It is a measure of Mitt Romney's inadequacies as a candidate that he has not been able to turn his latest gaffe — his dismissive reference to the 47 percent of Americans who "are dependent upon government" — into a teachable moment and a campaign advantage.
Stigmatizing almost everyone with a federal benefit is not just bad politics; it's the worst sort of social stereotyping. But beyond Romney's bluster lies a genuine problem. The fact that roughly half of Americans receive some government payment to which they feel morally entitled is a big part of our budget paralysis.
It's an inconvenient fact, but it's still a fact. Dealing with it ought to define the next president's mission. Somehow, he must question the status quo without insulting the roughly 150 million Americans who receive federal benefits.