratic Party and that it stood for the working man (& woman). I no longer find this to be true – we’re told to work harder, while you support increases in welfare, food stamps and illegal aliens. It’s our tax dollars that support those increases.
Bonnie could not have put it better,people like Obama live on a different level, they make assumptions & pretend to understand when in reality they have NO idea,added to which they really couldn’t give s***.
Eddie Wright (Brit. ex pat living in Spain)
I grew up poor; my dad died when I was 13 and when I went off to trade school I had a $125.00 stipend from Dad’s SS. I kept $100 and gave Mother the rest to help feed the boys. I paid for room, board and books with that $100 (tuition was free in our state at the time.)
I went to work and went to college part time. Didn’t finish college but could have, as my employer was happy to pay tuition. Built a decent career and married a man with a decent career and eventually he saw an interesting business opportunity. We took the risk, he used his brains and good sense and with his partners built a multi-million dollar company. His folks didn’t have money either, and he also went to trade school and only one semester of college.
Free enterprise isn’t perfect and much of our economic ups and downs come because when prosperity hits people want more and borrow to get it. The other major part contributor is government interference. Lets cut the federal government and lets free the American people to help each other. We can build things if the government stays out of the way.
The federal government exists to defend our borders, regulate international and interstate commerce, administer justice and provide only the barest of communication and transportation infrastructures.
Other than that, it should stay out of the way. Romney won’t reduce government the way we wish him too, but if we keep the pressure on he will probably get rid of Obama care. The rest is really up to us. If we don’t get involved and pressure our government to cut, cut, cut, it won’t happen.
Happy trails.
“Real American”…? Hmmm…so Bonnie is a birther? Thank you for your “valuable” comments. Just more Republican-Tea Party talking points…
Here’s the problem. No question, this DNC has been a middle class pander-fest, starring Bill “Kill the New Deal and Give Us NAFTA” Clinton. The message that this gave to the millions of post-middle class/poor who voted for Barack Obama in 2008: “You will continue to have no representation, so don’t bother voting.” Well, OK. I guess we’ll see if there’s enough left of the middle class alone to re-elect President Obama.
Where’d you get your ideas, from the Tea Party manifesto? Everything President Obama has tried to do to fix eight years of Bush incompetence has been met with almost total resistance by the Republicans. Look at the facts, man; I almost expected you to say Obama is trying to take your guns away.
Bonnie, how would you propose that President Obama put any controls on free market enterprise? Legislators, fearing the label of “Socialism!” would never allow that. Nothing enrages Republicans more than anyone who dares to impose rules that are necessary to prevent price-gouging.
Mitt Romney DOESN’T GET IT. I believe that. And as for Obama being responsible for the mess we’re in, well that’s just wrong. He inherited this mess from George Bush, a Republican who started a war for which charges should be brought against him in the International Courts. George Bush created this problem, along with the Wall Street people who were not regulated. They saw a way to make money and they took it, no matter who they hurt.
You can blame our situation on Obama if you want, but it’s so wrong to do so.
You guys honestly believe that a man born to wealth will ‘get it’ over a man who has lived poor? Get over yourselves. We tried ‘trickle down’ and ‘supply side’ economics. What do you think got us in this mess in the first place? Exactly that! It was a Decocratic president that led us into the most prosperous period this nation has had for a long long time. If he approves of Obama’s policies, I’m certainly not going to second guess that!
I agree with Truman, sounds like ‘birthers’ posting here…..
And you women should be ashamed of yourselves! If Romney wins, just kick off your shoes and get back in the kitchen and start waiting for those unwanted children to start coming along….
Each party is pandering to its base. In ether case, the middle looses. Romney will return his “friends” their campaign investments. Obama will again struggle to tackle Congress. Its difficult to find real propsals and facts on either side. The real issue – Congress – cannot agree to any reform. So…. each party dream on ….
The woman (Bonnie) who is spewing her vile, malicious, hate-filled comments is disgusting and so typical of the birther tea-baggers.
Suggesting that the President is not an American is getting so old that it seems only the extremist baggers even listen to the hateful spew anymore.
Bonnie should turn off Faux News and get some exercise.
