Romney's Tax Returns

[Husker Mort]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86G10D20120718

After his father paved the way for this practice by releasing 12 years of tax returns during his gubernatorial campaign (intended to show the voters that his wealth was not a fluke), Mr. Romney has released one (2011) and plans to release another (2010), but has refused to provide anything further -- allowing the Obama Campaign to easily paint whatever image of the candidate that they want. Obama has released every return since 2000.

Obviously, there are things in those returns that the campaign doesn't want to be made public, but it seems his long-term trade off in public trust and an inability to control the campaign narrative are not worth the avoidance of the short-term blows his campaign may get hit with. If the past is, indeed, prologue than the former Governor may not release them, even if it risks the election.

When do you think the candidate will release a large batch of returns?

[CornfieldCounty]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86G10D20120718

After his father paved the way for this practice by releasing 12 years of tax returns during his gubernatorial campaign (intended to show the voters that his wealth was not a fluke), Mr. Romney has released one (2011) and plans to release another (2010), but has refused to provide anything further -- allowing the Obama Campaign to easily paint whatever image of the candidate that they want. Obama has released every return since 2000.

Obviously, there are things in those returns that the campaign doesn't want to be made public, but it seems his long-term trade off in public trust and an inability to control the campaign narrative are not worth the avoidance of the short-term blows his campaign may get hit with. If the past is, indeed, prologue than the former Governor may not release them, even if it risks the election.

When do you think the candidate will release a large batch of returns?

Normally, its called personal information

Btw, how is the campaign going to get Obama's transcripts to be made public? I guess he has something to hide since he hasn't made them public.

[huskrthill]

Mort, do you plan on analyzing Romney's tax returns? If so, what do you think you might find that would sway your opinion on him one way or another?

[bilsker]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86G10D20120718

After his father paved the way for this practice by releasing 12 years of tax returns during his gubernatorial campaign (intended to show the voters that his wealth was not a fluke), Mr. Romney has released one (2011) and plans to release another (2010), but has refused to provide anything further -- allowing the Obama Campaign to easily paint whatever image of the candidate that they want. Obama has released every return since 2000.

Obviously, there are things in those returns that the campaign doesn't want to be made public, but it seems his long-term trade off in public trust and an inability to control the campaign narrative are not worth the avoidance of the short-term blows his campaign may get hit with. If the past is, indeed, prologue than the former Governor may not release them, even if it risks the election.

When do you think the candidate will release a large batch of returns?

I doubt he will.

This is mostly about class warfare. The obama folks want him to release his tax returns because in this country it's becoming more and more of a bad thing to have made the kind of money Romney has made...even if it wasn't done illegally. Seeing a guy make millions just further annoys Joe Sixpack.

[RedRum]

Didn't we go through this with Newt. Turned out nothing was in there.

I think we will see returns sooner than later.

[Inflation]

He should have released his returns when he announced he was running for president. He handed 20 years of returns over to the McCain campaign, so there must not be anything illegal. Everyone who is paying attention knows he is a very wealth man, the returns would be a story for about 48 hours.

He has backed himself into a corner, he will continue to get hammered for not releasing them(even by conservative republicans), if he does release them he will look weak and get hammered for giving in.

[huskrthill]

He should have released his returns when he announced he was running for president. He handed 20 years of returns over to the McCain campaign, so there must not be anything illegal. Everyone who is paying attention knows he is a very wealth man, the returns would be a story for about 48 hours.

He has backed himself into a corner, he will continue to get hammered for not releasing them(even by conservative republicans), if he does release them he will look weak and get hammered for giving in.

Why must he release several years of personal tax returns? What is there to gain? Is there a constitutional requirement of which I am unaware?

[Inflation]

Why must he release several years of personal tax returns? What is there to gain? Is there a constitutional requirement of which I am unaware?

How about transparency. Past candidates have released returns, what makes him special? What has he gained by not releasing the same returns he released to the McCain campaign?

By being so stubborn, he has cast doubt to those independent voters who will decide this election. Is he really that out of touch?

[CornfieldCounty]

Where is the transcipts?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-...b_1672388.html

All Candidates, President Obama Included, Should Release University Transcripts

Earlier this week White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responded to a question about the release of President Obama's college transcript:

"This is the Donald Trump question... It is preposterous, this is from the guy who insisted that he didn't believe the president was born in the United States."

