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News & ArtsMonday, August 6, 2012
2012 We're Going to Be Talking About Mitt Romney's Tax Returns Forever
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Aug 6, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Hey, remember when Nevada Senator Harry Reid said that he heard from an anonymous source that Mitt Romney didn't pay taxes for ten years? This story is the gift that keeps giving. RNC Chair Reince "The Preince" Priebus called Harry Reid a "dirty liar" over the weekend on a Sunday news show. At the same time, former Bachmann aide and Reagan campaign director Ed Rollins said that Romney needs to put his returns out, because it's “going to dog him all the way and he needs to get it behind him."
On Saturday, Rachel Maddow explained why Romney has to release his returns. One big reason is that the Romney campaign has lied about his returns in the past:
Another interesting argument is circling Twitter, too: Of all the Republicans who are defending Romney or demanding that Romney release his taxes, there are a few voices that are completely absent from the debate. The people with the most knowledge of the issue—besides Romney himself, of course—are A. B. Culvahouse and Rick Davis, who saw 23 years' worth of Romney's tax returns during the VP vetting process in 2008 as aides for the McCain campaign. They are keeping quiet. Some might say...too quiet.
This debate is not going away. Unless something changes, it will continue through Election Day. There's only one man who can completely resolve this argument. His name is Mitt Romney, and he just has to release his tax returns to the public. Considering the fact that his tax returns have been a serious, damaging issue for over a month now, these things must be really terrible.
1
Apparently he's been hiding his taxes since he was running for governor in Massachusetts.
So it seems unlikely that he will release them now.
Which means that anyone, anywhere can make any claim about what is in them and, if they manage it right, get a talking spot on TV.
Which leads to another spot on TV when Romney's people deny that whatever was said was true.
If the Democrats were smart, they'd be laying out a strategy based upon that that will run right up to the election.
With each claim being a little more sensational than the last.
13 weeks left. That shouldn't be too difficult for them.
13 stories of what Romney is hiding in his taxes.
So it seems unlikely that he will release them now.
Which means that anyone, anywhere can make any claim about what is in them and, if they manage it right, get a talking spot on TV.
Which leads to another spot on TV when Romney's people deny that whatever was said was true.
If the Democrats were smart, they'd be laying out a strategy based upon that that will run right up to the election.
With each claim being a little more sensational than the last.
13 weeks left. That shouldn't be too difficult for them.
13 stories of what Romney is hiding in his taxes.
3
Why does he have to release them? All republicans/independents/conservatives/teabaggers are going to vote for him no matter what happens - they'll vote for him even if he goes on a killing spree. A bunch of other people are going to vote for him simply because they don't like Obama for any variety of reasons. And those who haven't made up their minds yet aren't likely to be influenced by whether romney releases his returns or not.
I don't see this as a problem for Romney other than the fact that he'll have to put up with reporters and opponents will be questioning him about it 24/7 until election day.
I don't see this as a problem for Romney other than the fact that he'll have to put up with reporters and opponents will be questioning him about it 24/7 until election day.
4
Or, this could end up like the Sarah Palin e-mails where there really isn't anything damaging enough to justify all the badgering. Then Romney could cast himself as the victim against the mean democrats and theirs nothing americans love more than a wealthy white "victim".
5
I assume that there were confidentiality contracts drawn up four years ago that prevent anyone from the McCain campaign from discussing Rmoney's taxes. Even if there were nothing to hide (yeah, right), they probably can't come forward and say otherwise.
I sure hope Reid is waiting until the end to come up with the name/evidence of Rmoney's ten-year nonpayment of taxes. That would put the nail in the coffin of Rmoney's campaign.
BUT, the broader question is what has Obama been doing to take back Congress and keep the Senate? I'm afraid that we may end up with a completely lame lame-duck president.
I sure hope Reid is waiting until the end to come up with the name/evidence of Rmoney's ten-year nonpayment of taxes. That would put the nail in the coffin of Rmoney's campaign.
