Close, But No Cigar
Ann Romney was quoted this morning as saying that they were not going to release any more tax returns.
She said that releasing more details on the family’s taxes would merely give the Obama campaign “more ammunition.”
Actually, Ann, we really don’t need any more ammunition. We just need a bigger clip to hold all the ammunition we do have.
Thanks to Scott for the heads up.
“You people” need to trust that Romney will be just as honest and ethical in the future as he has been in the past.
I’m pretty sure that the only way Romney will get ethics and integrity is if he buys horses and names them that.
1Still think it may be that the Romneys cheated on their church tithe and don’t want other Latter-day Saints to find out. After all, there are no deductions when it comes to tithing, no credit for off-shore accounts either. Handing over 10% of their unadjusted gross income is a lot more than putting a few bucks on the offering plate.
2I know you are a gun owner. ‘S cool. But given that we live in a country plagued by violence perpetrated with firearms against individuals and groups can’t we leave the allusions to shooting someone to the “bad guys”? I know you didn’t say you wanted to shoot Rmoney, it’s just that metaphors involving guns and shooting are in particularly poor tatse these days. Just sayin’.
3Good point, Wally. Neither Ann or I should have used that metaphor.
4It’s kinda weird that Romney wants to lower the rate of the income taxes that he doesn’t pay.
5Ann, we don’t need more ammunition. You just need more rope. Destroying your hubby’s campaign is less a homicide and than an assisted suicide.
6Well, here’s my theory. Maybe they would have released 5-6 years to shut everyone up, but they really, really can’t. They plan to release 2011 (eventually), and they released an incomplete 2010. Now they’re stuck. The next one is 2009. They really can’t just skip over that one and release 2008, 2007, etc.
The 2009 return is the one that would show whether he took the tax amnesty to avoid criminal prosecution. Oops.
7@Uncle Dave:
Reuters says that:
“Romney, the Republican presidential candidate, gave $4.1 million to the church over the past two years (amounting to 9.7 percent of his gross adjusted income, according to the two years’ worth of tax returns he has released). ” From:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/12/insight-mormon-church-mad_n_1769539.html
Can one believe Reuters? I don’t know. Willard hasn’t released two full years of taxes (including supporting documents) – so they are already wrong. I’ve been of the opinion all along that Willard shortchanges his tithing to his church. The fact that Reid (another Mormon) called him out on his taxes, just reinforces that for me.
8Remember back in January when Willard’s spokesperson said Willard was short on tithing in 2010, but would make it up in 2011? Another lie.
For Pete’s sake, if a guy shortchanges his church, where he holds a high position, and then lies about making it up the next year, what won’t he do?
When Ann Romney says releasing more tax returns would give Obama “more ammunition,” maybe it’s just me, but doesn’t just saying that give Obama more ammunition? Maybe even more than if we actually saw the tax returns, because based on what I’ve already seen, my imagination can run pretty wild.
9Mrs. Romney also said they have nothing to hide. So I guess they are just hiding their tax returns for fun.
Hiding everything when there is nothing to hide? That not a sign of integrity. Who would ever believe that story.
10So basically Ann you have confirmed the tax return are suspect.
Only the guilty have something to hide.
11Even if I adored Mitt Romney and couldn’t wait to vote for him (the words,”a cold day in hell” spring to mind), just the thought of that snarling she-wolf as FLOTUS would make me cringe.
12I just found out why The Rmoneys had to tear down the old mansion in La Jolla… The skeleton closet wasn’t big enough.
13Would love for you all to watch the amazing video on DU just now, it is a parody of ‘Les Miz’ for Obama, you must see it!!!!
14Ann, Ann, Ann: You don’t have to trust Obama. It’s that you don’t trust us that’s the problem here.
15I agree with Nefer, 2009 is the year amnesty was granted US citizens who had illegally hidden accounts in that Swiss bank, UBS. The IRS had lists of those account holders (given to them by UBS former employee Bradley Birkenfeld.)
Very likely Mitt and Ann’s 2008 tax returns list nothing at all about a UBS account, and then poof! surprise! in the returns for 2009 the account suddenly appears and back taxes are paid on it.
16Nefer and OldMayfly are onto something. This tax amnesty thing bubbled up on the financial channels yesterday, and the more my accountant-spouse explains it, the more it makes sense even to me. You KNOW there’s a smoking scoop of problem somewhere, and this one makes sense. Also, John McCain’s ’08 campaign never would have seen an ’09 return.
17Iris, thanks for sharing the Reuter’s story. OK, my understanding is that traditionally the tithe was 10% of income, all of it. The Romney’s gave 9.7% of adjusted gross income. Adjusted gross income is determined by deducting a bunch of stuff, including IRA contributions, contributions to other tax saving plans such as SEP and SIMPLE, half of self-employment taxes, self-employee health insurance, moving expenses. Some accountant may challenge this, but I’m pretty sure Mitt can set up a business hiring just himself, the wife and the kids, pay them a nice salary and set up really sweet qualified plans that will in the end reduce his AGI.
Bottom line, if adjusted gross income is the figure that the tithe is based upon, the rich get another break more available to them than the middle class and seldom available to the $20,000.00 a year millionaires who excitedly pee all over themselves, anticipaiting voting for the rich white guy. Does God know about this?
Two million a year is a big contribution, not one I quarrel with, but is it honest for Mitt to call it tithing?
18Al Capone didn’t want to reveal his tax returns to the Feds, because he was afraid they’d use them to send him to prison. Anne and Mitt Romney don’t want to show their tax returns because…..someone might find something in them?
19Annie’s funny: we give 10% to “charity” she said on the TV. Which means they fulfill their tithing obligations (if that! there’s some doubt there, too) and NOT ONE DIME MORE to anything else.
No cancer research.
No homeless shelters.
No soup kitchens.
No Labor Day Telethons.
No pet shelters.
No university endowments.
No children’s hospitals.
No disaster relief.
No March of Dimes.
The richest candidate ever – richer than the last 8 Presidents COMBINED – and not a scintilla of noblesse oblige.
20I hope hecklers from now on will show up at Mitt Romneys events shouting “Ten More Years”! “Ten More Years!” “Ten More Years!” “Ten More Years!” “Ten More Years!” (of tax returns).
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