Mitt Romney, who initially hesitated on releasing his tax returns, has apparently released his transcripts. Hopefully, his vice president will as well. Such transcripts, like tax returns and medical records, and some criminal records, are private by law unless voluntarily waived. American voters, however, notwithstanding the motives of some advocates, have an overriding interest in transparency for objective, even old, information about the formative adult years of those seeking the highest office in the nation. I would add that it would serve the public interest if in addition, Supreme Court nominees as well as congressional and other candidates did the same. Why is it that so many positions of far less import, in both the public and private sector, with far smaller constituencies often call for the presentation of a transcript, but not the most sensitive job in the world?

[huskernut]

I think his position is unfortunately not strong. This is hurting him politically and will continue to do so. It makes him look like a rich, out-of-touch person with something to hide. Unfortunately, it gives credibility to the other bogus or misguided criticisms of him about outsourcing, etc.

I am a little surprised he didn't make his financial affairs plain vanilla when he entered politics. If even 6 years ago he had unwound weird vehicles and close foreign accounts, he would have been better off. And I think that could have been foreseen.

Has he done anything wrong? I doubt it. And nothing he has been accused of doing is even remotely wrong. But politics ain't always fair. Part of what politicians need to do is accept unchangeable realities so they can get in a position to address changeable ones.

[huskrthill]

How about transparency. Past candidates have released returns, what makes him special? What has he gained by not releasing the same returns he released to the McCain campaign?

By being so stubborn, he has cast doubt to those independent voters who will decide this election. Is he really that out of touch?

Which independent voters are concerned about his tax returns? Are Mitt Romney's tax returns from 5-10-15 years ago more important than President Obama's college transcripts?

More seriously, are Mitt Romney's old tax returns more important than President Obama's coverup of Fast & Furious?

Romney should make a deal... he'll release his tax returns (which are certainly not incriminating) immediately upon the release of the Fast & Furious documents that have been withheld by Obama/Holder.

[huskrthill]

I think his position is unfortunately not strong. This is hurting him politically and will continue to do so. It makes him look like a rich, out-of-touch person with something to hide. Unfortunately, it gives credibility to the other bogus or misguided criticisms of him about outsourcing, etc.

I am a little surprised he didn't make his financial affairs plain vanilla when he entered politics. If even 6 years ago he had unwound weird vehicles and close foreign accounts, he would have been better off. And I think that could have been foreseen.

Has he done anything wrong? I doubt it. And nothing he has been accused of doing is even remotely wrong. But politics ain't always fair. Part of what politicians need to do is accept unchangeable realities so they can get in a position to address changeable ones.

It's only hurting him politically because the news media wants to make it an issue. Once again, they are doing the left's bidding.

Does anyone REALLY care about Romney's tax returns? Or is this just a manufactured story to take the attention off the actual issues?

There is a lot of talk from people about wanting to talk about the issues in campaigns, but then we see garbage like this dominate the news cycle. Is this willingness to talk about the issues just a load of crap? I think PEOPLE want to hear candidates discuss the issues, but the MEDIA won't let it happen. Because liberals lose when it comes to actual ideas and real solutions to real problems.

[huskernut]

Forgot to add: Romney is in a tough spot here, because even if and when he releases them, he has added credibility to the bogus attacks he says he fears. The dynamic is now that there must be something in there, so when Obama attacks whatever is in there, which he surely will, he will score points, when he otherwise might not have.

This isn't necessarily a disaster for Romney, IMO. But it is a flub.

[McKinneyTXHusker]

I think his position is unfortunately not strong. This is hurting him politically and will continue to do so. It makes him look like a rich, out-of-touch person with something to hide. Unfortunately, it gives credibility to the other bogus or misguided criticisms of him about outsourcing, etc.

I am a little surprised he didn't make his financial affairs plain vanilla when he entered politics. If even 6 years ago he had unwound weird vehicles and close foreign accounts, he would have been better off. And I think that could have been foreseen.

Has he done anything wrong? I doubt it. And nothing he has been accused of doing is even remotely wrong. But politics ain't always fair. Part of what politicians need to do is accept unchangeable realities so they can get in a position to address changeable ones.

Forgot to add: Romney is in a tough spot here, because even if and when he releases them, he has added credibility to the bogus attacks he says he fears. The dynamic is now that there must be something in there, so when Obama attacks whatever is in there, which he surely will, he will score points, when he otherwise might not have.

This isn't necessarily a disaster for Romney, IMO. But it is a flub.

