Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, July 10, 2012
2012 Where Are Mitt Romney's Tax Returns?
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Here's Republican Governor Haley Barbour saying he'd release his tax returns if he were Mitt Romney:
Here's President Obama yesterday calling for Mitt Romney to release his tax returns:
“What’s important, if you are running for president, is that the American people know who you are and what you’ve done, and that you’re an open book,” said Obama in an interview with local New Hampshire television station WMUR. “And that’s been true of every presidential candidate dating all the way back to Mitt Romney’s father.”
This could become a serious problem for Romney's campaign. The fact that he's not releasing his tax returns suggests to just about everybody that he has something serious to hide. His campaign bowed to pressure and released one measly year's worth of tax returns back in January, along with their estimates for another year. Will they bow to pressure again? It's possible, although Romney surrogates are now saying that the American public should be happy with the one year's worth of returns they've got, and that whiners who want to see more should "get over it."
1
Condescending elitism: exactly the characteristic we want exemplified in America's President and Diplomat-In-Chief.
2
Ok, I praised Obama for his $250K tax cut gambit.
But this is just plain stupid. The Chief Executive is head of the IRS.
If the IRS hasn't cited Romney with any wrongdoing what is the point going around accusing him of things ("we just don't know..." as David Axelrod intimated).
It's like the Chief of Police wondering if there's been any investigations into wrongdoing. You should know...you're in charge!
But this is just plain stupid. The Chief Executive is head of the IRS.
If the IRS hasn't cited Romney with any wrongdoing what is the point going around accusing him of things ("we just don't know..." as David Axelrod intimated).
It's like the Chief of Police wondering if there's been any investigations into wrongdoing. You should know...you're in charge!
3
You can’t support the Fascisti and not expect Fascism!
We have to categorically state that there is no qualitative difference between FoxFiction, CNN, NPR and Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! --- none will ever address the real issues --- it’s always political theater!
We still have to battle on voting rights because those who fought for it once, allowed themselves to either be overshadowed by the Fascisti, or to now support them.
Please don’t mention to us the name of Andrew Young, who once took bribes from the BCCI, and worked for them as a consultant, and is now a member of the lobbyist group for the international super-rich, the Bretton Woods Committee (brettonwoods.org).
Please don’t mention to us the names of Rep. Conyers or Charlie Rangel; we recall meeting with them many, many years ago, when the Black Congressional Caucus was bribed (received heavy donations) to create and successfully lobby for the passage of the legislation which removed defense-related jobs from the prohibition list --- thereby allowing them to be offshored with the affiliated tax breaks for shipping those jobs out of the country, along with a chunk of the GDP.
In the present, the disingenuous Joe Biden, just prior to a national tour for campaign contributions, goes public with a positive pronouncement for Gay marriage, thus “causing” President Obama to do likewise --- and their contributions rose considerably as a result.
Simpleton Gaytards are ecstatic --- ignoring the fascist record of the Obama administration on due process, habeas corpus, and their Gestapo raids for preemptive arrests of activists.
Ignoring the Obama administration’s financial support in the overthrow of the democratically-elected Honduran government; ignoring their tacit support for the Saudi military incursion into Bahrain to shoot the protesters there; ignoring the abomination of the Obama administration’s war on whistleblowers and obscene use of the Espionage Act in the subversion of democracy.
Support the Fascisti, and you have fascism!
Today Wall Street presents the electorate with the usual fascisti choices: Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, assuring the continuation of the fascistic march to neoserfdom oblivion.
Only the most ignorant, the most simpleton, the most morally lazy, would embrace either of those depraved characters!
Highly paid propaganda specialists proclaim that America has made much progress as the latest Wall Street stooge in the presidency is only half-white instead of all-white, much like one retail brand claims to smell better than its competitor.
Negative! It stinks to those of us who refuse to support the Fascisti!
All politics have been reduced to one part branding giveaways to Wall Street (cap-and-trade for the oil companies and banks) as a positive for the public welfare or the environment, with the other side attacking it for nonsensical reasons (not the obvious and truthful ones).
Wall Street will now enjoy their second-tier bailout in the guise of a health insurance bill which ensures a one-half trillion dollar money flow --- but does nothing to increase access nor decrease costs, with the staged legal battle to ensure the Supreme Court’s decision to set the legal precedent for the privatization of taxation.
