Romney’s 47% comments: Celebrities, economists, social media react

In a time of high unemployment and rising costs, Mitt Romney’s secretly recorded comments describing 47% of the nation’s voters as “dependent on government” have hit a nerve.

In the video, shot at a private fundraiser this year and published Monday by Mother Jones magazine, Romney tells donors that supporters of President Obama don’t pay income tax and can’t be convinced to “take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

The group, according to the Republican presidential candidate, is made up of people “who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it.”

Last week, the Federal Reserve announced major steps to push down mortgage interest rates and spur housing. Gas prices rose in August, pushing the cost of living up 0.6% in the largest jump in three years. Jobless claims rose earlier this month.

Unsurprisingly, Romney’s remarks sparked a slew of opinions.

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