Why Romney’s ’47 percent’ comments were problematic even though they won’t kill his chances

I took a break from politics to observe Rosh Hashanah yesterday, so I’m a bit late to comment on the Mitt Romney fundraiser video posted by Mother Jones that’s causing such a stir. But sometimes it’s helpful to take a step back from all the instant commentary and try to view things with a broader perspective.

A number of people have weighed in on the technical problems with Romney’s comments. For instance, while it’s true that 47 percent of Americans pay no income taxes, that doesn’t account for the payroll taxes paid by nearly every working American. Also, these 47 percent aren’t the exact same people who receive government benefits and those who will likely vote for Obama.