Comments about ‘Mitt Romney nixes Obama bid for 5-year tax disclosure’

By all indications Romney's effective tax rate was similar if not less than most middle Americans, especially if you consider Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Re: ". . . challenging Romney to release at least five years of tax returns."

Obama's clueless handlers are playing with fire.

This President has more to hide -- school records and writings, Hawaiian birth records, White House visitor logs, Senatorial appointment calendars, community organizing connections to Rezko and others -- than any candidate since LBJ.

Mitt should take them up on their challenge. He has nothing to hide but a long string of successes.

With all the unemployment, bankrupt companies, failed green stimulus,endless unemployment lines, Obama is focusing on Romney's tax returns?

Romney went through this same tactic in the GOP nominations and came out squeaky clean! Can nobody else think up a newer strategy other than irrelevant desperation?

Louie,

You have no way of knowing what Mitt's tax rate was. He's not providing his returns.

He outright lied to Massachusetts tax authorities about his state of residence when he was running for governor, and the story of how his tax returns and Summit County tax records were altered to make him a Massachusetts resident so he could run for governor reads like a crime novel.

But here's the bottom line - never before has a presidential candidate been so secretive about his personal finances. Never before has a presidential candidate owned bank accounts in the Caymans and Switzerland.

Mitt's own father released 12 years of tax returns when he ran for president. It is both mystifying and deeply troubling that Mitt is now refusing to provide proof that he's a regular play-by-the-rules, taxpaying guy.

Mr. Romney, your refusal to release at least five years of taxes is itself a devastating criticism of your fitness to be president.

Romney said, "It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Gov. Romney's tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters."

Mr. Romney, voters have their own funny way of deciding for themselves what matters to them.

Man you guys are clueless. To even compare school records and birth certificates to tax returns is truely laughable. Every Presidential Candidate for the past 40-50 years has released several years of tax returns but Romney feels like he is special and doesn't have to. We need to "trust him" and his "word". His words mean nothing we need hard copies. We don't think he cheated on his returns but we do think there are things in those returns the public needs to know about. Why does Romney think he is so special to not disclose? He could squash this whole thing but refuses to do so. If I was Obama I would most definately keep a light on the subject until he does it. I cannot wait to see Obama and Romney debate. Romney won't have his team to look to and will actually have to give some substance to his plans. Or he'll just keep deflecting questions like he has been this whole campaign. This republican ticket IS the biggest joke of a ticket (even worse than Palin, Mcain).

Romney's done. If he can't be upfront and honest with us then we can't trust him. I'm not saying I trust Obama either. But I don't trust Romney. It's so simple to do ... just release your returns and be honest and you're out of the spotlight on this.

How much taxes did Obama pay on the millions he took from us for vacations?

As the presidents employer, we need to see college transcripts, application forms, and a record of how tuition was paid.

Let's not forget that Mitt Romney voluntarily gives 10 percent of his income to benefit those in need. Obama gives nothing and doesn't care about benefitting anybody but himself. Joe Biden reportedly gave around $800.00 in charity last year compared to Romneys millions. Atta a boy Joe. And that 10 percent does not include his fast offerings that church members pay to help millions around the world.

Say your going to interview for a CEO job for a big corporation. The Board asks you to provide at least 5 years of tax returns so they can check them over make sure you are a solid candidate for the job. You refuse to do so and tell the board to "Trust you". The board would look you in the face and laugh and tell you to get lost. Now we the american people are the board and Mitt is the Potential CEO.

I hope Mitt doesn't put out his tax returns.... It is to funny watching him squirm.

photographermom: "Obama gives nothing and doesn't care about benefitting anybody but himself."

That is demonstrably untrue.

From today's Los Angeles Times:

"Obama and wife Michelle also gave more to charity than they paid in federal taxes in the 2011 tax year. The numbers: on income of $789,674, the Obamas paid just over $162,000, a tax rate of 20.5%. They gave $172,130 to various charities, including the Fisher House Foundation, which provides support to military families. The Obama’s Tax-N-Charity payments came to $334,000 or 42% of their income."

