Obama Campaign getting Desperate to use Romney's taxes

[makattak]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120817/DA0N2QS04.html

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - Barack Obama's re-election campaign kept up pressure against Republican rival Mitt Romney on two fronts Friday, launching a new ad defending the president's record on Medicare while challenging Romney to release at least five years of tax returns.

My belief through all of this is that the Democrats have already illegally obtained Romney's tax returns and want to demagogue the fact that he didn't pay income tax during a period when he had no income, only capital gains.

They already know what is in the returns. That's why they've been screaming so much about this. They don't want to admit that they have a total disregard for the law and privacy. (But the returns will get "leaked" in October, if Romney doesn't "agree" to release them. That's Obama's MO.)

I think Romney ought not to release them and better be prepared for them to be released, in any case.

[SADShooter]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120817/DA0N2QS04.html

My belief through all of this is that the Democrats have already illegally obtained Romney's tax returns and want to demagogue the fact that he didn't pay income tax during a period when he had no income, only capital gains.

They already know what is in the returns. That's why they've been screaming so much about this. They don't want to admit that they have a total disregard for the law and privacy. (But the returns will get "leaked" in October, if Romney doesn't "agree" to release them. That's Obama's MO.)

I think Romney ought not to release them and better be prepared for them to be released, in any case.

Bingdingo.

[MechAg94]

They are getting desperate in general.  All of the Democrat surrogates in the media are doing their best to label Romney as rascist also.  Obama has nothing positive to run on and they see Romney gaining with Ryan's help.  Expect a whole lot more and a whole lot worse before it is all done. 

I really pray that Romney doesn't take the bait.  I hope he stays positive and doesn't give up any tax returns.  Don't even acknowledge the issue.  If he has to, ask for Obama's college records in return.  The only danger to Romney is himself.  If starts playing the Democrat game and tries to prove he is not a rich rascist, he'll lose. 

[HankB]

. . . The only danger to Romney is himself.  If starts playing the Democrat game and tries to prove he is not a rich rascist, he'll lose. 

Romney came out and said that he's always paid "at least 13%" in income taxes every year for the past decade.

That's a low percentage, which plays right into Obama's hands. ("The Stupid Party^TM") What he should have done is said he had a good income and that he paid millions of dollars in taxes every year.

And then challenged Obama to release his college records.

[agricola]

They are getting desperate in general.  All of the Democrat surrogates in the media are doing their best to label Romney as rascist also.  Obama has nothing positive to run on and they see Romney gaining with Ryan's help.  Expect a whole lot more and a whole lot worse before it is all done. 

I really pray that Romney doesn't take the bait.  I hope he stays positive and doesn't give up any tax returns.  Don't even acknowledge the issue.  If he has to, ask for Obama's college records in return.  The only danger to Romney is himself.  If starts playing the Democrat game and tries to prove he is not a rich rascist, he'll lose. 

The problem is that Romney and/or his media people arent exactly at the top of their game - I mean it may just be how it was reported here, but the response yesterday seemed to be that he had paid at least 13% taxes in 2010, and that in any case he had "always paid taxes".  This isnt an argument that will convince anyone, especially if/when the other side release what his actual records are, and when they can confuse the matter with income tax, and with the bias he is up against.

On a related theme, its good to see Joe Biden returning to form just in time for election season.  "Put y'all back in chains", indeed!

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/08/14/biden-says-ryan-pick-gives-voters-clarity/

[MechAg94]

Romney came out and said that he's always paid "at least 13%" in income taxes every year for the past decade.

That's a low percentage, which plays right into Obama's hands. ("The Stupid Party^TM") What he should have done is said he had a good income and that he paid millions of dollars in taxes every year.

And then challenged Obama to release his college records.

13% isn't too low.  When I do my income taxes as a single guy with a house, I am usually in the 14% range.  That is income tax only though. 

For him, I bet most of his taxes are paid as capital gains which has a lower rate to start with.  If he is smart, he can just point out he is only using the tax paying practices that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are using.  He can also just say that no American should pay any more in taxes than they are required to do by law.  He can then ask the news interview how much they pay in "extra" income taxes to the govt.  IMO, it isn't a difficult issue to deflect or diffuse. 

[Monkeyleg]

I'm sure that Obama's people already have Romney's tax returns, and I'm sure that the Republicans have had Obama's school transcripts for years. Getting this stuff isn't exactly like breaking some CIA code.

If you have really good dirt on another candidate, you make it public yourself or get someone in the media to do it. If there's nothing in the files, make a big deal about it by making it sound like there's something there. The latter works almost as well as the former.

[TommyGunn]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120817/DA0N2QS04.html

My belief through all of this is that the Democrats have already illegally obtained Romney's tax returns and want to demagogue the fact that he didn't pay income tax during a period when he had no income, only capital gains.

They already know what is in the returns. That's why they've been screaming so much about this. They don't want to admit that they have a total disregard for the law and privacy. (But the returns will get "leaked" in October, if Romney doesn't "agree" to release them. That's Obama's MO.)

I think Romney ought not to release them and better be prepared for them to be released, in any case.

