Over the next day or two you’re gonna be deluged by the mainstream dino-media once again pouring their disdain all over Mitt Romney’s campaign for something he said that just flies in the face of the narrative the Obama lap dogs are trying to push: that Romney made another gaffe. Last week, it was Romney’s statement about the disgraceful actions by our Egyptian embassy prior to the attack on it – turns out Romney didn’t say anything the Obama adminsitration didn’t walk back from less than a few hours later. This week, it is Romney’s comments at a fundraiser in response to a question about how he can beat Obama in November:

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent 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 that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…

“And I mean the president starts off with 48, 49 … he starts off with a huge number. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect. So he’ll 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 they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. What I have to convince the five to ten percent in the center that are independents that are thoughtful, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon in some cases emotion, whether they like the guy or not.”

Of course, the media is already in hyper-overdrive attempting to spin Romney’s comments to make it look like he was talking about the American electorate, but that dog ain’t gonna hunt. For once – and thankfully, as far as I’m concerned – it’s about time time Romney talked the truth about what the upcoming election is all about. Oh sure, both he and Paul Ryan have talked about it in various interviews and speeches, but not in as direct a way as Romney’s comments describe. And I’m glad to hear that in his follow-up news conference he didn’t walk back on his comments. He shouldn’t, and it’s about time America has this debate laid out on the table for all to see and discuss.

It’s a perfect wedge issue for Romney. While the economy is hurting, there’s plenty of blame to go around – Democrats and Republicans alike. That’s why his running against the Obama record on jobs and the economy isn’t, and shouldn’t be, enough. While the Obama appeasement foreign policy is now in shambles, that alone isn’t enough, either – after all, the Middle East mess has plenty of bipartisan blame to go around as well.

But it’s in the role and the nature of government, and the size and influence of government in our daily lives where there is a significant difference between Romney and the Republicans, and Obama and the Democrats. I’m sure Romney didn’t mean his comments for public consumption – after all, Republican or Democrat, when you’re fundraising you gotta toss some red meat, right? It’s a game both sides play: consider Barack Obama’s comments that “Republicans want dirtier air, dirtier water, and less people with health insurance“. I doubt he seriously believes that, but it’s just hard inside political baseball.

Still, now that Romney’s comments are out – and make no mistake about it, I’m glad they’re out, and I happen to agree with him – it’s the perfect opportunity to debate the size and scope of government in our lives to the top of the 2012 election campaign issues list. Fact is, most Democrats (67%!) absolutely want the government to take a greater role than it already does – the latest Gallup poll says so. There are ~32 million people unemployed. Almost 9 million people on disability (helped, no doubt, because of people’s unemployment benefits running out). A record number of people on food stamps. The misery list goes on and on and on.

So who pays for all this? The hard-working taxpayer, that’s who. And as the number of takers begin to overwhelm the number of givers, what do you do? Print more money? We’re already $16 trillion in debt. Heck, you could tax everyone 100% of their income and you still wouldn’t even come close to eliminating this country’s debt. So it’s good that the time has come for an honest debate that’s as old and as American as this country is, and, while I’m sure Romney is correct in saying he could have articulated the point he was making better, I’m guessing (or at least hoping) his campaign isn’t upset to have this debate start right here and now.

I don’t have a problem with this, not the least bit. I like the idea of an “ideas election”. I thought that’s why Romney picked Paul Ryan as his VP candidate to begin with. What kind of country do we want to be? What kind of a people do we want to be? That’s the kind of election I want to have.

(Hat tip: Drudge)