Pete Dudley: Everything President Obama has tried to do to fix eight years of Bush incompetence has been met with almost total resistance by the Republicans.
And what do you think is going to change about that if Obama gets reelected?
I’ve been a Republican for 30+ years, but I cannot vote for these two good ole boys and their “rich men need our help ” agenda. BS. If you can and do, hide your monies off shore then you don’t need my taxes to offset your taxes! Bottom line is, who would be so stupid as to buy that load of crap!
Obama is borrowing from the Chinese to pay for your votes. Ask yourself is it worth it to sell out the future of the United States America?
I dont like Romney/Ryan for the simple fact that both are totally out of touch with the struggling american. More so Romney than Ryan, and Romney has been a total flip flopper. Romney blasts Obamacare which was developed from Romneys own healthcare plan. Also, Ryan blasts the stimulus but fails to mention how much of the stimulus money he requested and received for his state, and it was not mandatory for any state to request these funds.
I dont like Obama because he has sided with Illegal immigration. Thats hurts especially since I live in AZ, where I get treated like a foreigner on my own soil. I have been denied service in a business on american soil because I didnt speak spanish. Also, if the republicans made it this hard for Obama to do anything the last 4 yrs what makes any of us think its going to change?
What we need is something new all together. I suggest we let both parties have at it, as usual. Which ever party wins gets to be president, the party that doesnt win gets to be vice-president. Seems fair to me, and maybe both parties can bring their own values to the table and better the country all the way around.
All I have to say is that if Romney gets elected say goodbye to any help that the government has for the working poor ” the old middle class ” . I definately agree with the posters that said that Obama is trying to fix what Bush caused . When he got elected the government had a surplus , now we’re back to a deficit that keeps getting bigger . Sounds like the times back the the days of Ronnie Reagan and Bush Sr.
I’m not a big Obama fan but given the choice I have to say he’s the working mans only choice !
I listen to both Republicans and Democrats. . . and they rant on and on about how they are for the middle class. . . blaming each other. . . .back and forth. . .
47 million are receiving food stamps. . . about half the population does not pay income tax. . . seems to me this identifies a pretty large hunk of our country that by no stretch is middle class. . . but rather plain ole fashioned poor. . .
So what are we going to do for them? The Republicans won’t raise their taxes. . .they don’t make enough to pay taxes. .. .
It is my understanding that the unemployment rate for black and hispanics is thru the roof. . . Democrats may be going to fix the middle class. . but perhaps ending illegal immigration would be benficial for the poor who are unemployed.
Then there is the $16 Trillion we owe. . . .in one sense we are all poor because of the $5 Trillion spent in part to save Wall Street, the Banks and General Motors. . but people are still unemployed at a rate over 8%. . .
All in all it’s a bunch of milarky from both parties. . . I worry greatly if my country is strong enough to survive politicians. . .
Listing for last few years- party of the president, who controlled senator, who controlled house: 1995 D-R R 1997 D – R -R 1999 D-R-R 2001 R-D-R 2003 R-R-R 2005 R-R-R 2007 R-D-D 2009 D-D-D 2011 D-D-R From this – Clinton worked with a Rep controlled congress & did great. Bush did ok with mixed congress but not ok with all rep congress or with all Dem congress. Obama didn’t do ok with all Dem congress or with a mixed congress. I would say Clinton was a better president then either bush or obama for managing our country.
People are only willing to spend so much and that is all they are going to spend for taxes & charities. Raise taxes charities get less to help people. Lower taxes, charities get more to help people. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or not – If you have $10 to give and taxes take $5 then charities get $5. If taxes get $2 then charities get $8. I personally have found that charities – people helping people – will always do better then the government in taking care of the poor.
