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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm confused. Is it GOOD or BAD for Americans to avoid paying taxes
by Bob Johnson
I know we're not permitted to see Mitt Romney's tax returns. We just aren't. So quit asking.
But I believe we've been told by conservatives and Republicans, including Mitt Romney, that not only is there nothing wrong with using available laws to not pay income taxes, it is downright patriotic to legally keep our money free from the evil clutches of BIG GOVERNMENT!
Legal, offshore tax havens? Wave the flag!
Investments that limit tax exposure? Stand and salute!
Don't pay any income taxes because you and your family don't make enough money to cross the baseline tax threshold?
MOOCHER! FREELOADER! LAZY TURD!
Get off the dole!
Color me confused.
Apparently, what is good for the goose, in this case, is not good for the gander.
And here all these (unknowing) moochers and freeloaders and deadbeats had been listening to Mitt and Paul Ryan and the rest of the conservative (blowhards) free marketers shouting that it is praiseworthy to use all available legal means to avoid paying income taxes.
I can't keep their arguments straight.
I know, I know, I'm easily confused. I need the intellectual giant, Paul Ryan, to explain it to me again in layman's terms.
Rich and don't pay income taxes? GOOD.
Poor or middle class and don't pay income taxes? BAD.
Paul or Mitt, please contact me at your earliest convenience to help me understand where I've gone wrong.
Thanks, fellas.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/18/1133568/-I-m-confused-Is-it-GOOD-or-BAD-for-Americans-to-avoid-paying-taxes
Good point.
Mitt in his own words: Transcript: ABC News' David Muir Interviews Mitt Romney (July)
Muir: You are here on what some have termed your world audition and democrats, not surprisingly, continue to hammer you back home on taxes, you remain firm two years and two years only. So from what you have released and from what we have seen we know that there was one year when you paid about 13.9% tax rate. Can we clear this up by asking a simple yes or no question? Was there ever any year when you paid lower than 13.9%?
Romney: I haven't calculated that. I'm happy to go back and look but my view is I've paid all the taxes required by law. From time to time I've been audited as happens I think to other citizens as well and the accounting firm which prepares y taxes has done a very thorough and complete job pay taxes as legally due. I don't pay more than are legally due and frankly if I had paid more than are legally due I don't think I'd be qualified to become president. I'd think people would want me to follow the law and pay only what the tax code requires.
- more -
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-david-muir-interview-mitt-romney/story?id=16881787&page=2
Breaking: Mitt declares that he is as qualified to run for President as the "47 percent of Americans" who pay only the "axes required by law."
Yean, we're not stupid Mitt, but the jury is still out on you.
As for this, "I'm happy to go back and look but my view is I've paid all the taxes required by law," we're still waiting.
liberal N proud
(60,302 posts)Patriotism requires a sacrifice for the good of all. The good of the nation at the cost of a few.
The republicans twist every aspect of being American.
Canuckistanian
(42,290 posts)I seem to remember something along those lines.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/10/1108361/-Lindsey-Graham-thinks-Mitt-Romney-is-especially-American-for-avoiding-taxes
Canuckistanian
(42,290 posts)It was Lindsey Graham. My mistake.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)Pay me!
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)I guess he loves himself more than his country, so he continues to run despite his inability to win. He's going to have a long, hard post-Election life of depression and 'coulda beens'
I think his boys were right when they said they thought he shouldn't run
Shoulda listened to the boys, Mitty!
grok
(550 posts)They want to be forced to.
so oblige them..
SickOfTheOnePct
(7,290 posts)But I feel no obligation to pay more than I legally owe. I take every deduction I'm entitled to, I put as much as I can in my 401(k), both to fund my retirement and shield the money from current taxes, and I take full advantage of my health care FSA to shield that money from taxes.
I see nothing wrong with that.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)established that it's American to pay what you legally owe, wouldn't it be wild if Mitt didn't?
We can all agree that tax evasion isn't "patriotic."
SickOfTheOnePct
(7,290 posts)If a taxpayer, any taxpayer, is using legal means to avoid taxes, I see no problem with it, period. The term "tax evasion" is a perjorative that implies illegality. If what Romney is doing is legal, then the problem isn't that he's doing it, it's that the law stinks and needs to be changed. I have no problem with anyone, no matter how much money they make, utilizing all LEGAL means to lower their tax burden.
I "evade" taxes by shielding funds in a 401(k), donating to charity and utilizing my healthcare FSA, but I'm doing nothing illegal or "unpatriotic".
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Taking advantage of tax breaks is not tax evasion. Hiding ones money in a Swiss bank account is illegal, that's tax evasion.
People don't go to jail for putting their money into a 401(k).
Swiss-US Tax Amenesty Deal DID send someone to Jail
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021073338
If he didn't do anything illegal, then he doesn't have anything to hide. He may have exploited the law in a way that crossed the legal line, and is afraid to release the information.
Lid blowing off Romney tax secrecy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021201624
If challenged in court, Bain would lose."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021189869
SickOfTheOnePct
(7,290 posts)about anyone going to jail for putting money into their 401(k)? I said the exact opposite - that it isn't illegal.
If it is proven that Romney illegally hid money in Swiss banks, then of course he should be prosecuted. But if all he did was take advantage of legal means to avoid taxes, as I do, then the problem isn't with him taking advantage, the problem is the law itself.
Not sure what is nonsensical about that.
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)If you do not pay taxes and are: Rich, Republican, White, Entrepreneur, can trace Family Lineage to Mayflower, Protestant or a Corporation
It is good.
If you do not pay taxes and are:Female, Black, Brown, Poor, Middle class, Government Employee, a Democrat, or Union member, You are officially a mooch.
Now, where it gets tricky is if you are Female, Black, Brown, Poor, Middle Class, Government Employee, a Democrat, or Union member and DO pay taxes, you still suck ass just cause Mitty said so.
Capisce?
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)were just born into wealth. It's bad when you actually held down a job and worked for your pittance.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)When it's build into the American safety net, it's "dependency" and "freeloading."