Romney stated that he's paid @ a 13% tax over all of those years.  That %% point indicates it was a capital gains tax, not an income tax.  He wasn't thus being paid an income, he was deriving capital gains from a portfolio of stocks/bonds & whatever. 
I might agree that Romney should release atleast part of them if it wasn't for "Dirty" Harry Reid's totally underhanded, and vile way of introducing this b*llcr@p into the political debate.
IMHO they want the taxes so they can find ---by "find" I mean contort, interpret or "make up" something from those returns with which to attack Romney. 
IF you don't think they'd do this 'splain why Reid had to get into the pigmud in order to get this out....

[MechAg94]

I wouldn't agree to release the tax returns at this point without the Democrats releasing some Obama info as well.  Caving in would only hurt Romney.  I really don't think the Democrats attacks on his tax returns will mean much to the voters likely to vote against Obama.  I think Democrats are just desparate to inspire their own base. 

[longeyes]

Romney needs to unashamedly defend investment--if he wants to champion free market capitalism.  The economy is not defined in esse by LABOR even if the average American can't see beyond his paycheck and his credit card.  It is Romney's job, as a leader, to be an educator, and, unfortunately, there is a lot that the typical American either can't understand or doesn't want to understand in the realm of economics.  "Capital gains" cannot be abandoned to become a dirty term; Romney cannot let the Left steal a semantic victory here.

And then there's this, in two words, for Romney's counter-attack: TONY REZKO.

[Chester32141]

I'm sure if Romney called a News Conference and stated for the record that he would be happy to turn over his tax returns for Certified Copies of a select list of Obabma's records (being careful to avoid asking for his Birth Certificate) that the topic of tax returns would disapear overnight.

[longeyes]

Well, if he doesn't or can't, why are we bothering with an Election?

This is not about "nice," this is about truth and honesty.  Romney cannot permit Obama to lie his way through November, win OR lose.

[Waitone]

Demanding release of Romney's tax returns is a road best not traveled by Team Obama.  A lot of people have and continue to spend significant money to make sure key documents in Obama's past never see the light of day.  Simply linking the release of tax returns to the release of selected Obama documents and holding firm will shut down the "Wealthy White Guy" gambit.  But holding firm would require a steady hand and moral fiber I doubt exists in Romney's rockefeller republican brain trust.

[Jamisjockey]

Well, if he doesn't or can't, why are we bothering with an Election?

This is not about "nice," this is about truth and honesty.  Romney cannot permit Obama to lie his way through November, win OR lose.

But he will. The failing of the GOP is its willingness to play Rodney King.

[longeyes]

Suspect you're right, but don't make me any more cynical than I am already.  You know my view that we are in the anteroom of secessionism...

[Perd Hapley]

Heard someone point out today that, per Saul Alinsky, as soon as Romney releases his tax return (and if there's nothing there) the bad guys will just move on. Think about that. If there's nothing there, most voters will never know he released his tax info, as the media will barely mention the fact, and will move on. So Dems can still use the talking point that Romney doesn't pay his fair share, is hiding his tax returns, blah, blah, blah.

Most likely, though, the Dems will find something (or multiple somethings) that they can declare to be crimes against humanity.

Probably the biggest mistake in all this is to play the Democrats' game. To treat them as the loyal opposition; as well-intentioned. If the Republicans would simply begin to treat the Dems as the Dems treat them - as if they were evil people whose every move must be seen with suspicion - then they might begin to level the playing field. Republicans would ignore Democrat accusations, and simply make counter-charges and demand explanations. Is this not, for the most part, what Democrats do? Put Republicans on the defensive with all kinds of accusations, without answering any charges against themselves?

[grampster]

The thing that I always wonder about is that folks like us and even some commentators in the media seem to have better grasp of political tactics than the so called experts with whom the candidates surround themselves.  No wonder why our governance  basically appears to be run by a bunch of grade school bullies.

[birdman]

Here is my bet,
The dems, in continued dire straights, will keep forcing this issue, and it will rise to crescendo in late October as their rhetoric becomes vitriolic. 
Then, with say 2-3 weeks to go (sufficient time for Romney/Ryan to use their actual message while dems attack the release, but not too early to allow the dems to do so and then pivot back), R/R will "give in" and release some, AND comparable records to what Obama hasn't, such as transcripts, etc, and will do so very publicly, and do a quick, "we are doing this so the other side will stop their complaining and maybe be adults and look at the REAL issue...the economy.  Here is our plan, and our CV's and why we will be good at it...what is their plan and what in their past says they can (eg transcripts)"

It turns a defense into a huge offense, and would not only force the dems to attack (and not talk about actual issues) but flip the "transparency" argument (especially if they tied it in with sound bites about the most transparent administration linked with FF executive priviledge, etc) around.

Let's face it, the fact O is SO resistant to releasing any real facts about school, while everyone (media, sycophants) says he is SOOOOOO smart, means there is some dirt there.

Hell, throw in a super-clean-cut Romney/ryan vs, Obama the toker (and more) and you get a hell of an attack add...follow up with, "maybe that's why they don't want to debate real issues" and ZAP.

Just my bet..,who knows.

[RocketMan]

It's a nice dream, birdman, but that is all it is.  Romney will eventually assume a full on defensive position over his taxes, whether he releases his returns or not.  He is a member of the GOP establishment, a group well known for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.