i am not cimmitted to eithr candidate but I do have a comment on the Health Care sitation. I am 72 so pay for and receive Medicare. I am dumbfounded at the levels of fraud. It has happened to me twice, I cared for an elderly relative’s affairs and the overbiling and other fraud issues were rampant. Senior consistently get calls from salespeople who tell you your doctor has contacted them and want you to be serviced from their country. What ever they offer is ALWAYS FREE. But of course it isn’f. Mdicare and my supplemental insurance PAY for it, so all Americans contribute to the cost of these items I do not want or need. When refused, you;re told over that y\”you;re entitlked to it and it is at not cost.” And that comment is repeated over and over. How many refuse it as I do? Their line is they are just verifying the information so they can get it sent out to you-and thencharge the government and make huge profits on these uneeded items. Eventually they say they need to verify the doctor and ask who you are seeing! SCAM Now if the millions of Medicare receoiants are getting these offers and many acceoting–after all it’s free..what is going to happen when millions more are now in a position to get “FREE” ITEMS THEY ARE “ENTITLED” TO? and we think a trillion is a huge debt. Let’s just open the floodwalls to more and more fraud and scam by giving everyone government health care. I surely do not know the answer but the plan on the table is surely not going to solve the government medical mess we’re in.
Bonnie is spewing vile, hateful stuff?
We are still blaming Bush?
Clinton and the gang now say they inherited such a mess that it will take more than 4 years?
Let’s start with Bonnie. I didn’t see anything in her writing about being a birther. She simply stated what has happened to her over the last 4 years and that SHE is NOT better off…rather…she is much worse off.
Now as for all this Bush stuff and needing 4 more years, I remember when Reagan took over for the second most incompetent president ever. (At this point, I think he is better than Obama) Reagan inherited the Iran Contra mess, hostage situations, inflation running out of control, and mortgages that went as high as 15%. He didn’t use people in his cabinet with no experience the way this idiot is. His people were experienced and pulled us out of a catastrophic situation. We had a industrial boom under his leadership. We also had a tough foreign policy and the guts to back it up. He didn’t pander and bow to foreign leaders. He also didn’t sell out our power but stood strong. BUT, Reagan inherited a total mess from a nearly total incompetent president who really shouldn’t have left the peanut farm. Nice guy and great philanthropist but an idiot. But, again, Obama is worse as Jimmy Carter, at least, loved the country and tried to do right by it. Obama seems to hate the small business men of America. All this nonsense about the middle class is so much puke. Both from Romney and from Obama. NEITHER of them can relate. Obama strokes the Hollywood type and lives like a king now.
I like Michelle but she too, is out of touch with reality. Laura Bush had two assistants. Michelle has over forty. Something is radically wrong with that picture.
Taking two planes to Mexico with 10-12 security agents for a getaway birthday party for his oldest daughter with 10 of her friends on tax payer money doesn’t sound like a man who can relate to the middle class nor does it sound like a man who was “poor”. He wants to see Romney’s last 5 years of taxes? I say yes…produce those as soon as Obama’s sealed college transcript is unsealed. Deal or no deal?
One more point…Tweedle Dee..the president..had EVERYTHING he needed to pass any bill he wanted to push for TWO YEARS! The first TWO YEARS. There wasn’t a thing the Republicans could do to stop it…even voting in blocks along party lines. So, Mr. President, what the heck was your reasoning behind obstructionist Republicans? That is hilarious.
The arguments about the Republicans blocking things…
Working with NO BUDGET..just spending trillions…with no end to it.
Taking no responsibility?
Making promises in the prior election campaign and then getting a case of the “OOOPS”?
Leaders that turn off water in CA to farms to save a minnow while putting century old farms out of work?
I love a good comedy routine and President Tweedle Dee has a great standup routine..very laughable. Maybe Martin Sheen can help him with his platform as he was a president on West Wing and had experience…actually some of his decisions were better than this lackey.
The point that Romney was making is very clear to any American willing to succeed on his own without having to wait for anybody to write him a paycheck. It takes vision and courage, and a good dose of will power. Many who started like this ended up later very well off, their names are all over, and we all know them.
Castro considers himself a poor victim of the times who could make it through government help to go to school, and after his degree, came back to the same government this time looking for a job.
Mr. Castro is the kind of person who always is going to work for somebody; Mr. Romney, the entrepreneur who takes risks and creates wealth. Mr. Castro gets paid on the taxpayer’s dime; Mr.Romney paid taxes through his corporation, and more taxes on his personal income, and taxes again after reinvesting his previous year earnings. It would take Mr. Castro 200 lifetimes of his to catch up tax wise with a person like Mr. Romney.
