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Poll - Should Romney release his tax returns?

Should Romney release his tax returns?

  • Yes, now.

    Votes: 11 52.4%

  • Yes, in April

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • No

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • Other opinion

    Votes: 6 28.6%
  • Total voters
    21
J

joko104

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In last night's debate, Romney first danced around and the finally said he'd maybe release his tax returns in April - meaning after the primarily likely determined. Given such debate over Romney's business practices in which he boasts that is his primary qualification and given the attacks challenging that by most his opponents, should Romney release his tax returns now?
 
Nobody should have to release their tax returns but perhaps we should know where they have heavy investments.

I think it is common knowledge that the Romney is a very rich elitist family and there is no need to know the exact dollar.
 
As far as I'm concerned anyone who is withholding his/her vote for Romney because he has yet to release his tax returns doesn't actually give a damn about them. Romney is such god awful candidate no one wants to vote for guy. Tax returns won't make him anymore likable.
 
I think if liberals realized how much Romney pays in taxes to their beloved gov't, he would get all of the liberal vote too. They would probably orgasm when they saw that number.
 
What special circumstances justifies Romney releasing his tax returns before the standard time to do so (i.e. after receiving the nomination)?
 
Rhapsody1447 said:
What special circumstances justifies Romney releasing his tax returns before the standard time to do so (i.e. after receiving the nomination)?
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"The standard time?" meaning after voters have voted to pick the nominee.
 
joko104 said:
"The standard time?" meaning after voters have voted to pick the nominee.
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Yes, is this not the time that every candidate has released them in the past? I could be wrong but from everything I've heard that is the standard.
 
dontworrybehappy said:
I think if liberals realized how much Romney pays in taxes to their beloved gov't, he would get all of the liberal vote too. They would probably orgasm when they saw that number.
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The tax code is written to exempt the super rich. The percentage he paid might be dismally low. It also would show how the super rich avoid taxes. That tax returns may well show Romney with a taxable income of less than zero. I do not anticipate Romney ever releasing his tax returns nor did he commit to doing so, rather only maybe when what he called the standard time in April. Maybe. That means he won't.
 
joko104 said:
The tax code is written to exempt the super rich. The percentage he paid might be dismally low. It also would show how the super rich avoid taxes. That tax returns may well show Romney with a taxable income of less than zero. I do not anticipate Romney ever releasing his tax returns nor did he commit to doing so, rather only maybe when what he called the standard time in April. Maybe. That means he won't.
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I suspect that his returns will show that Romney pays a relatively low rate for a wealthy man, as much of his Bain pension is probably classified as LTCG.
 
joko104 said:
In last night's debate, Romney first danced around and the finally said he'd maybe release his tax returns in April - meaning after the primarily likely determined. Given such debate over Romney's business practices in which he boasts that is his primary qualification and given the attacks challenging that by most his opponents, should Romney release his tax returns now?
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I don't really care if he does or doesn't now or later. It doesn't change his views nor does it change my opinion of his views. I don't see relevance in his tax returns.

I also don't see how he could possibly have them ready now. 1099's aren't required to be released until 2/15 and most broker dealers won't release them until that day. And I assume Romney has a fair amount of information on his 1099's that would be required to file his tax return.
 
Yes, Mitt Romney should man up and show his tax returns, essentially being as open and transparent as President Obama promised he'd be.
 
fredmertz said:
I don't really care if he does or doesn't now or later. It doesn't change his views nor does it change my opinion of his views. I don't see relevance in his tax returns.

I also don't see how he could possibly have them ready now. 1099's aren't required to be released until 2/15 and most broker dealers won't release them until that day. And I assume Romney has a fair amount of information on his 1099's that would be required to file his tax return.
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The interest is in past tax returns.
 
In Greenville, S.C., Romney was asked directly what his effective tax rate is. It was a hot topic of discussion at Monday night's debate, at which Romney repeatedly declined to fully commit to release his tax returns.

"It's probably closer to the 15 percent rate than anything," said Romney on Tuesday. "For the past 10 years, my income comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past, rather than ordinary income or earned annual income. I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. Then, I get speakers fees from time to time, but not very much."

Not very much? According to his personal financial disclosure, from February 2010 to February 2011, Romney earned $374,327.62 in speaking fees. A few months later, Romney joked that he was "unemployed."
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Mitt Romney Downplays $374,000 In Speaking Fees As 'Not Very Much'
 
Unless he is legally obligated, I don't see where his tax records are any one's damn business but his and the IRS.
 
Well for one reason or another it makes sense for him to do it before he gets his-self associated with corporations like G.E. ( either paid no taxes or received reimbursements for overpayment thanks to their $100 million tax lawyers) guess they are people too, waka doo, waka doo, waka doo
 
Romney needs to think this one through.

If he refuses to release his tax returns, this could end up being similar to Obama's birth certificate.
 
johnny_rebson said:
Romney needs to think this one through.

If he refuses to release his tax returns, this could end up being similar to Obama's birth certificate.
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Good. Now Republicans can feel the wrath of all the Liberal nutjobs. We don't have as many as Conservatives, but ours are far more devoted to their insanity.
 
