Ann Romney: 'We've Given 'All You People Need To Know'

[Wabash]

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Mitt Romney's wife is reinforcing her husband's refusal to make public several years of tax returns, telling ABC News "we've given all you people need to know" about the family's finances.

Thanks Ann. Glad to know how you feel about others that are not part of your clique.

[Parrotpaul]

I'm wondering if Romney is hiding his tax returns because he just might not have tithed 10% of his income to the Mormon church....Naw....he wouldn't boost the Mormons...would he?

[broman]

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Thanks Ann. Glad to know how you feel about others that are not part of your clique.

Thats the point of the statement. "We" work and earn a living "you" take and freeload. Its a brilliant comment for the base.

[Vilepagan]

At least they've stopped calling the liberals "elitists".

[sbayhills]

When you can't talk about the fine job the President has done, you try to make an issue out of tax returns. What's next? Dog poop on the windshield.................oh yeah, they've already gone there.

[Vilepagan]

When you can't talk about the fine job the President has done, you try to make an issue out of tax returns. What's next? Dog poop on the windshield.................oh yeah, they've already gone there.

And when Republicans and Conservatives can't talk about the fine job the president has done, they try to make an issue out of his Birth Certificate.

Romney's in a bad spot. It seems clear he decided not to release the tax records because he felt it wouldn't help his chances in the election. Not releasing them has the same effect, and the longer he waits and the more he resists, the more some people will think that indicates he's hiding something juicy. It's hard for Romney to claim the records aren't relevant when his father released his in the past when running for office.

[Wabash]

Romney's in a bad spot. It seems clear he decided not to release the tax records because he felt it wouldn't help his chances in the election. Not releasing them has the same effect, and the longer he waits and the more he resists, the more some people will think that indicates he's hiding something juicy. It's hard for Romney to claim the records aren't relevant when his father released his in the past when running for office.

There might be a bunch of reasons why Romney won't release his tax returns. This was sent to me in one of those email blasts from a friend of mine.

A few things Romney’s past returns might tell us:

First and most obviously: “How did Romney get his tax rate down to just 13.8%?” – We know from his one released return, that despite all the Republican caterwauling about America having “the highest corporate tax rate in the world”, Romney’s tax rate was lower than someone making $17,000/year (below the Poverty Line for a family of three). We only know part of the story so far: those tax shelters in Switzerland, Ireland, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg. But Romney is worth (according to his 2010 tax-return) nearly a quarter-billion dollars. Now consider the fact he stashed nearly $30-Million (ibid “1997″ link) in his Cayman Islands account alone, and Lord only knows how much he stashed in those other tax-shelters. Suddenly, we’re not looking at an effective tax rate of “14%”, but possibly something more like SIX percent (or even less). Romney’s (legal) tax evasion could reach into double-digit millions.


Following up on that, might there have been years Romney paid 0% in taxes? It is EXTREMELY likely Romney paid NOTHING in taxes for a number of years (or worse, got money BACK from the government), throwing a huge bucket of cold-water on all those claims of “soak the rich” by the Right, obliterating any sympathy from struggling Middle-Class voters, all while lending support for the “Occupy” Movement’s outrage over “tax fairness”. How does your candidate then go around the country and make a convincing case that “the rich are paying too much and need a tax break” after we find out there were years he didn’t pay a dime in taxes? If you’ve been paying “nothing” for years, tweaking your tax return so that you take fewer deductions one year in order to raise your rate to the giddy height of (a whopping) 14 percent might seem like the prudent thing to do. As George Romney said, “one year might be a fluke.”