Vile cretins, claiming to be democrats and progressives, seek donations for ever more giveaways to Wall Street!
Democracy has long been lost --- the Fascisti have long since won.
The treason of the people is moot.
More...
Sheer Insanity
You can’t support the Fascisti and not expect Fascism!
We have to categorically state that there is no qualitative difference between FoxFiction, CNN, NPR and Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! --- none will ever address the real issues --- it’s always political theater!
We still have to battle on voting rights because those who fought for it once, allowed themselves to either be overshadowed by the Fascisti, or to now support them.
Please don’t mention to us the name of Andrew Young, who once took bribes from the BCCI, and worked for them as a consultant, and is now a member of the lobbyist group for the international super-rich, the Bretton Woods Committee (brettonwoods.org).
Please don’t mention to us the names of Rep. Conyers or Charlie Rangel; we recall meeting with them many, many years ago, when the Black Congressional Caucus was bribed (received heavy donations) to create and successfully lobby for the passage of the legislation which removed defense-related jobs from the prohibition list --- thereby allowing them to be offshored with the affiliated tax breaks for shipping those jobs out of the country, along with a chunk of the GDP.
In the present, the disingenuous Joe Biden, just prior to a national tour for campaign contributions, goes public with a positive pronouncement for Gay marriage, thus “causing” President Obama to do likewise --- and their contributions rose considerably as a result.
Simpleton Gaytards are ecstatic --- ignoring the fascist record of the Obama administration on due process, habeas corpus, and their Gestapo raids for preemptive arrests of activists.
Ignoring the Obama administration’s financial support in the overthrow of the democratically-elected Honduran government; ignoring their tacit support for the Saudi military incursion into Bahrain to shoot the protesters there; ignoring the abomination of the Obama administration’s war on whistleblowers and obscene use of the Espionage Act in the subversion of democracy.
Support the Fascisti, and you have fascism!
Today Wall Street presents the electorate with the usual fascisti choices: Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, assuring the continuation of the fascistic march to neoserfdom oblivion.
Only the most ignorant, the most simpleton, the most morally lazy, would embrace either of those depraved characters!
Highly paid propaganda specialists proclaim that America has made much progress as the latest Wall Street stooge in the presidency is only half-white instead of all-white, much like one retail brand claims to smell better than its competitor.
Negative! It stinks to those of us who refuse to support the Fascisti!
All politics have been reduced to one part branding giveaways to Wall Street (cap-and-trade for the oil companies and banks) as a positive for the public welfare or the environment, with the other side attacking it for nonsensical reasons (not the obvious and truthful ones).
Wall Street will now enjoy their second-tier bailout in the guise of a health insurance bill which ensures a one-half trillion dollar money flow --- but does nothing to increase access nor decrease costs, with the staged legal battle to ensure the Supreme Court’s decision to set the legal precedent for the privatization of taxation.
Vile cretins, claiming to be democrats and progressives, seek donations for ever more giveaways to Wall Street!
Democracy has long been lost --- the Fascisti have long since won.
The treason of the people is moot.
6
When is Obama going to release his educational transcripts? This could become a serious problem for Obama's campaign. The fact that he's not releasing his transcripts suggests to just about everybody that he has something serious to hide.
7
@6: you must have missed the part where the article mentioned the long precedent of releasing tax records. Who cares about transcripts from 30 years ago? We're talking about tax returns from the last 12 years.
8
The twisting is the amusing part.
Romney claims that he does not even manage his own money.
So he does not know whether it is vacationing in Switzerland or the Bahamas.
Or whether it is working in small-town America with real Americans.
And that is why he will not release his tax records.
If his money is hiding in a foreign country then it is not his fault.
So you cannot see his tax records.
Because it is not his fault if there is something bad there.
Vote Romney 2012!!!
He'll run this country like he runs his finances.
Romney claims that he does not even manage his own money.
So he does not know whether it is vacationing in Switzerland or the Bahamas.
Or whether it is working in small-town America with real Americans.
And that is why he will not release his tax records.
If his money is hiding in a foreign country then it is not his fault.
So you cannot see his tax records.
Because it is not his fault if there is something bad there.
Vote Romney 2012!!!
He'll run this country like he runs his finances.
