Embarrassed for my demographic group

With hopes that the folks at BuzzFeed won't be mad at me for incorporating their graphic, here's their take on how this week's election would have gone if only Caucasian males had voted.

Click on the image to see a larger version.  For the full analysis and BuzzFeed story, go here.

Considering that I voted for and donated to and am a staunch supporter of President Obama, I definitely do not belong in my demographic group.

Further, given the sheer number of stupid, offensive, homophobic, and anti-woman positions that are key parts of the Republican platform, I'm legitimately embarrassed for my demographic group.

Having said all that, my more considerate self, the one that has always stopped me from being a truly successful columnist, the one that knows the world is not black and white but rather far more complex, insists I note that I know many good Caucasian men who voted for Romney after considering a wide range of issues.  I don't agree with their choice, but I know them to be good people.  I find their decision as puzzling as they, no doubt, find mine.

On Romney and empathy

I was never going to vote for Mitt Romney.  I disagree with too many of his policies for that to be an option. What's become clear over the last few weeks, however, is something that is, at least to me, far more damning:  As best I can tell, Romney lacks all empathy for the working people of America.

We can't blame him for having money.  I'm all for people making money.  I make a good living, and I'm not embarrassed by that fact. 

We also should not hold against him the fact that he was born into a prosperous family.  He obviously had no choice in the matter, and there's nothing wrong with being born to money.  Heck, I wish all children were.

What we must hold him accountable for, however, are the many, many ways in which he has shown that he has little appreciation of the circumstances under which most Americans live, and little to no empathy for those whose lives are hard.  I'm not talking here just about what he says on the Mother Jones-revealed tapes, though those remarks are certainly damning; I'm referring to his comments and tone throughout his campaign. 

We cannot reasonably expect a poor man ever to run for president, but we can demand that our president care about--or at least fake well caring about--the plight of those who are less fortunate than he is.

As best I can tell, Mitt Romney is not such a man.