While I think Thill has a point about the media, with a liberal bent, driving this - I also agree with what you say here. He should have anticipated and gotten ahead of this. He's sure not showing much political savvy on the part of himself or his team with the position he finds himself in on this "issue" right now.

[huskrthill]

Forgot to add: Romney is in a tough spot here, because even if and when he releases them, he has added credibility to the bogus attacks he says he fears. The dynamic is now that there must be something in there, so when Obama attacks whatever is in there, which he surely will, he will score points, when he otherwise might not have.

This isn't necessarily a disaster for Romney, IMO. But it is a flub.

You know what? If he had released 5 years, they would have wanted 10. If he had released 10, they would have wanted 15. If he had released 15, they would have wanted stuff from his entire time at Bain (going back to 1984).

If Obama thinks there is something criminal in the returns he should just say so. Otherwise, Romney needs to go back on the offensive and shift the conversation back to the President's record of failure.

[Inflation]

Which independent voters are concerned about his tax returns? Are Mitt Romney's tax returns from 5-10-15 years ago more important than President Obama's college transcripts?

More seriously, are Mitt Romney's old tax returns more important than President Obama's coverup of Fast & Furious?

Romney should make a deal... he'll release his tax returns (which are certainly not incriminating) immediately upon the release of the Fast & Furious documents that have been withheld by Obama/Holder.

This issue is going to hurt him with voters. This is about Romney, not anyone else. The longer this goes, the more it will hurt his chances of winning the election. If he had been McCains VP candidate, his returns would have been released, so why not release them today?

[FeelLikeAStranger]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...gical-ira.html

Maybe this is partially behind his reluctance to come clean? How does one go about legally getting a 227 fold return on an IRA over 15 years?

[FLA4NEB]

1) We learn anything from released tax returns.

2) People that demand their opponent release their tax returns are usually trying to change the subject off of themselves.

3) It doesn't really matter what is in his returns the Obama campaign will spin it and that is the point.

4) The Obama campaign wins either way.

5) The American voting public lose because of debating and discussing what is important the politics of personal distractions win the day.

Here is what I think the big secret in the Romney tax returns is that the Obama campaign is hoping for. Large 2008 losses that allowed Romney to avoid paying taxes in 2008 and 2009. Nothing illegal about using investment losses to lower your taxable income. I am sure there are other things they hope to find to beat Romney over but that I think is the big thing they are looking for.

I don't think Obama's tax returns or Bush's tax returns or Clintons tax return really told us anything earth shaking about them. I don't think those returns changed anyones mind vote wise...tax returns don't matter unless you think you can use them to bash your opponent.

As for transparency I think we know a lot more about Romney than we did/do about Obama.

The tax return thing is all theater, it isn't important. It is a distraction. Lets get back to the important issues of how we get this country back track growth wise.

[huskrthill]

This issue is going to hurt him with voters. This is about Romney, not anyone else. The longer this goes, the more it will hurt his chances of winning the election. If he had been McCains VP candidate, his returns would have been released, so why not release them today?

Which voters? The ones that weren't going to vote for him anyway?

Is there something of significance that you expect to find in the 2009 tax return? 2007? 2003?

Inflation, please tell me what is so intriguing about his taxes.


If anyone decides not to vote for Romney based on this, then it's a great example of people deserving what we get as a country. We say we want meaningful dialogue, we say we want in-depth analysis of real issues, we say we want positive campaigns, but apparently what we really want is more reality TV drama.

This is one of the reasons why we get crappy candidates and crappy "leaders." How about focusing on something that matters? Any word on President Obama's highly touted Jobs Council? Or is continued 8+% unemployment not as interesting as Mitt Romney's W-2's from a decade ago?

[huskernut]

It's only hurting him politically because the news media wants to make it an issue. Once again, they are doing the left's bidding.

Does anyone REALLY care about Romney's tax returns? Or is this just a manufactured story to take the attention off the actual issues?

There is a lot of talk from people about wanting to talk about the issues in campaigns, but then we see garbage like this dominate the news cycle. Is this willingness to talk about the issues just a load of crap? I think PEOPLE want to hear candidates discuss the issues, but the MEDIA won't let it happen. Because liberals lose when it comes to actual ideas and real solutions to real problems.

I don't disagree with you. Anyway Obama's attacks are completely politically motivated, and my guess is anything in there is no big whop as long as you aren't simply anti-rich and successful people.

But an argument in favor of less transparency on taxes is a tough one for a politician to make.