10
I know I want a leader who does not think his own country is worth investing in, and believes that rules do not apply to him, nor does he have to pay his fair share for the prosperity his country has allowed him to wallow in his entire life.
11
@7: There is a long precedent of releasing Transcripts also. Obama has steadfastly refused to do so. What is he hiding?
12
@11,
What long precedent? Both Bush's and Kerry's transcripts were released illegally. Oh right, you're a full-of-shit liar as usual.
What long precedent? Both Bush's and Kerry's transcripts were released illegally. Oh right, you're a full-of-shit liar as usual.
13
Maybe Romney is trying to hide evidence of lying about when he actually left Bain.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/20…
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/20…
16
@#14
So your theory is that Obama got into Harvard Law with no personal wealth, what you allege are secretly shameful grades as a transfer student at an OK-but-not-amazing school, and letters of recommendation from some hippy Catholic priests in Chicago? Or do surmise there was a Secret Long Term Plot to overlook what you insinuate are inadequate college transcripts and shoehorn him into one of the most competitive programs on the planet? Heck, at least George Dubya got into the less-competitive Harvard Business the old-fashioned way: his Daddy made it happen (even this didn't suffice for him at U. Texas Law School).
Oh, and if you could please point me to even a single major-party nominee who's ever released their own college transcripts (as opposed to illegal leaking of same by a third party), I'd appreciate it.
So your theory is that Obama got into Harvard Law with no personal wealth, what you allege are secretly shameful grades as a transfer student at an OK-but-not-amazing school, and letters of recommendation from some hippy Catholic priests in Chicago? Or do surmise there was a Secret Long Term Plot to overlook what you insinuate are inadequate college transcripts and shoehorn him into one of the most competitive programs on the planet? Heck, at least George Dubya got into the less-competitive Harvard Business the old-fashioned way: his Daddy made it happen (even this didn't suffice for him at U. Texas Law School).
Oh, and if you could please point me to even a single major-party nominee who's ever released their own college transcripts (as opposed to illegal leaking of same by a third party), I'd appreciate it.
17
@9- As I'm sure you can tell by now, he wasn't being sarcastic. The ZOMG THE TRANSCRIPS!1!!1! meme is the new thing among the mentally unhinged.
18
The obsession with Obama's college transcripts are based on the belief that he was an affirmative action case and was never qualified for any of his acheivements. It was excusable in 2008, but now that the guy's been in office for a few years, demanding transcripts from 20 years ago seems a bit desperate. Or racist, if you're so inclined.
19
I LOVE the fact that Obama is going there. It's about time. I say, stick in the dagger and twist - all the way to election day.
20
@18: Normally I would resist such a statement, but since it seems that only a black president has to defend his birth and accomplishments every day from day 1, you almost just have to say it is probably being driven by racism, even subconscious racism.
Unless anyone has a better answer as to why no president except the first black one has ever had to defend his birth and academic record so bitterly and constantly, despite ample proof they are genuine.
Unless anyone has a better answer as to why no president except the first black one has ever had to defend his birth and academic record so bitterly and constantly, despite ample proof they are genuine.
21
Having to admit you were fined tens of millions of dollars for illegally evading US taxes ...
#MittWorldProblems
#MittWorldProblems
22
@5, not unlike Tim Geithner (if Mitt is indeed a tax evader). Tax evasion has become so passé that it hardly blemishes politicians of either party.
23
@22 - I doubt he illegally evaded taxes, but his returns are probably as thick as phone books, so if he releases them: 1) story after story describing his byzantine, foreign (gasp!) financial dealings will dominate the news cycle for weeks, and 2) it will paint him yet again as some weird, uber-rich "other," rather than the folksy everyman he's trying to portray, walking the rope line wearing dad jeans.
He's better off taking the heat for not releasing them.
He's better off taking the heat for not releasing them.
24
@2, just because it's legal doesn't mean it's ethical. He's not hiding the fact that he's obscenely wealthy, but he is hiding the particulars of that wealth. Which is troubling, at least to those of us who demand more than "barely legal" behavior from those we choose to vote for.
25
This will not be a problem for him because no one cares. The Dems know he's a crook and the Republicans will vote for him anyway. The Independents will turn into the Republicans they always have been as soon as they vote/mark up their ballot, and the other splinter party people are crazy and don't matter.
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