Harry Reid did not back down and put out a statement which includes the following quotes:
There is a controversy because the Republican presidential nominee, Governor Mitt Romney, refuses to release his tax returns. As I said before, I was told by an extremely credible source that Romney has not paid taxes for ten years. People who make as much money as Mitt Romney have many tricks at their disposal to avoid paying taxes. We already know that Romney has exploited many of these loopholes, stashing his money in secret, overseas accounts in places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.There are those who say that Reid should not have made the claim, because he admits he's not certain it's true, that therefore what Reid said is no more than gossip. Perhaps so, but Reid is nobody's fool, and I'm pretty sure he thought the matter through before he made the claim and before he released his subsequent instatement. If the claim is not true, think how foolish Romney could make Reid look by releasing his tax returns. So. Will he, or won't he release his tax returns?
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When it comes to answering the legitimate questions the American people have about whether he avoided paying his fair share in taxes or why he opened a Swiss bank account, Romney has shut up. But as a presidential candidate, it’s his obligation to put up, and release several years’ worth of tax returns just like nominees of both parties have done for decades.
Photo from Wikipedia.
H/T to Juan Cole.
In an election year people on both sides make up/push all kinds of rumors, myths, quotes taken out of context, fake quotes, twisted "facts" etc. Just the possibility that something is true influences a lot of people. So I have no problem believing Reid may just be blowing smoke; he did say it was a rumor so if he's wrong he can shrug it off and say "Oh well, honest mistake". Reid should have had some facts before he put it out, or kept quiet. Perhaps they should just pass a law requiring all lawmakers reveal their taxes. Oh, but then Pelosi and several other Democrats (including my senator) wouldn't agree to that either. If all the Democrats revealed theirs, I'd believe they meant it a lot more and it would put more pressure on Romney.
ReplyDeleteChris, I do not believe Harry Reid made up the story out of whole cloth. I don't doubt that he uses whatever info he has for political purposes, but Reid is no dumb bunny, and I'll wager he's thought through what an ass he would appear if there was no substance to the story.
DeleteAnd in this year of 2012, the two parties are not equivalent in their lying. Both exaggerate and spin, but the Republicans far outstrip the Democrats in telling blatant lies.
Which Democrats do you have in mind who've concealed their taxes, Chris?
DeleteDid you see Rachel Maddow tonight, Mimi? Extensive piece on Mittens pulling the same stunt in the Massachusetts governor's election eight years ago. Lying about his tax returns, claiming to have filed as a Mass resident when in fact he'd filed as a resident of Utah, and refusing to release the returns. "Trust me!" Sound familiar? BTW, Chris, all three Democrats running in the 2004 Mass gubernatorial primary released their returns.
For those watching future Romney interviews, keep your eyes firmly on his - they dart all over the show when he's asked a question to which he's not prepared to give a straight answer. A self-fulfilling lie-detector.
Lapin, I saw the portion of the show about Romney's taxes in Massachusetts. He's asked others, "What are you hiding?" It's time for Romney to answer the question.
DeleteBye the bye, do you realize that we have two Mormons going mano-a-mano here? Harry's a tough old bird. Remember he's from Nevada, and he's stared down tougher people than Mitt.
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DeleteDid not know Reid is a Mormon. According to Wiki he has "achieved a more senior elected position in the United States government than any Mormon in history". Re Nevada, I'd bet he knows which of the pair of them holds the better hand.
DeleteLoving the screams of outrage from the party of Atwater & Rove.
Lapin,who won't show their taxes? Oh, let's see...Reid, Pelosi,Schultz, Tester(my lobbyist loving senator).... Last statistic I saw had only 17 congressmen showing their tax returns and most congresspeople are millionaires. Pelosi owns a Napa Vineyard among other things. A journalist in July asked Pelosi about her taxes and she basically admitted that pushing for Romney's was a distraction tactic. Sauce for the goose and gander--they should all show them.
DeleteTransparency is good. I think Mr. Romney should produce his tax returns. It can't possibly hurt him, could it?
ReplyDeleteWhenever the Republicans can't think of anything else to say (more often than not) they usually drag up their scurrilious claim that President Obama is not an American citizen.
goose, gander, sauce?
Bonnie, I could have sworn I replied to to your comment.
DeleteIt can't possibly hurt him, could it?
Depends upon what's in the tax records. There's something in the returns that Romney doesn't want the public to see, and I think he will tough it out and not release them.
Agreed. He probably will continue to skirt the issue. It we were allowed to target what our taxes pay for, I would make sure mine didn't go to support people like Mr. Romney.
Delete"Put up or shut up": back atcha, Mittens! Put up YOUR FREAKIN' TAX RETURNS.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you hiding, Mitt?
DeleteI think most of us should admit that Mr. Romney pays a smaller percentage of his income in taxes than the rest of us and that his policy stance is that that is as it should be. After all, he's a job creator! I suspect that he has not violated the tax code, but has taken advantage of it in a way that only rich people can do. The choice in 2012 is between a candidate who likes the tax code to favor the rich and one who doesn't. We don't need to see more tax reruns to know that, but I do wonder what Mr. Romney is hiding.
ReplyDeleteJob creator? Ha. And let's not forget Mitt's stashes in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. There is also the matter of the 2009 amnesty program. Again, we don't know whether Romney participated in the amnesty program, but his tax returns for the year might clear things up.
DeleteTransparency is good. It's good for both sides, since I highly doubt millionaire Democrats really refuse to use tax loopholes, including my Democratic Senator Tester(who apparently takes the gold medal for the most lobbyist money since the last election). I'm sure he's used some, though he won't show his return either. Just because someone's a Democrat doesn't automatically make them honest, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteJust because someone's a Democrat doesn't automatically make them honest, unfortunately.
DeleteOf course not, Chris. Democrats are no saints, and in some ways Obama has disappointed me, but in this election, the choice seems stark as to which candidate will make the lives of more people a little easier. Romney has no obvious policies for the country except to make the rich richer and perhaps to take us into another war to fill the pockets of the CEOs of the military contractors. I am not neutral in this one.