Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) released a statement this evening on Mitt Romney’s 2011 tax return:
“The information released today reveals that Mitt Romney manipulated one of the only two years of tax returns he’s seen fit to show the American people – and then only to ‘conform’ with his public statements. That raises the question: what else in those returns has Romney manipulated? We already know Romney has money in tax havens in Switzerland, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. What we don’t know is why he refuses to be straight with the American people about the choices he’s made in his financial life. When will the American people see the returns he filed before he was running for president? Governor Romney is showing us what he does when the public is looking. The true test of his character would be to show what he did when everyone was not looking at his taxes.
“It’s also galling to see the creative accounting Mitt Romney applied to his own tax returns only days after learning of his insulting comments that seniors, soldiers and hard-working parents don’t pay enough taxes. Once again, we see Mitt Romney is out of touch with middle class families, who don’t have the luxury of accounting wizards and foreign tax shelters. It’s obvious he believes in two sets of rules: one for him, and one for the middle class. He says he wants to be president for only half the people but he acts like he only cares for the top two percent. Despite the fiscal cliff looming in just over three months, Mitt Romney refuses to explain the details of his tax policy. Will the policies he proposes benefit all Americans, or only multi-millionaires like him?”
…Is he for real?
Does everyone now agree that releasing the tax returns was pointless? Whether he paid 0% or 100% never would have mattered. Those are also some pretty bold accusations from a guy without an evidence.
This is what Democrats consider a statesman.
To charitable to Harry Reid, he’s lying.
There are numerous caps on deductions of charitable contributions, all based on a percentage of AGI, depending upon the type of organization receiving the contribution and the type of property contributed. Charitable contributions above the limits may be carried over to later tax years, during a five year window. Romney’s returns were carefully prepared by tax professionals with these limits and carryovers in mind.
If the calculations resulted in him taking fewer deductions than he’s entitled to and paying a higher effective tax rate than required, what is the harm? The feds get more money than they should have. The charities still got their money.
Harry is absolutely determined to score some absurd political point here, but I think he’s lost sight of what that point was.
– Ann Romney’s plane almost goes down. How did Reid become a multi-millionaire while on his Senate salary.
Why am I reminded of Andrew Sullivan and his unhinged obsession with Sarah Palin’s uterus?
As far as I know, you are required to report all of your income. There is no requirement to take all available deductions. I also saw that the original investment income was much higher estimate. So, he may have made some last minute contributions. It is possible that when all the info came in, the schedule K’s showed much lower numbers. You can’t retrieve the charitable contributions. You just adjust what you claim. Perhaps, Romney just wanted to pay a certain amount of tax. At least he did that. Everyone else just says they want to pay more, but don’t.
Well, if there ARE two sets of rules, one for “him” and one for everyone else, then Reid can certainly cite them, hmm? After all, he was part of the congress that passed those rules, correct? Can Reid cite any violations of IRS rules? Will he release HIS 2011 tax returns for scrutiny? Any truth to the rumor his charitable contributions was three figures?
Hey Reid, why don’t you write a check to the Treasury? We’re waiting.
Harry Reid: Living proof that being a prevaricating bonehead is no barrier to a successful career in Democratic politics.
Harry Reid: Proof (albeit not necessarily “living”) that blood-sucking vampires and brain-eating zombies are not a myth.
Show us YOUR taxes, Harry.
Hey Harry:
ANOTHER AMERICAN’S INCOME IS NONE OF OUR F-ING BUSINESS.
That is all.
I love that this whole tax issue eats Democrats alive. This release proves that Romney is not just a nice man, but a good man. And, as the Instapundit keeps pointing out, it’s time for Reid to release the records of his criminal history, particularly regarding the pederasty allegations.
Romney has released his taxes but Reid refuses to confront lingering rumors about his own pederasty. What are you hiding, senator? When are you going to come clean?
Harry Reid, doubling down on stupid.
If this guy was your uncle, you wouldn’t go to Thanksgiving dinner.
But the most amazing thing is that in actuality, he’s one of the better Democrats. Consider, Pelosi, Shumer, Rangle, Waters, Wasserman, and hundreds more.
It’s humiliating that the county tolerates this crap.
We would be better off with any Junior High student council.
There is no such thing as a “Good” Democrat. IMHO.
Funny, the very same USATax Code Gov. Romney used to file his returns is one used by every Washington DC lawmaker, too. Nancy Pelosi was found to have similiar “overseas” investments as did other notable Washington DC “illuminati.”
As for taxing and Tax Code, here are some interesting historical facts about Democrats and Social Security:
A History Lesson on Your Social Security Card
1934 – 1980
[social security card when first issued.gif]
With 2012 elections 1.5 months away, many political TV ads will air warning about how Republicans want to take away (and reform) Social Security.
Facts:
1)Social Security Cards issued in 1934, under FDR (remember, one year earlier he took the USA off a “Gold Standard”), up until 1980, expressly stated:
a. Both number and card were NOT to be used for identification purposes.
b.Since everyone in the United States (since 1934) has a Social Security Card and number and a national ID soon became necessary, its usage soon caused it to become mandatory in order for citizens to conduct financial transactions.
c. The printed message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION, was soon removed.
When Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:
1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary,
-No longer Voluntary
2.) That participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program,
-Now 7.65% on the first $90,000
3.) That money participants elected to put into the Program, would be deductible from their income(s) for tax purposes each year,
-No longer tax deductible
4.) That money participants put into the separate but independent. ‘Trust Fund’ (Al Gore’s now famous “Lock-Box”) rather than into the general operating fund, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, ONLY and no other Government program. Now, the “Lock-Box” is full of IOU’s!!!!
- Under Johnson, a Democrat, the money was moved to The General Fund and Spent (mostly on “earmarks).”
5.) That annuity payments to retirees would never be taxed as income.
- Under Clinton & Gore, Democrats, Up to 85% of citizen’s Social Security can be Taxed
Since many legal Americans have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month –
a. are now finding they’re getting taxed on 85% of the money that was paid to the Federal government to ‘put it away in a non-existent “Lock-Box,”’ may be interested in the following:
Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent ‘Trust Fund’ and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratically controlled House and Senate.
Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?
A: The Democratic Party.
Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?
A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the ‘tie-breaking’ deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US
Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party.
NOTE: Immigrants moved to America and at age 65, applied for and began receiving Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!
Remember when going to vote on Nov6:
After violating the original contract (FICA), Democratic TV ads and pundits will tell Americans…it’s Republicans who want to destroy Social Security. Democrats and Democratic House and Senate have voted to dismantle FDR’s original Social Security Program, over these pasdt 78 years, thusly Democrats have already destroyed FDR’s Social Security Program. There’s nothing left for Republican’s to destroy, even if they tried to.
And the worst part about it, most uninformed citizens will believe DNC’s lies!
Vote massively for massive fraud, lies and chicanery is all around us. America is on life support. Amen. God Bless America.
Reid’s got NOTHING, and he’s FURIOUS about it.