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
- 1034 Views
Wrong
18/09/2012 06:37:07 PM
- 597 Views
Additional categories
18/09/2012 06:51:46 PM
- 700 Views
SS income is very much taxed, my friend
18/09/2012 06:59:28 PM
- 574 Views
Is that true?
18/09/2012 06:54:33 PM
- 613 Views
No, it's not. See my post (you should really have read it first
) *NM*
18/09/2012 07:00:07 PM
- 240 Views

Looking at that chart you linked, I have some questions.
18/09/2012 07:05:24 PM
- 560 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
- 523 Views
Does that mean the correct number is that 27.6%?
18/09/2012 07:17:46 PM
- 569 Views
That is correct - some folks have such negative income taxes, it offsets payroll as well.
19/09/2012 05:28:07 AM
- 572 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
- 792 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
- 549 Views
That sort of thing does matter to me
18/09/2012 10:48:30 PM
- 526 Views
Ah, yeah, not so much for me.
18/09/2012 11:16:56 PM
- 495 Views
I am a BIT curious whether he took the IRS amnesty for tax dodging in 2009.
18/09/2012 11:32:31 PM
- 471 Views
As an outside observer ...
19/09/2012 01:28:13 AM
- 568 Views
Re: As an outside observer ...
19/09/2012 04:45:11 AM
- 522 Views
the question of legality has already been covered by the offshore accounts though....
19/09/2012 05:44:28 AM
- 545 Views
Different situation then the Birther stuff
19/09/2012 07:02:09 AM
- 496 Views
Eh, those already exist, if people bothered to look
19/09/2012 08:08:35 AM
- 723 Views
Those are toothless examples, no bite to them and old news so no shock value aspect
19/09/2012 08:44:01 AM
- 483 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
- 551 Views
I think you got it wrong:
19/09/2012 01:52:30 AM
- 513 Views
+1 - you are correct, moondog screwed the pooch with this post. *NM*
19/09/2012 05:18:19 AM
- 226 Views
Washington Post similar to Anonymous', but shows how many people get each credit.
19/09/2012 06:45:08 PM
- 601 Views