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Thursday, December 22, 2011

2012 One Percenter Mitt Romney Doesn't Want America to Know How Wealthy He Is

Posted by Paul Constant on Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 12:25 PM

Mitt Romney, who is one of the wealthiest men ever to seek the presidency, said on Wednesday that he had no intention of releasing his tax returns if he became the Republican presidential nominee, breaking with a long tradition in both parties.

This is a big deal. First, it highlights Romney's rather egregious transparency issues. But it's also terrible election strategy: If Romney wants to hide his income from Americans, he's going to make his income the center of rabid press speculation. It's going to turn his fortune into even more of an issue than if he were to just release the returns and become the butt of a bunch of late night comedy routines about how wealthy he is. The facts behind Romney's money must be very damning, if he's willing to let the American imagination run amok about how huge—and how dirty—it is.

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Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

It's not the income, it's the coverup.

Posted by Matt from Denver on December 22, 2011 at 12:34 PM

It's because his Social Security number is 666-66-6666.

Posted by DOUG.

on December 22, 2011 at 12:39 PM

God now we'll never, ever know!

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_wealthy_is…

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on December 22, 2011 at 12:43 PM

so should we start a "Taxers" (or "Returners") movement like the "Birthers" or "Truthers" or whatnot?

Posted by Gordon Werner on December 22, 2011 at 12:48 PM

That's funny. Is he really that arrogant? No wonder Gingrich, who's completely corrupt, is the first choice of so many. They know Romney will self destruct.

Posted by Vince on December 22, 2011 at 12:49 PM

or how about a ballot initiative that says if you want to be on the ballot for Presidential Elections (or even Primaries) you have to declare your income to the citizenry of Washington State ?

Posted by Gordon Werner on December 22, 2011 at 12:49 PM

@ 5, it's also funny because his wealth should be a measure of his success - right? Isn't that what these guys are always saying?

It would be interesting to know if he'd be so cagey if OWS hadn't happened. I wonder if wealth is now being widely perceived as a liability - not just with the hardcore left.

Posted by Matt from Denver on December 22, 2011 at 12:54 PM

man, just hand Obama a cudgel to hit you with. this won't be fun to watch, but it also won't be very worrisome.

even a super team of Romney/Gingrich (suck on THAT, protestants) is still a team of fucking clowns.

Posted by Max Solomon on December 22, 2011 at 1:01 PM

The Republicans seem to be running two or three major gaffes a day now, and it's not even 2012 yet. Gleeful times. Maybe the "Mayan" end-times prediction only applies to the GOP.

Posted by Fnarf

on December 22, 2011 at 1:09 PM

@7 You know, you make a good point. I would love to see OWS hold candlelight vigils to protest One Percent Romney hiding his income. Ouch!!!

Posted by Vince on December 22, 2011 at 1:09 PM

He doesn't want anyone to see the two mil he still pulls down every year from Bain without doing any work for them. Unless you want to call it a retainer.

Posted by Fnarf

on December 22, 2011 at 1:13 PM

I think the real reason he doesn't want to release is that Mormon's will learn from the release that he has not been tithing 10% to their cult.

Posted by econoline on December 22, 2011 at 2:14 PM

It won't hurt him at all. The people who will vote for him don't think being a billionaire is a bad thing. They would like to be billionaires too, and the line they've swallowed from the Republicans is that they can, if big bad government just leaves them alone.

Posted by sarah70 on December 22, 2011 at 5:31 PM

I don't know why he's worried. The Republicans have made it pretty clear via this payroll tax debacle that they're openly, vehemently on the side of the wealthy, and frankly they've done a remarkable job via Fox mouthpieces (et al.) of inculcating a craven, kowtowing admiration for the rich in their voter base so I don't even know why dickbag Romney is worried about it. He can just bill himself as a "job creator," a "self-made man," the "American Dream," and half a hundred other lies about how the accumulation of wealth is actually, miraculously good for the people from whom it's taken.

Posted by balderdash