CNN (Maybe) Confirms Mitt Romney Paid No Taxes For 10 Years?- Page 2

[dented146]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 1:57am

I suspect that McCain picked Palin thinking it would spice up the ticket. Heaven knows that Mitt wouldn't do that. As for the taxes, I find it very difficult to seriously believe that the governor of Mass. with aspirations to be President would file fraudulant tax returns. I also find it difficult to believe that the giant accounting firms would sign off on them. Also, who would ever show an obviously fraudulant return to the staff of another politician-even in the same party?

I'm sure he paid the smallest amount he legally could which as a billionaire looks pretty bad. I'd bet that there are plenty of off shore accounts which are legal but embarrassing. But no taxes at all, it's ridiculous.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 6:34am

I don't think anyone is saying he filed fraudulent returns. I think what Reid is saying is that Romney paid no taxes due to tax breaks and refunds that are only legally available to the super wealthy under the tax code. And if he becomes President Romney wants to expand those tax benefits for the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 9:46am

^Exactly! How can you ask the middle class to pay more taxes while promoting less taxes for the rich when you yourself have paid next to nothing on your vast fortune?

[romantico]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 2:45pm

Jon Huntsman Sr., longtime Romney backer, calls on him to release tax returns

AN Honest Person has NOTHING to hide.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line

Posted: 8/10/12 at 2:56pm

How do you figure that? every single politician like Dirty Harry who by the way lives at Carlton Ritz has done the same, lol. Our POTUS has some issues yet to disclose or never will. When it comes to the economy and Mitt doubles down in a debate over it,our POTUS won't be be able to get away with a remark that goes like this: the middle class is doing just fine, there's no way.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 2:58pm

Oh Christ. Really? God, these Trolls are really annoying.

Obama has released more tax returns than Willard has and I can not wait for those debates. Mitt did awful during the Primaries and Obama is a smooth debater. Try again Troll. You don't know WTF you are talking about!

Updated On: 8/10/12 at 02:58 PM

Posted: 8/10/12 at 3:09pm

@ romantico

Please don't call me a troll there gee.

and I won't tell you to

....go get me a beer.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 3:10pm

Could this all be an extremely brilliant orchestrated eent on the GOP's part? Drumming up a furor over Mitt's taxes, only for him to release them in Oct for an October surprise? That in fact everyting is fine and everyone ends up with egg on their faces?
Naaaaaah the GOP ain't that smart!

[romantico]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 3:18pm

Knight Knight (For real? What are you, six?)You know what you are...........SO does everyone else.

SNAFU, I thought of that. It has a very Karl Rove tone to it. However, if that were true I think Romney's people would be handling this a little differently.No, I think Mitt actually felt he would not have to disclose this to the American People. He just thought,like everything else in his life, that his money and power would but him rules 'common people' don't have. I hope they hammer the ****on this til November. I'm beginning to think more and more that The Democrats do in fact have something on Mitt and they waiting til closer to November to disclose.

Updated On: 8/10/12 at 03:18 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 3:46pm

That theory doesn't make sense, because it still makes Romney look weak. Why would he wait months and months to disclose good news? It'll look calculated.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 4:07pm

When is the last time ANY political move didn't seem calculated?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 4:27pm

I just can't see the "Surprise!" factor offsetting the three months of damage to his image he's already experienced, though.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 4:30pm

Perhaps, though he could pull a Palin and shoot for the VICTIM aspect of it all.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 4:33pm

I think Reid is a pretty smart politician and wouldn't be making such claims if he wasn't pretty certain of what's in those returns. I'm sure he knew he would take some heat in the media (and he has, even from fellow dems) so he must feel it's worth the risk since he's sticking to his guns.
I'm sure Romantico is right. Mitt has led a privileged life and I'm sure he thought he would never have to release them. How often do you think people say no to Mitt Romney? He's used to getting what he wants.

[dented146]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 7:50pm

Erik, you might very well be correct but I suspect that it's just a lot of little stuff that all together looks bad and requires hours of explanation.

For instance if he was still owed money by Bain after he left then he has to explain that. If he is in a zillion foreign backs ther is that. If he's paying 10-15% he'll be crucified there. He can't win either way even if everything is legal.