We are only now starting to learn Romney was still the “sole shareholder, President and CEO” of Bain Capital for three years after he supposedly left the company in 1999 to run the 2002 Winter Olympics. Many of Bain’s most egregious profiteering took place in those years, yet Romney was always able to deny responsibility for those years by claiming he had “retired” by then. Of course, we know now the company declared he was only on a ”temporary leave of absence”, and… despite organizing the Winter Olympics in Utah… was still being paid $100,000/year for doing “absolutely nothing”. That isn’t as far-fetched as it might sound. It’s not unheard of for companies to agree to continue a Chief Executive’s salary even after they’ve gone just for the right to keep their name on the letterhead to prevent customers from bailing. So going after Romney on that particular bit of decadence… while a real turn-off for struggling voters… is hardly evidence of anything “criminal” or even (arguably) “unethical”. But what if those tax returns show that Romney was indeed still running Bain, or at the very least, still making decisions and representing the company. We already know Romney testified under oath that he “flew back home” while managing the Olympics to “attend board meetings” of some of the companies Bain managed.


Besides that “$100,000″ paycheck, might any income from some of those plant closures have made their way into Romney’s coffers? Bain owned a huge stake in most of the companies they financed. Sure wouldn’t look too good if… following a plant closure and liquidating their assets… Romney “made a killing” off the sale of those assets (this is also known as profiting off human-misery).


Might we see some “business deductions” associated with some of those plant closures Romney says he had no connection to? This is what Kojak called “placing the suspect at the scene of the crime.”


Speaking of “profiting off misery”, how about receiving “stock options” from the companies Bain took over while Romney was in Utah? If you’re paid dividends, you should be paying the Capital Gains rate of 15% on those dividends… unless you’re sheltering that income overseas, in which case we are back to paying zero in taxes.


Romney stands to save a lot of money by extending the Bush tax cuts. “Just how much” it might profit Romney personally to extend those cuts could be answered by seeing those past returns.


Did Romney donate to any charities he wouldn’t want to have to explain? We already know he donated millions to the Mormon church at the same time the church spent $8.4 million in 2008 to pass “Prop 8″, California’s anti-gay marriage amendment, as well “The Becket Fund”, a group that fought to keep discrimination against gays in the workplace, legal.


We already know some of the companies Bain invested in benefited from The Stimulus. Any of that Stimulus money find its way into Mitt’s pocket?


And lastly, if it does turn out Romney weaseled out of paying taxes for the better part of a decade, he could wind up owing tens of millions in back taxes, penalties & fines. Not only would it cost him a ton of money, it would assuredly cost him the presidency.

Or then again. They might show nothing. Which then wouldn't make sense why he wouldn't release them.

He's desperate to shift the narrative to the out of context line "you didn't build that" because his campaign has no substance. A great example would be what he plans to do with war in Afghanistan. Which is now the longest war in US history. This issue isn't going away and is slowly sinking him.

[OldMan]

I'll agree that Romney should release his tax returns if you'll agree that the current President should have released his birth certificate when asked also. Please recall that it took him some number of months to do this, and you all had his back the whole time, criticizing anyone who cares as "birthers". Just like anyone who believes in a balanced budget is a "Teabagger".

Ironically to me, the more successful Romney's returns show him to be, the more it will be used against him.

Personally I am ready for a President who is more interested in making money for the country rather than spending it.

[Wabash]

Thats the point of the statement. "We" work and earn a living "you" take and freeload. Its a brilliant comment for the base.

Those of us who never freeloaded are still interested.

[Wabash]

I'll agree that Romney should release his tax returns if you'll agree that the current President should have released his birth certificate when asked also.

He produced a Certificate of Live Birth in order to enable him to run for office. It was immediately branded a forgery. When he produced his birth certificate it to was branded a forgery.

Please recall that it took him some number of months to do this, and you all had his back the whole time, criticizing anyone who cares as "birthers".

With good reason. They are all nutcases.

Just like anyone who believes in a balanced budget is a "Teabagger".

That was the original name they gave themselves.

Ironically to me, the more successful Romney's returns show him to be, the more it will be used against him.

It only depends on how that success was achieved. Americans don't like an individual becoming successful at the expense of sending others into misery.

Personally I am ready for a President who is more interested in making money for the country rather than spending it.

Then you must have hated Bush. He doubled the national debt in eight years. Put more on the national credit card than all 42 predecessors combined.