But do facts matter to you?

I would like Democrats need to back off on this issue unless there is real evidence of some illegality. We all know Romney is very wealthy, and we all know that he earns millions from investment returns on which he only pays 14% maximum tax while the rest of the middle class pays nearly double that. You don't need to know any more than that. Using that information you can make a very strong political argument about tax structure, declining middle class incomes, Romney's inability to understand middle class issues, and worship of money that conservatives seem to have in this nation.

photographermom,
Romney tithes 10% to his church because it will withhold critical religious rights from him if he does not do so. That doesn't count as charity. I'm not saying Romney doesn't give generously in other ways, but tithing is a different issue.

worf,
Bush spent more time on vacation than Obama. Maybe he should pay taxes on that too? And his father before him? And Reagan? Sorry, it's a presidential perk. And if it's wrong for one party, it's wrong for both.

@photographermom

"Let's not forget that Mitt Romney voluntarily gives 10 percent of his income to benefit those in need."

To benefit his church. And it's a requirement of his faith. And he gets to write it off in his taxes.

Don't spin it. How much of that REALLY ends up as Humanitarian Aid seems to be slim to none.

"I did go back and look at my taxes and over the past 10 years I never paid less than 13 percent," Romney told reporters

I believe Romney. However, I would ask one question.

"Mr Romney, Was that 13% figure strictly Federal income tax or are you including any other taxes?"

That should be met with a direct "YES, it was strictly Federal income taxes"

If he does that, I am satisfied with his answer.

if he dodges that question, I would believe that he is intentionally misleading the public.

I'm so confused about how college transcripts suddenly became equal to tax disclosures. I'm amazed at the hypocrisy of Republicans saying that Obama will just want more and more. What have you done with Obama. He released his birth certificate...twice (not to mention the numerous verifications from people of various political leanings), he is accused of hiding information about a Halloween party, despite the fact that they sent out a press release and posted a video of it on the White House website months before it became an issue. Now you want college transcripts? How is that not unprecedented?

Further, this article fails to mention the reason investment income is charged at such a lower rate. In the late 90s, when Capital Gains taxes were being debated, Romney headed up the lobbying group to bring them down to unprecedented lows. Sounds like he's more interested in looking out for number one than being a team player.

grandslam writes

"With all the unemployment, bankrupt companies, failed green stimulus,endless unemployment lines, Obama is focusing on Romney's tax returns?

OK, and with all that going, the right is focusing on Birth Certificates, school records, and vacation costs?

Romney went through this same tactic in the GOP nominations and came out squeaky clean!

And you know this how? Can you elaborate on how you KNOW that he "came out squeaky clean"?

A classmate of Obama's at Columbia University who attended that school when Obama did says that neither he nor over 300 of his then fellow classmates remember either Obama by name or face attending there then. He believes Obama has had his Columbia records sealed, because he thinks Obama probably was accepted there as a foreign student, and under the name of Barry Soetoro. The latter is less important. But that Obama may have applied and been accepted as a "foreign student" would be the kicker.

Obama, unseal your school records! Let's see what you are hiding!!!!

Whatever is in there is just to bad to release. It's like refusing a sobriety test because you know you are drunk.

Amazing that Romney has raised how many millons of dollars but is willing to throw it all away rather than reveal his finances.

Giving to a church may be tax deductible and may be a non-profit organization but that hardly qualifies that church as a charitable organization.

I give to that same church but I'm not under any missinformation that tithing goes to anything but keeping up and growing the church. It has entirley separate funds for true charity that feeds people and helps them.

Look at the laws, non-profit organizations have no responsibility to give money to people in need. They can give thier president a million dollars a year and spend the money however they want to.

Just look up the way megachurches have been revealed to enrich thier pastors instead of the communities they claim to care for.