look at the birther movement -- obama dragged it out longer than he should have and now we have actual elected officials trying to pretend he can't qualify for the ballot (e.g. -- kansas, arizona). assuming everything is legit and legal, the maelstrom surrounding these mystery returns is going to blow over quite quickly once people go through them. the fact that romney is perceived as trying to hide his personal wealth is just going to feed the rumors more than actually having the returns will.
I think Obama dragged it out unduly long too, but that's a touch different, it's produce one document and done, I'd give him time for saying its a non-issue and maybe having a few guys double and triple check that everything was ironclad or wasn't smudged so as to provoke conspiracy theory, see if the matter dropped in a couple weeks and if not roll the thing out. The delay made people suspicious because there was no logical reason not to and none of us ever believe someone who defends privacy on principle when it's theres.
Difference is that's a simple, single, yes/no document. Tax returns aren't, same as college transcripts - Imagine if Obama got a C in economics? Many would shrug and many would scream it was proof of his bad econ policy and Heaven Forbid he took a history class focusing on Arab/Muslim culture. And honestly, a transcript is a pretty short thing compared to a wealthy investor's tax returns.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
what does it mean to "pay no federal income tax"?
18/09/2012 06:30:28 PM
- 1041 Views
Wrong
18/09/2012 06:37:07 PM
- 605 Views
Additional categories
18/09/2012 06:51:46 PM
- 713 Views
SS income is very much taxed, my friend
18/09/2012 06:59:28 PM
- 584 Views
Is that true?
18/09/2012 06:54:33 PM
- 622 Views
No, it's not. See my post (you should really have read it first
) *NM*
18/09/2012 07:00:07 PM
- 241 Views

Looking at that chart you linked, I have some questions.
18/09/2012 07:05:24 PM
- 571 Views
I think the reasoning is that since they go to entitlement programs, it's not entirely a tax.
18/09/2012 10:55:12 PM
- 534 Views
Does that mean the correct number is that 27.6%?
18/09/2012 07:17:46 PM
- 580 Views
That is correct - some folks have such negative income taxes, it offsets payroll as well.
19/09/2012 05:28:07 AM
- 579 Views
If it helps, here's a graph of effective federal tax rate by quintile, all taxes (data from 2007)
19/09/2012 08:30:37 AM
- 801 Views
While we're talking about taxes, am I the only one who doesn't give a rat's ass about Romney's?
18/09/2012 10:37:12 PM
- 555 Views
That sort of thing does matter to me
18/09/2012 10:48:30 PM
- 531 Views
Ah, yeah, not so much for me.
18/09/2012 11:16:56 PM
- 505 Views
I am a BIT curious whether he took the IRS amnesty for tax dodging in 2009.
18/09/2012 11:32:31 PM
- 475 Views
As an outside observer ...
19/09/2012 01:28:13 AM
- 577 Views
Re: As an outside observer ...
19/09/2012 04:45:11 AM
- 531 Views
the question of legality has already been covered by the offshore accounts though....
19/09/2012 05:44:28 AM
- 552 Views
Different situation then the Birther stuff
19/09/2012 07:02:09 AM
- 501 Views
Eh, those already exist, if people bothered to look
19/09/2012 08:08:35 AM
- 731 Views
Those are toothless examples, no bite to them and old news so no shock value aspect
19/09/2012 08:44:01 AM
- 489 Views
The stat is valid, because of tax credits the GOP created/expanded for the overtaxed middle class.
18/09/2012 11:22:13 PM
- 559 Views
I think you got it wrong:
19/09/2012 01:52:30 AM
- 518 Views
+1 - you are correct, moondog screwed the pooch with this post. *NM*
19/09/2012 05:18:19 AM
- 229 Views
Washington Post similar to Anonymous', but shows how many people get each credit.
19/09/2012 06:45:08 PM
- 608 Views