Conservatives of course said nothing the whole time and unanimously supported him for re-election.

[Vilepagan]

I'll agree that Romney should release his tax returns if you'll agree that the current President should have released his birth certificate when asked also. Please recall that it took him some number of months to do this, and you all had his back the whole time, criticizing anyone who cares as "birthers". Just like anyone who believes in a balanced budget is a "Teabagger".

I'm not sure the comparison of a the BC thing and the tax form question works out well for Romney. A Birth Certificate is something no other candidate has ever been asked to produce, at least I don't recall this demand ever being made of a presidential candidate in my life time. Obama did whatever candidates do to get themselves on the ballot, just like everyone does when they run for office. When the question was raised about his citizenship the State of Hawaii certified he was born there and was a citizen. That didn't stop the demands for his 'long form' BC, and now the claims have morphed into claims of forgery.

Tax returns are commonly made public by politicians during an election, which is why Romney's dad released 12 years worth. There's nothing at all odd about politicians, the public, or the press pressuring a candidate to release his 1040's, but asking for a BC is rather unusual.

Ironically to me, the more successful Romney's returns show him to be, the more it will be used against him.

I guess that depends on how you define success. If Romeny does lose the election, he'll have 250 million dollars to console him. I won't feel too sorry for him.

Personally I am ready for a President who is more interested in making money for the country rather than spending it.

Is there any indication Romney's that man?

[sbayhills]

And when Republicans and Conservatives can't talk about the fine job the president has done, they try to make an issue out of his Birth Certificate.

Romney's in a bad spot. It seems clear he decided not to release the tax records because he felt it wouldn't help his chances in the election. Not releasing them has the same effect, and the longer he waits and the more he resists, the more some people will think that indicates he's hiding something juicy. It's hard for Romney to claim the records aren't relevant when his father released his in the past when running for office.

You won't vote for Romney just like I won't vote for Obama. He's not in a bad spot with the voters which will decide this election, which will be those crossovers who gave this poor soul a fair chance, and Independents, who are now sorry. Voters with half a brain will see through all of this attempt to move the focus away from the economy, to the subject of the week, tax returns. It is a non-issue and the Left and the Dems look foolish going there.

Romney should double down and tell Obama when you reveal all of your sealed records, I'll release my tax returns.

[Vilepagan]

You won't vote for Romney just like I won't vote for Obama. He's not in a bad spot with the voters which will decide this election, which will be those crossovers who gave this poor soul a fair chance, and Independents, who are now sorry.

If he does release his tax returns and they show he paid very little in taxes, it's going to be an issue for the rest of the election, and I think a lot of people will want to hear his justification for that.

Voters with half a brain will see through all of this attempt to move the focus away from the economy, to the subject of the week, tax returns. It is a non-issue and the Left and the Dems look foolish going there.

They might, if his tax returns turn out to be completely benign and above-board. As it stands now, Romney's on the defensive about the issue.

Romney should double down and tell Obama when you reveal all of your sealed records, I'll release my tax returns.

IMO that would just make him look desperate, and a bit silly. What the heck do you mean "sealed records"?

[Vilepagan]

Mr's Romney highlighted the issue a bit in her statement, although I doubt she intended to do so.

"You know, you should really look at where Mitt has led his life, and where he’s been financially," she said in her interview with Robin Roberts. "He’s a very generous person. We give 10 percent of our income to our church every year. Do you think that is the kind of person that is trying to hide things, or do things? No. He is so good about it. Then, when he was governor of Massachusetts, didn’t take a salary in the four years."

Roberts pressed: "Why not show that, then?" and reasoned that people could "move on" if her husband released his returns.

Romney responded, "Because there are so many things that will be open again for more attack... and that's really, that's just the answer. And we've given all you people need to know and understand about our financial situation and about how we live our life. And so, the election, again, will not be decided on that. It will be decided on who is gonna turn the economy around and how are jobs gonna come back to America."

Mitt may be reluctant to disclose his returns because he doesn't want to be asked how putting his money in foreign banks brings jobs to America.

