Romney has not released a SINGLE COMPLETE TAX RETURN YET

[Primemuscle]

The tax issue is a stupid one.  Romney is a very smart man who put his money offshore to protect it.  100% legal. I dont think he would ever break any law. He doesn't NEED to.  People crying about his returns don't understand how the world works.

That being said - Romney hasn't showed CONSISTENCY on this issue.  He won't release, he will release.  He paid only what he had to, now he overpaid.  He claims he moved money off-shore, but not for any tax benefit. 

That's not believable.  He should just be HONEST and say "Yes, Chris Mathews, you liberal douchebag little girl, I legally put my $ offshore to keep more of it from leeches like Obama... I ever broke a law and you can kiss my ass, tweety".


instead, it's been these little lies and tweaks and changes.  Geez, I want romney to win.  I just want him to stop pandering.

It seems like a lot of folks are missing an important point here. Perhaps Romney isn't doing anything illegal by not paying some taxes and stashing his wealth off-shore. Perhaps is is only good business for him to pay a lower percentage (14%) of his income in taxes. Perhaps our tax laws are just broken in allowing that anyone should be able to evade paying their fair share in income taxes. Since it is largely the wealthy who write and enact tax regulations, expect more of the same should Romney get elected.

[240 is Back]

the laws are what people have issue with.  Romney paid 14%.  Most people paid 25 or 30%.  Under the Ryan plan, Romney would have paid 1%.

This works for some people, not for other people.

it's not rocket science, it's not right/wrong... it's how you feel about it.  Romney's problem here isn't what he paid - it is how he is handling it.  You can bet that Trump sure as heck would have no problem telling the camera "yes, I made $x million last year.  Cheney had no problem making $36 mil the year he won VP. 

If romney had laughed it off, it would be a non-issue.  He tried to please everyone... and that pleases nobody.

[Primemuscle]

the laws are what people have issue with.  Romney paid 14%.  Most people paid 25 or 30%.  Under the Ryan plan, Romney would have paid 1%.

This works for some people, not for other people.

it's not rocket science, it's not right/wrong... it's how you feel about it.  Romney's problem here isn't what he paid - it is how he is handling it.  You can bet that Trump sure as heck would have no problem telling the camera "yes, I made $x million last year.  Cheney had no problem making $36 mil the year he won VP. 

If romney had laughed it off, it would be a non-issue.  He tried to please everyone... and that pleases nobody.

It seems like Romney's campaign advisors and perhaps some fellow Republicans are giving him bad advice and he is using it.

You are right, it is not whether a person is right or wrong to stash money in off-shore tax shelters and thus avoiding the tax collector, it is our tax laws that are broken for allowing this to happen. Romney's reluctance to come clean about his income and his taxes makes him appear dishonest....which of course, he probably is.

[240 is Back]

I'm 100% sure Romney broke ZERO laws.

his problem is that he can't publicly embrace being rich.  Trump did, and people actually liked him despite him being dumb as a box of rocks on many issues and arrogant beyond belief.

Romney keep trying to play that "i'm one of you, i'm unemployed too, who let the dogs out" card.   Just admit "hey, i've been working 60 hour work weeks for my entire adult life, really stressful stuff, in both the private and public sector.  I dont like giving Uncle Sam my money, and neither you should".

Instead he just keeps trying to say "i paid a lot, I didn't get any tax breaks".  An obvious lie.  You dont send all your money offshored NOT to save on taxes.  He would be the stupidest businessman in history to send all this $ offshorre and NOT save $ by doing so.

it's insulting that he looks at the camera and say "oh no, i'd never put $ offshore for tax benefit" like he did.  An obvious lie.  Just say "you bet I did, taxes are too damn high, amirite?"

[tonymctones]

what his fair share prime, with and without his charitable donations?

whats your fair share?

why is it a negative in your mind that someone gets to keep more of their hard earned money?

[Primemuscle]

what his fair share prime, with and without his charitable donations?

whats your fair share?

why is it a negative in your mind that someone gets to keep more of their hard earned money?

You don't know Romney's money is hard earned.

If there were a flat rate tax that everyone paid, my guess is that Romney would not pay more in taxes. As it stands, the middle class is not only subsidizing the poor, they are also covering what some wealthy folks and corporations get by with not paying. Are you aware the some large profit making corporations actually pay only the minimum annual corporate tax of $150.

Personally, I prefer sales tax to income tax because I have most of what I need and all my income is from retirement investment returns at this point. With a sales tax, if I want or need to save some tax expenses, I simply don't spend money on things I likely don't need anyway.

Incidentally, I started working when I was 12 years old when I would go to work with my step dad in the summer to earn pocket money. I worked all of my adult life until I retired at 66. Trust me, what little money I have is "hard earned."

[tonymctones]

You don't know Romney's money is hard earned.

If there were a flat rate tax that everyone paid, my guess is that Romney would not pay more in taxes. As it stands, the middle class is not only subsidizing the poor, they are also covering what some wealthy folks and corporations get by with not paying. Are you aware the some large profit making corporations actually pay only the minimum annual corporate tax of $150.

Personally, I prefer sales tax to income tax because I have most of what I need and all my income is from retirement investment returns at this point. With a sales tax, if I want or need to save some tax expenses, I simply don't spend money on things I likely don't need anyway.

Incidentally, I started working when I was 12 years old when I would go to work with my step dad in the summer to earn pocket money. I worked all of my adult life until I retired at 66. Trust me, what little money I have is "hard earned."

way to not address any question posed...

so your argument is it ok to tax him more b/c the income isnt "hard earned"? LMFAO

goodness gracious....

Just so you know Ive worked since the age of 10, mostly manual labor until a few years ago and trust the ppl in the suits and offices work more hours then the manual labor guys without a fucking doubt.

so ill ask again prime, how much is "fair" with and without charitable donations?

try to stay on topic this time, I know its normal for libtards to run off course but please try...

[Primemuscle]

way to not address any question posed...

so your argument is it ok to tax him more b/c the income isnt "hard earned"? LMFAO

goodness gracious....

Just so you know Ive worked since the age of 10, mostly manual labor until a few years ago and trust the ppl in the suits and offices work more hours then the manual labor guys without a fucking doubt.

so ill ask again prime, how much is "fair" with and without charitable donations?


try to stay on topic this time, I know its normal for libtards to run off course but please try...

You are the one who took this conversation off topic when you wrote that Romney's income is hard earned. I don't know that it isn't and you don't know that it is. Therefore you even bringing it up was completely irrelevant.

Just so others are clear here, I never said Romney should pay more taxes because his income isn't hard earned....that's something you made up. But then, you right-wing nuts have a habit of making stuff up, don't you?

I've worked both in both blue and white color positions over the years. Trust me, it isn't about the color of your color that makes income "hard earned", it is about the job description/duties. And yes, some executive positions require many hours of work, although not necessarily hard work. Probably the hardest working group are small business owners who have to do both the manual and work and run the business too.

Now to the topic you suggest this is really about. To answer your question accurately, I need more information from you. What do you mean by how much? How much in actual dollars and cents or what percentage of one's income should they pay in taxes. Are you suggesting there should be a tax ceiling? So if someone earns a half a billion dollars they should not pay anymore than someone who, let's say makes $500,000? As for charitable deductions, those only apply under the current tax system, which I do not necessarily support. If folks were taxed on a flat percentage basis regardless of income and deductions were no longer allowed, charitable contributions would no longer apply. How about a value added tax, i.e. national sales tax?