"You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on the 99 percent versus one percent — and those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent — you have opened up a whole new wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God. The American people, I believe in the final analysis, will reject it."As the GOP's presumptive nominee for president (someone at MSNBC said the "Romin-ee" - you're welcome), it is more than a little concerning that he would so forcefully insist that such discussions are for "quiet rooms" and abstractions, rather than something that should be brought to the attention of the American people. In fact, the conflict between rich and poor is in the consciousness of the nation already, whether Gov. Romney likes it or not. A new Pew survey out today shows that a full two-thirds of Americans perceive the social tensions caused by income inequality as "very strong" or "strong."
Apart from his denial of the blatantly obvious, what most troubles me about Romney's statement is that he believes that questioning systems which give power to the very few while making all others beholden to such a system is inconsistent with the nature of God. As Christians, we can see God through the witness of Christ's life on earth - one of confronting the Temple structure when it concerned itself with promoting its own power rather than caring for those in need. These were and are the 99% to which Mitt Romney seems so indifferent.
As the GOP candidates move through the primaries, striving for the title of most evangelical, we need to continue to remind them that Christianity calls for the care of the least among us. Now that is evangelism.
