Romney not losing sleep over taxing the rich

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said at the Republican presidential debate Wednesday that he does not “stay awake at night worrying about the taxes that rich people are paying.”

{mosads}Romney, whose personal wealth is estimated to be $200 million, said that he instead worries about “the taxes that middle-class families are paying” when asked which segment of society is paying “more than a fair share of taxes relative to everyone else.”

It is middle-class families that are facing the greatest pressure, Romney said. He was the only candidate to provide a direct answer to the question.

“Gasoline’s expensive. Home heating oil, particularly in the Northeast, is very difficult for folks. Healthcare costs are going through the roof,” Romney said at the debate in Iowa. “Education costs and higher education are overwhelming. And, as a result, we need to reduce the burden on middle-income families in this country.”

Taking a swipe at Romney’s wealth, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson triggered laughs when he said that his “goal is to get into Mitt Romney’s situation, where I don’t have to worry about taxes anymore.”