My father in law was a milkman, he was also a WWII vet, serving under Patton in Europe. His wife, my mother in law, was a stay at home mom who stretched her budget by putting bills into envelopes and then taking money from my father in laws pay check and putting it into the slots for bills. If something was left over they treated themselves to dinner out, maybe an ice cream, usually there wasn't much left over, but they were happy.
My Mother was a waitress who worked split shifts, she had three kids at home, me and my two brothers. I helped as much as I could, but still so much ended up on her shoulders, paying the bills, taking care of the house, taking care of us.
I will never forget how she would get home at 9 or 10 at night after starting work at 10 am that morning. Her feet would be swollen, she reeked of grease, french fries, hamburger.
She would count out her tips for the day while soaking her feet, telling me that she could now pay off a bill, go grocery shopping, get the car fixed.
Once, she cried because I spilled some salt, stating "do you know how expensive that is?" Salt, yes, salt.
My husband and I didn't have fancy upbringings, but we had hard working parents who did all they could to provide for us, they started before dawn and most times finished long after the sun had gone down.
These, these are the people who Romney says have no personal responsibility. The people who saved our country by fighting in a world war, the people who never thought about more than being able to provide for their families, maybe save for a vacation, maybe have enough to send their kids to college, maybe have enough to live in retirement.
While my husbands parents have passed away, I will never forget the stories they told me of their upbringing, of their early years together, the values they lived each and every day of their lives.
My mom is still here, and her stories will always be with me as well. Buying bread for 5 cents, working when she was 10 years old so she could pay for her own piano lessons. Her family was on government assistance during the depression, her father was able to get a job through FDR's programs which helped him to support his six children, eventually opening up a small store that helped them out of poverty.
There is a picture of my mom taken when she was maybe four or five. She is in overalls, a little torn, worn, she is with her brothers, they too were in torn and old overalls. This little family clearly had little but each other, but they also had the drive to work hard and do all they could to survive.
After hearing what Romney said about the 47 percent, those of us who support Obama, who, according to Romney, have no personal responsibility, I can't help but think of those I love and how they lived their lives.
And I can't help but think that of all the things anyone has ever said during a campaign this is one of the worst I have ever heard uttered. To say that half of this country are free loaders, well I can't help but feel a sadness so great, a sadness that reaches the bottom of my heart, because I know, you know, that anyone who could even utter those words is completely without any compassion, empathy or understanding of what life is and was in this nation for so many.
How sad that Romney is the best that the GOP has to offer our nation.