Mr. Castro, for his own interest, would always be willing to raise taxes, after all, his paycheck comes from them.
Capice?
All of us have to or had to make changes & sacrifices. Our working people have had to give us the most everytime thee companies they work for review their bottom line. The cost of healthcare is increased and more of the cost is put on the workers. They lose their retirement income which they have worked for and cuts in benefits that was put away for retirement. Jobs have been shipped to increase profits and not continue to build or rebuild America ‘s industries.Both sides need to look at home and begin to build at home and invest at home now. Put America people first. Charity begins at home and them spead not the other way around.
Bonnie said:
“Four more years of you in office will completely destroy America! Go back where you came from and let a real American lead us!”
Completely uncalled for. Using words like “destroy” and “go back where you came from” (his mother is a white American. His father was African. He was born in Hawaii. So what exactly are you suggesting?) and “let a real American lead us!” is nothing more than not so subtle repeats of the more radical statements made by some members of the Tea Party and Republicans.
We need to come together, not rank the candidates (both Romney and Obama) for the highest office in our country by malicious, unsubstantiated gossip that has no merit. Disagreeing with Obama’s policies are one thing. But trying to call him out with insults do nothing to advance your position on the real issues affecting our country.
And as someone in the middle class with children in college, I look at the candidate who’s interested in keeping the student loan interest rate at a manageable level, who encourages diversity not only in the party but in their own lives, publically willing to take on big business and not cozy up to them. Both candidates have flaws. I can’t wait for the debates.
Many of these comments amaze me how the border on hatred and negativity. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS whether you are green, purlple, grey, or orange! Do your research before you start spewing hatred and negativity. Most of you who have commented on this site do not have a clue what is truly happening in this country. And there is no excuse for NOT educating yourself with so many facts that are solid at your fingertips. It is easier to be a “shepeople” than to truly become educated and knowledable. Fear and hatred only creates more fear and hatred.
HI BONNIE, I think THE ASSUMPTIONS TAKEN BY THIS ASPIRANTS (in matters of American economy) is unrealistic…the law has done much injustice than evil itself and the reflection on the election riddle-who is better will be answered by time itself, political power is a stage where every man plays his roll and goes. we have seen the difference between Obama’s governance and compared it with that f his predecessors – THEY DISPLAY A LOT OF SIMILARITIES.
For the Gentleman who stated “He once believed in the Democratic platform and that they were for the working man; WAKE UP! The parties “Exchange” platforms about every 10-15 years and believe what “The other guys” use to believe. Lets QUIT voting for a Party, or a Platform or someone that the parties picked as potential candidates that we must choose from and lets vote for someone that is simply an AMERICAN, a Patriot that loves our country and has no agenda except doing what is best for our country and listening to his boss…….”WE THE PEOPLE”. That goes for all of our so called representatives also……they ALL work for us. WHY do we believe that the president must be a “STAR”? I know more farmers, carpenters, and cooks that would probably make some of the best Presidents we have had in years but that won’t ever happen……they are poor nobodies struggling to stay alive. George Washington once said his greatest fear for our young country was a two party system…….HELLO? Anyone listening? God Bless Our Country!!
Mitt Romney doesn’t have to understand the middle class in order to be able to help the middle class. He understands business, free enterprise and how to creat jobs. That will help the middle class way more than all of the regulations, goverment programs and the economic wet blanket of Obama care that have been pushed on the entire country. Romney and Ryan will try and save Medicare not get rid off it as has been suggested. The class warfare has got to stop!
Hi Robert –
“He understands business, free enterprise and how to creat jobs.”
Maybe. During his time as governor of Massachusetts, Massachusetts netted all of 31,000 jobs. He claims the creation of 100,000 jobs with Bain Capital. If you count every job ever created by every company that Bain ever invested in, you can get to 100,000 jobs.
However, you could also count every job destroyed by Bain, ever.
I also considered myself middle class, now considered poor. Fact is under socialist rule there is no middle class only the top and the bottom. Guess where working people end up?