[sbayhills]

All of us try and pay as little in taxes as possible. It's our money, not the Governments. Although Obama seems to think that our taxes, which are used to support the infrastructure, seem to materialize out of thin air. What justification would he need if he paid the correct amount?

His opponent is looking for anything to nitpick. Why provide anything if he doesn't have to? He should tell Obama to pound sand and go on the offensive. This Administration certainly has enough to hide. Starting with Fast and Furious.

You've got to be kidding if you don't understand what I'm talking about with sealed records and Obama.

[sbayhills]

Mitt may be reluctant to disclose his returns because he doesn't want to be asked how putting his money in foreign banks brings jobs to America.

As opposed to a President who is running as fast and as hard as he can because he can't figure out how to bring these same jobs to America?

BTW, what you concluded is pure speculation.

[Omar Bongo]

You won't vote for Romney just like I won't vote for Obama. He's not in a bad spot with the voters which will decide this election, which will be those crossovers who gave this poor soul a fair chance, and Independents, who are now sorry.

Crossover voters? So now Obama owes his Presidency to Republicans? Thanks to political polarization people don't "crossover" anymore, if they're not thrilled about their own candidate they typically just don't vote at all. I bet all the Republicans who voted for Obama in 2008 could caucus in a phone booth.

Voters with half a brain will see through all of this attempt to move the focus away from the economy, to the subject of the week, tax returns.

Voters with half a brain also see that the economy is not in the shape it's in because of anything Obama did or didn't do.

It is a non-issue and the Left and the Dems look foolish going there.

The birth certificate
His middle name
The flag lapel pin
His high school dope-smoking
The Churchill Bust
The teleprompter
The Bow to the Saudi king
His level of "blackness"

Shall I go on?

Romney should double down and tell Obama when you reveal all of your sealed records, I'll release my tax returns.

You're right in that he should release his tax returns, but he won't because he's obviously trying to hide something he believes damaging. He's stuck with trying to change the subject or getting indignant about it. I think he made a bad choice letting his wife speak for him. Makes her look arrogant and him look weak.

[Wabash]

Romney should double down and tell Obama when you reveal all of your sealed records, I'll release my tax returns.

I hope Romney chooses that strategy. It will make him look even more desperate.

The so called "sealed records" are records that have never been released by any president.

Whereas it was Romney's father who released 12 years of tax returns when he ran for president.

[broman]

I was listening to Larry Elder today talk about Obama's "sealed records". The gist is Obama claimed to be a foreign student to get into Occidental, Columbia and Yale.

[sbayhills]

Crossover voters? So now Obama owes his Presidency to Republicans? Thanks to political polarization people don't "crossover" anymore, if they're not thrilled about their own candidate they typically just don't vote at all. I bet all the Republicans who voted for Obama in 2008 could caucus in a phone booth.


Voters with half a brain also see that the economy is not in the shape it's in because of anything Obama did or didn't do.


The birth certificate
His middle name
The flag lapel pin
His high school dope-smoking
The Churchill Bust
The teleprompter
The Bow to the Saudi king
His level of "blackness"

Shall I go on?


You're right in that he should release his tax returns, but he won't because he's obviously trying to hide something he believes damaging. He's stuck with trying to change the subject or getting indignant about it. I think he made a bad choice letting his wife speak for him. Makes her look arrogant and him look weak.

This is a truly pathetic post Omar. "His level of blackness." Do you ever tire of playing the race card. Even low by what I've come to expect from you. OOOOOh............He won't release his tax returns. I think we know which party is trying to change the subject. I love how you guys keep trying to blame others for the economy. Yes, it is things he did or didn't do. The Professor's lack of experience and arrogance has caught up to him.

Anything to keep the heat off a President who has been a failure in the eyes of most. This Presidency is a mess. The country is floundering horribly. And you guys are worried about tax returns. Really pathetic.

Your best line is when you state that Romney's trying to change the subject. Who's really trying to keep the focus away from the economy Omar?