After a leaked video in which he is shown saying 47 percent of Americans are dependent on government assistance, Mitt Romney attempted to shift the focus on Tuesday to comments President Obama made in 1998 about the “redistribution” of wealth.
In an interview with Fox News, Romney pointed to remarks Obama made at Loyola University in October, 1998, during which the president said he supports the redistribution of wealth in America.
“The trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources, and hence facilitate some redistribution,” Obama said in a conversation about the problems with Chicago’s housing authority and the city’s public schools. “Because I actually believe in redistribution at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody’s got a shot.”
Romney defended the comments shown in the now-infamous “47 percent” video by contrasting his position with Obama’s. He reiterated the point he made in the video, albeit in softer terms, that wealth should be earned, not “redistributed” by the government.
“I think a society based a government-centered nation where government plays a larger and larger role, redistributes money, that's the wrong course for America,” Romney said. “That will not build a strong America or help people out of poverty."
The tape has been featured on the conservative news site Drudge Report since Tuesday night.
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