Under socialist rule there is no middle class, only the rich and the poor. Guess which group the working man falls in?
I am not a fan of President Obama. I did not vote for him. The mess we are in was not created by him. It took about 12 years to give birth to this depression all with direct cause by Congress two Presidents. Name you favorite President: Roosevelt or Reagan or someone else, no one could fix what Bush and Clinton created. This is what they did:
Strike one:
The current fiscal issues started with a bipartisan bill: The financial services modernization act also called the Grahm-Leach-Bliley Act. Proposed by Republicans and signed by President Clinton, it repealed the Glass Steagal Act, which had protected Americans from fiscal irresponsibility by banks since the depression. Once repealed, the banks did then, exactly what they did in the 1920s with the same result. We renamed a depression a lingering recession in a Soviet style deception.
Strike two: Let’s violate our Constitution by invading a sovereign nation without a declaration of War. We could have fixed social security forever; instead President Bush and the Congress decided it was better to kill our heroes and destroy our economy.
Strike three: President Bush pushed for and got the American Dream Act in 2003, which created the housing bubble. By 2008, with Fannie and Freddie about to die, he had to rescue the mortgages that he created in 2003. The Dodd-Frank bill was signed in an almost secret session that the press was not invited to. I guess ultimately, we are all to blame for sending self-serving egotists to Congress and electing them President. We were warned: Washington, Jefferson, Adams and more tried to warn us. We no longer hear their voices and we are paying the price. I am sure that no one person, regardless of their intentions, can fix this. I did not vote for the President, but I was hoping he could fix what he did not destroy, but Congress is a devil that no one can master. I think Romney, with his CEO mentality will fail worse than Obama.
I guess Obama with his kids in private schools that cost $35,000 per year per child is so poor that he does understand the middle class.
Well said, Mike Selby.
Hi Jim –
It is one thing to conclude that Barack Obama has been an inadequate President. It is quite another to conclude that Mitt Romney would be an upgrade.
I can’t understand how some people don’t realize that Obama inherited our nations problems from his predecessor and that our elected representatives did little to help alleviate those problems along the way. Obama is one man; our representatives are many, and most of them are career politicians strictly in the “business” for themselves. Money speaks a language that all understand.
I find it hilarious how everyone blames Obama for ALL current troubles in America! EVERYONE everywhere is having financial trouble, come to Europe and you will hear a hell of a lot more people complaining. Everyone in the US seems to have forgotten them mess that Bush left everyone in, and that was only 4 years ago after 8 years of waste and absolute nonsense! The US is far better off with Obama in charge than it was under Bush, and would be under Romney! If the middle, and lower class are complaining about Obama, just wait till Romney is in charge, then you will REALLY know what living ‘low class’ is while the higher class with fill their pockets with the extra tax breaks they will get, when the lower class will never even get close to get those benefits! And Romney is an absolute ignorant, and know nothing about anything outside America except money! And just because someone knows about culture outside the US, does not make them un-american!
Wow I think that you don’t get it….. what has obmmer done for the middle class in 4 years!!!!!! No jobs, 4 million not even looking for work………..need to take your head out of you know where!!!!! taxes on the middle class going to go through the roof in 2013 with obma care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7% increase in health care the cost of fuel rising daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wake up…….
I am very tired of hearing Romney/Ryan blame the economy on Obama. Our previous president, George Bush, took a budget surplus and turned it into the largest deficit the world has ever seen.
Obama has done the best he can with a lousy situation. We are still in a lousy situation but he has done a lot of good and he should be allowed to continue.
In the movie ‘The American President,’ Michael Douglas’ character says “My opponent is interested in two things: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it. THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.”
That’s all Romney/Ryan are doing. They keep going on about how lousy the economy is and who’s to blame for it. Why don’t they try doing something constructive? What has either one of these men done in the last four years to stimulate the nation’s economy? Nothing.
At least Obama is willing to reach across the aisle. At least he is trying to get something done. He doesn’t just sit there and whine about the state of things. He’s not interested in blaming people. he’s more interested in addressing the problem at hand. That attitude is actually very “Japanese.”
Alan