I already knew that I was not a part of Governor Romney’s 1%.  What I did not know was that I was part of that odious 47% of  the country, those bottom-feeders who do not pay any income taxes, because we are unwilling to take responsibility for our lives.

So says Governor Romney:

There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what.

All right, there are 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it…These are people who pay no income tax, 47% of Americans pay no income tax.

So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect. So he’ll (President Obama) be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. I mean, that’s what they sell every four years. And so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

For years I worked as a full-time minister on a part-time salary, serving small churches greatly in need of my services.  During most of this time I paid little or no income tax, because my adjusted taxable income was so low.  So I paid what I was asked to pay, which meant the federal social insurance taxes (FICA) including Social Security.

I did not, as I had heard some ministers do, try to “opt out” of Social Security for some contrived “reasons of conscience.”  I just paid it.

Exactly fifty years ago as a 14 year old supermarket bag-boy, I paid FICA from a 75 cents per hour wage. Then in adulthood as a salaried minister and later as a real estate sales agent, then as a professional computer software trainer, I continued to pay every working year.

Two years ago, fully involved with a volunteer ministerial outreach while unemployed at 62 in the worst economy of my lifetime, and with some preexisting conditions, I found an expensive high risk health insurance pool which would cover me.

However it was so expensive that I chose to officially “retire early” and start drawing Social Security to cover the health insurance cost.

I have worked since I was 14.  I have practiced a strong work-ethic all my life.  I have made it a priority to put others first. I love my country.

I do not mind if Mr. Romney has earned more money than I can even comprehend.  I do mind that he would view me with disdain because I haven’t.

So no, Mr. Romney I will not be voting for you this fall.  Far from feeling the victim, I feel rather empowered.