BUT, the broader question is what has Obama been doing to take back Congress and keep the Senate? I'm afraid that we may end up with a completely lame lame-duck president.
6
@3 it's not the republicans/conservatives/teabaggers or anyone in the extreme right (who would vote for a rock with a tie if it was running against a black man) that this situation- and the possible scandal held inside his tax returns- may affect.
It's the undecided voters. The moderate republicans (YES- they exist. Maybe not in office, but there are tons of middle-ground Republicans who don't hate Obama so much they would actively vote for someone who turns out has been gaming the system for years). It's the conservative-leaning democrats/liberal Democrats who may be disenfranchised with Obama- but may actively fight against a guy whose tax returns show something absolutely heinous.
These kinds of stories and tactics are never about changing the minds of the core base. It's about affecting the far greater number of moderates, undecideds, and liberals to muster the energy to vote for Obama simply because the other option is a horrible, sociopathic millionaire with nothing but his own ego and interests behind his desire for the presidency.
It's the undecided voters. The moderate republicans (YES- they exist. Maybe not in office, but there are tons of middle-ground Republicans who don't hate Obama so much they would actively vote for someone who turns out has been gaming the system for years). It's the conservative-leaning democrats/liberal Democrats who may be disenfranchised with Obama- but may actively fight against a guy whose tax returns show something absolutely heinous.
These kinds of stories and tactics are never about changing the minds of the core base. It's about affecting the far greater number of moderates, undecideds, and liberals to muster the energy to vote for Obama simply because the other option is a horrible, sociopathic millionaire with nothing but his own ego and interests behind his desire for the presidency.
7
@3
"And those who haven't made up their minds yet aren't likely to be influenced by whether romney releases his returns or not."
They can be influenced by that.
It just depends upon which ads (if any) they see that use that fact in a way that they believe has an effect upon their lives.
"I don't see this as a problem for Romney other than the fact that he'll have to put up with reporters and opponents will be questioning him about it 24/7 until election day."
And while they're asking that, he won't be able to control the talking points without being seen as avoiding the issue.
Which brings it back to whatever the current rational for him hiding his taxes is.
Romney never gets a chance to define himself the way he wants.
The Obama campaign gets to define Romney in multiple way, all based upon hiding his taxes.
"And those who haven't made up their minds yet aren't likely to be influenced by whether romney releases his returns or not."
They can be influenced by that.
It just depends upon which ads (if any) they see that use that fact in a way that they believe has an effect upon their lives.
"I don't see this as a problem for Romney other than the fact that he'll have to put up with reporters and opponents will be questioning him about it 24/7 until election day."
And while they're asking that, he won't be able to control the talking points without being seen as avoiding the issue.
Which brings it back to whatever the current rational for him hiding his taxes is.
Romney never gets a chance to define himself the way he wants.
The Obama campaign gets to define Romney in multiple way, all based upon hiding his taxes.
8
"But Obama never released his birth certificate, so why should Romney have to release his tax returns?"
10
I think he'll release the returns after the convention. Right now, I suspect he's more worried about his own party taking the nomination away from him at the convention than he is about defending the returns in the general election. Once he's clear of the convention, it'll be too late for the Republicans to turn back and put somebody else up there in his place.
This is Romney's one legitimate shot to run for president. The only reason he is the nominee is because all the better candidates decided it made more sense to wait until 2016, which is a much more important election for the Republicans anyway (and a more winnable election as well). Most of his own party doesn't like him.
This entire election is a gamble for Romney. He's like the Dave Kingman of politics. He has an 80% chance of striking out. But if he connects, it'll be a home run. He'll be president, and at that point, his odds of begin president for 8 years will be pretty good.
So Romney's got to hope that if he releases the tax return info around labor day, then his money advantage over Obama will allow him to fend off whatever damage the returns may cause.
Remember, the money advantage is probably worth more in a sprint than it is in a longer distance race, because your opponent has less time to react and fewer resources to do so.
