A line from one of my husband’s favorite movies, the original Clash of the Titans, is “release the Kraken.” With that directive from Zeus, all Hell is supposed to break loose. Well, I feel the same way when I hear those on the left telling Mitt Romney, “release the tax returns.” I guess, according to the left, if Mr. Romney releases his tax returns, all Hell will break lose, his campaign is going to come to a screeching halt and we’re going to find out all sorts of dirty little secrets in the Romney household. I’m sure that’s what the left is hoping.
Well, first of all, there is nothing in the law that says Presidential candidates MUST release their tax returns. This is private information. Would we require Presidential candidates to release their medical records? I don’t think so. The public, for years, wasn’t even aware of the fact that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was confined to a wheelchair. Hell, we don’t even require President candidates to release their school records or their birth certificates.
What do those on the left think they’re going to find out about this man? Are they convinced he’s lied about his income? Are we going to find out he’s donated his underwear like Bill Clinton did in the 80s? Are we going to be horrified when we learn the percentage of income tax the Romney’s have paid over the years?
What difference should it make what percent he paid in income tax? If he’s filed a legitimate and correct income tax return and he ends up with a lower tax bracket than some, why is he demonized for that? If someone doesn’t like the fact that someone else pays a lesser percentage in income tax, then blame the Tax Code and those who have created this monstrosity. If Mr. Romney, or anyone else for that matter, is following the Tax Code, then what’s the problem?
If someone else wants to pay more taxes, they’re free to do it, but I’ve never heard of one government official who’s done just that.
I wonder if people complained about the worth of President George Washington or President John F. Kennedy. They were two of the wealthiest Presidents of this country.
President Washington had a net worth, in 2010 dollars, of $525,000,000.00. Did anyone complain in 1960 when President Kennedy lived off of a trust fund from his father and would’ve inherited part of the family’s estate of $1 billion if he survived? Consider President Lyndon Johnson who had a net worth of $98 million. Did anyone complain at the time that FDR didn’t release his tax returns during his Presidency? I doubt it.
But today, in these divisive times, with a President who panders to the “have nots” rather than encouraging them to pursue their dreams so that they, too, could become part of the “haves”, people with wealth are criticized and demonized and should feel guilty about their success. Our President suggests to the successful business owner in this country that he/she didn’t build that business on their own. BS, I say to you, Mr. President. Mr. Romney gave away his entire inheritance and earned his fortune on his own. We should applaud those successful individuals and not condemn them. We live in a country that provides us with innumerable opportunities – it’s up to us to pursue them.
I don’t get it but if you do, God bless you.