None of the politicians are clean in that regard. I'd love to see Reid's returns. Romney is just the biggest and richest target THIS TIME. You can imagine what Kennedy's and Kerry's returns were like.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 8:11pm

In 2004 Kerry released more than one year of tax returns.

http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/07/16/john-kerry-office-blasts-mitt-romney-over-inaccurate-claims-about-tax-returns/PJibKCCrwcbusf3g0K5nXK/story.html

As a mater of fact, back then Mitt made fun of Kerry's large home (this coming from a man with numerous mansions including a home with a car elevator)

http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/mitt-romney-made-fun-of-john-kerry-for-having-a-la

Reid is not running for President.

I agree. none of the politicians are clean, but Obama released plenty of his tax returns. If Obama had something to hide why did he release HIS returns? Why can't Mitt do what his opponent is doing? Wouldn't that be fair? Looks like he is hiding. Looks like HE KNOWS there is something in his returns that his critics can easily go after.You would have thought he would have thought about this before running for office.

You are speculating Mitt's tax returns has a lot of 'little stuff'. How are you coming to this conclusion? If true, why wouldn't Mitt release this and explain? Mitt should have released all this a year ago so it would have come out then and not now.

Obama and Mitt should both do the same and Mitt is saying he is privileged and does not have to play by the same rules as Obama does,therefore he WILL NOT release more than a year of his tax returns. People can make up as many excuses as they want for Mitt and defend him but THE FACT IS, he REFUSES to play by the same rules as Obama is and that makes him look dishonest and arrogant. He is hiding something. The fact that he also has off shore accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands only makes him look more shady.

Updated On: 8/10/12 at 08:11 PM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 8:21pm

Also Dented, Mitt has already admitted to paying only 13% for 2010 (though the returns are incomplete). There isn't really wasn't that much flack about that. Why would he NOT release them if he paid 10-13%? There has to be some legal loopholes he used to pay A LOT less ( all be them legal) he is afraid to let the public know. Or perhaps he hasn't retroactively corrected them enough yet to not raise eyebrows as to where his place of residence was when he ran for Govenor. This is why I tend to side with Reid.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 8:49pm

"I think what Reid is saying is that Romney paid no taxes due to tax breaks and refunds that are only legally available to the super wealthy under the tax code."

Hmmm. Doesn't the CONGRESS make tax laws?

[romantico]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 8:59pm

Another theory on why Mitt has not released his tax returns,it could be that he declared that he was a resident of some state other than Massachusetts at the same time he was filing to run for governor of Massachusetts. This would be a form of fraud, and would mean it was illegal for him to become governor.Frankly, I'm loving all the speculation.Since Mitt won't release them, I'm going to pick the most damaging ones and go with those.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 8:59pm

Yes, and perhaps it is time the tax code was put under the microscope. A Flat tax anyone? Not just not one to enhance the credits to the wealthy, while putting the burden on people who actually WORK for a living, as Romney's plan would do.

Updated On: 8/10/12 at 08:59 PM

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 8/10/12 at 9:41pm

Also Mitt was asked by ABC if he ever paid under 13%. He said he would have to get back to them. He still hasn't.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:11pm

"Listen to me,you stupid 'common people'! We are above you all and we are not releasing anymore of our taxes. We're the Romeny's and we can do whatever the fu*k we want. We're not the Obama's, the Biden's, or even the Ryan's.We have lots of nice cars,know many powerful people,we own numerous mansions and even have one with a car elevator. Now shine my shoes and open this bottle of Perrier!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/ann-romney-tax-returns_n_1778376.html

[Playbilly]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 10:21pm

She rhymes with runt.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 10:47pm

The Media HAS TO press on this. I'll bet anyone here $10,000 that during the debates one of the Romney campaign's many conditions will be that the moderator can not bring up the tax return issue and knowing our media they will more than likely bow down and say,'yes Mr.Romney,whatever you wish'.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/16/12 at 10:43pm

This could be a good sign.I bet Ann Romney opening her mouth bringing this up again pissed off more than a few people.

ABC, NBC + CBS Evening News all lead with Romney's tax returns

https://twitter.com/thinkprogress/status/236240390326468609