That or there is nothing in the returns and he's just allowing Obama's people to burn through a lot of money/time/energy beating that talking point instead of setting a more positive agenda.
That helps him later on in the sprint as well.
This is Romney's one legitimate shot to run for president. The only reason he is the nominee is because all the better candidates decided it made more sense to wait until 2016, which is a much more important election for the Republicans anyway (and a more winnable election as well). Most of his own party doesn't like him.
This entire election is a gamble for Romney. He's like the Dave Kingman of politics. He has an 80% chance of striking out. But if he connects, it'll be a home run. He'll be president, and at that point, his odds of begin president for 8 years will be pretty good.
So Romney's got to hope that if he releases the tax return info around labor day, then his money advantage over Obama will allow him to fend off whatever damage the returns may cause.
Remember, the money advantage is probably worth more in a sprint than it is in a longer distance race, because your opponent has less time to react and fewer resources to do so.
That or there is nothing in the returns and he's just allowing Obama's people to burn through a lot of money/time/energy beating that talking point instead of setting a more positive agenda.
That helps him later on in the sprint as well.
11
I'm sure glad no one is going to talk about jobs or wages this election cycle. I mean a criminal's tax records really impacts my life in so many ways.
12
How's this for a scenario: Not long before Tampa, bogus Romney returns will be "leaked" to the media. They'll be convincing enough that the campaign will have no choice but to release the real ones to disprove the fakes; otherwise, the convention is thrown into chaos.
13
What I don't understand is that, if Mitt Romney were actually paying a lot of taxes as he claims, why shouldn't he release them to support the GOP's assertion that "job creators" are taxed too high in this country. If Romney's tax returns showed this, he could use it to only further his argument. That too makes me think he is hiding something.
14
@13 I think you nailed it. He is hiding evidence that the wealthier you are, the less of your income you pay in taxes. He doesn't want us talking about how the system is gamed and noticing that all the Republicans want to do is game it even worse.
15
@3 There's always a lot more to it than just how people will vote.
The issue at stake here is how excited the base is. Sure, they'll cast their vote, but how *excited* are they? Are they willing to encourage other like-minded folks to vote? Will they donate, will they volunteer, will they forward emails or share facebook posts?
In conversation, will they say "I'll probably vote for Romney, in spite of x" in sort of a shame-faced admission, or will they say "I'm voting for Romney because he's so good at y & z!" This effects others in forming their opinions.
The Obama campaign knows that this issue is divisive towards his base. Sure, the billionaires, the CEOs, the bankers are all behind Romney. But the Romney campaign needs to capitalize on the idiots coming out in droves. They need to convince the "I hate Obama" protest voters to not waste their votes on a write-in or third party, but to check Romney. The Obama campaign will use his tax returns to dampen down any kind of excitement the Romneys can muster.
The issue at stake here is how excited the base is. Sure, they'll cast their vote, but how *excited* are they? Are they willing to encourage other like-minded folks to vote? Will they donate, will they volunteer, will they forward emails or share facebook posts?
In conversation, will they say "I'll probably vote for Romney, in spite of x" in sort of a shame-faced admission, or will they say "I'm voting for Romney because he's so good at y & z!" This effects others in forming their opinions.
The Obama campaign knows that this issue is divisive towards his base. Sure, the billionaires, the CEOs, the bankers are all behind Romney. But the Romney campaign needs to capitalize on the idiots coming out in droves. They need to convince the "I hate Obama" protest voters to not waste their votes on a write-in or third party, but to check Romney. The Obama campaign will use his tax returns to dampen down any kind of excitement the Romneys can muster.
16
What parents in their right mind would name a child Reince Priebus?
No wonder he ended up as chair of the RNC!
No wonder he ended up as chair of the RNC!
18
Has Governor Romney "paid taxes" to other sovereignties, e.g., other countries' taxing authorities? To whom has he "paid taxes" over the years?
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