If the guy is going to fight tooth and nail to defend the uberlow tax rates millionaires like himself get at the expense of everybody else and every other priority the nation has, the nation has a right to know exactly where he is coming from on the issue. And he already revealed that part- he pays the 15% millionaire tax break rate. Roughly half what normal people pay.
 
Hatuey said:
Good. Now Republicans can feel the wrath of all the Liberal nutjobs. We don't have as many as Conservatives, but ours are far more devoted to their insanity.
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You can have my insanity when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.
 
Here's what's going to happen. He'll release in April because he doesn't want to show last year's taxes. This gives him time to pad the hell out of his tax return for this year's filing with all sorts of charitable donations to make it look awesome.
 
A 15% tax rate on his capital gains is the law. In no way shape or form should Romney be embarrassed of this fact. He seems hesitant to release his tax returns out of fear that the media will attack him on being "super rich" and unable to relate to the common man. But, Romney is just following the law. He took a risk with these investments and as the market provides, "greater the risk, greater the return." The reason behind the law is to promote investment in the American Economy. Without incentives to invest, businesses and corporations would have no way to start, grow, or expand. By offering a way to earn (appreciate) their money with a chance at a much lower tax on any gain or increase in wealth, we offer a way for all citizens to avoid higher taxes (legally).
Romney just exercised this option in a profound way. We just live in a world where our President labels financial success as greed and evil, he divides our nation by stating the "1%" don't care about the majority and just want to take a profit. Romney is obviously treading carefully trying to avoid being lumped into this "1%" group by the mass (liberal) media. He should change course and explain the intent of the law and show his tax record to the public.
 
affalcon12 said:
A 15% tax rate on his capital gains is the law. In no way shape or form should Romney be embarrassed of this fact.
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That is true that it is the law and Romney didn't set his own tax rate. But, he is the poster child for why all of the economic policies he promotes are wrong. He is the counter argument to his own message. That's a big problem for him. He can't go around talking about how the "job creators are paying their fair share" when he is a professional job destroyer that is paying half as much as people who work pay.
 
Do you really think he is destroying jobs? Bain Capital invested in or acquired hundreds of companies including such notable companies as AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino's Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin' Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Staples, Toys "R" Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel. These companies employ thousands and thousands of American workers, how does this lead to cutting jobs? Also, a 15% tax on Mitt Romney's capital gains equals more than probably 80% of American workers pay in taxes, so explain to me why he should have to pay even more?
 
affalcon12 said:
Do you really think he is destroying jobs?
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Honestly, in terms of the messages available to his campaign that doesn't necessarily matter. That meme is out there now whether it's true or not. It makes it a risky message for him to lead the charge on. And keep in mind, it was the other GOP candidates that created that meme, not the Democrats. So that makes it harder for him to dodge too.

affalcon12 said:
These companies employ thousands and thousands of American workers, how does this lead to cutting jobs?
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They also acquired a lot of companies to shut them down and sell off the assets. That's where the talk about him killing jobs comes from.

And, think about this, just buying shares of Burger King doesn't actually create any job. Just buying stock from another person might cause the stock price to go down or it might cause it to go up infinitesimally, but probably it won't. Even if it did happen to cause it to go up 1 penny, that doesn't actually put any more money in BK's pocket unless they do another offering, which most companies never do.

On the other hand, the head of the capital firm that buys a company and decides to chop it. That person is personally killing those jobs.

affalcon12 said:
Also, a 15% tax on Mitt Romney's capital gains equals more than probably 80% of American workers pay in taxes, so explain to me why he should have to pay even more?
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No, actually the average American pays 27% in taxes. Almost double what Romney pays. He probably paid more in capital gains than 80% of Americans paid in income taxes. But you have to add in sales tax, property taxes, vehicle registration taxes, etc. All said and done that totals up to 27% for the median American.
 
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affalcon12 said:
Do you really think he is destroying jobs? Bain Capital invested in or acquired hundreds of companies including such notable companies as AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino's Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin' Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Staples, Toys "R" Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel. These companies employ thousands and thousands of American workers, how does this lead to cutting jobs? Also, a 15% tax on Mitt Romney's capital gains equals more than probably 80% of American workers pay in taxes, so explain to me why he should have to pay even more?
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So cutting skilled steel working jobs and having them work at the Sports Authority works out as a rub?

Here we have a company that was over 100 years old, survived the great depression and several recessions but during the 1990's when there was a massive economic boom, it couldn't survive Bain Capital's takeover... then after Bain Capital ****ed it all up looting all the money out of it and looting the employees' pensions as much as possible... this happened:


The Georgetown Steel plant was purchased out of bankruptcy for $53 million by Midcoast Industries in 2002, but the mill continued to struggle and filed for bankruptcy protection again in 2003. The steel mill closed with that bankruptcy, putting its more than 450 employees out of work. The former International Steel Group purchased the remains of Georgetown Steel the following year for $18 million and reopened the mill. Then, in 2005, Mittal Steel - now ArcelorMittal - bought ISG, making Georgetown a part of its operations. The Georgetown mill now employs about 300 people.​


Speaks volumes about Bain's purpose & existence.
 
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