If We’re Headed Toward Greece, Republicans Are Driving Us There

Memo Pad

previous | next

If We’re Headed Toward Greece, Republicans Are Driving Us There

July 12th, 2012 1:02 am Joe Conason

When Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters on Tuesday that Mitt Romney’s foreign investment accounts don’t trouble him because “it’s really American to avoid paying taxes,” he must not have realized that he was calling his party’s nominee-to-be a liar.

“As long as it was legal, I’m OK with it,” said the South Carolina Republican. “I don’t blame anybody for using the tax code to their advantage…It’s a game we play. Every American tries to find the way to get the most deductions they can. I see nothing wrong with playing the game because we set it up to be a game.”

Graham assumes – no doubt correctly – that Romney sent his money offshore to avoid taxes. But the Republican candidate and his flacks have repeatedly insisted that the Romneys’ admittedly minimal tax bill was not reduced at all by their remarkable maze of holdings in Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, and Bermuda. It is “the very same” as if he had kept those millions of dollars in the United States, or so they claim.

But Graham clearly doesn’t buy that alibi. In fact, nobody does. And eventually Romney may be forced to realize complete information about his investments that may yet indicate the extent to which he and his family have escaped taxation. .

Meanwhile, what Graham unwittingly evoked with his clumsy endorsement of tax avoidance is the specter of Greece — a nation whose fiscal drama incites endless Republican prattle about the need for austerity. Warnings that as a nation we are on “the road to Greece” have become a favorite Republican cliché, regurgitated by every politician who wants to be considered for vice president as well as by the presidential candidate himself.

“You call that forward?” Romney said mockingly of an Obama campaign slogan last month. “That’s forward over a cliff, that’s forward on the way to Greece.”

Continue Reading >> 1 2

Tags: 2012 campaign, Barack Obama, bermuda, cayman islands, debt, Euro Crisis, front.page.blog.post, GOP, Greece, Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney, Obama, Presidential, Republicans, swiss bank account, Switzerland, tax increases, taxes, united states

http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

I guess personal responsibility is synonymous to greed. What happened to patriotism, social responsibility, working hard, paying taxes, educating our children and ensuring our country remains great? Shame on those whose greed, twisted ideology and narrow political goals take precedence over country. I am not surprised Mitt Romney has been involved in tax evasion, hiding money in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Switzerland and other places, I am suprised, however, that someone like Sen. Graham would endorse or attempt to minimize the importance of such practices. It must be nice to be wealthy, I doubt a secretary or a waitress would get away with what Romney has been doing, even if their trust fund was only $250 Vs $250M.

http://profile.yahoo.com/F7N6EYN4STTT5QNALQII5ACXRM Joose

Is it not also the responsibility of patriots and those who work hard and are socially responsible to make sure their government spends tax dollars effectively? To say that the ONLY problem is not enough tax revenue is simply ridiculous. We spend far too much on government programs that are completely ineffective. Not to mention the nearly half of all Americans with no “illegal” foreign investments that pay zero in taxes and yet are the highest consumers of government services. You might want to fix that before you worry so much about Mitt Romney and the evil rich people who have figured out how to keep their riches rather than feed them into a system of waste and entitlement.

jarheadgene

I like what someone, on this thread, called the GOP…Greed Over People. Greed first …. People last.
Graham’s attitude is exactly why we need a flat simple tax code. Fairness for all.
Tom_D44

More on the offshore accounts………..really guys? So let’s look at the record.

Obama appoints or approaches to be in his administration:
Tom Daschle…….Oops $140K tax problem so he drops out
Nancy Killefer…..Oops another tax problem so she drops out
Bill Richardson… Another one who drops out when it was uncovered
Hilda Solis…Her husband has tax issues going back 16 years unresolved so she drops out
Kathleen Sebelius…yep again, but she gets the job anyway
Ron Kirk…Yep more tax problems
Timothy Giethner…Once again and he gets the job anyway.

Either Obama had absolutely no one vetting these people or he figured, “hey this is Washington, who doesn’t have these probems, right?” People won’t care. These are people who did illegal things and got caught. Who recieved fines and penalties which means it was proven by the IRS that they were wrong. But does anyone care? Not they will all say, what’s the big deal? It’s much smaller by comparison. Or they will say nothing at all because it does not suit their position. How about a list of congressmen on both sides of the aisle with histories of corruption? Hey New York, why the hell would you vote Charlie Rangle back into office who was convicted of 11 out of 13 counts of ethics violations by the congressional ethics committee? Do you not care about the integrity of your representative or are you all on the take with the guy?

Now you have Romney who didn’t actually do anything illegal, used the tax system as every person in America does, getting blasted daily about keeping money offshore. If you don’t like it then call your representatives and demand to have the tax code changed. On a much smaller scale, how many of you guys donated something and inflated the value on your deductions? How many of you took a side job for cash and didn’t claim the income. That is illegal and I would bet that it is something that almost every tax payer is guilty of at some point in their lives….some probably worse than others. Can we please move on and find something more serious about the guy to debate?

highpckts

So why doesn’t Romney drop out of the race??
William Deutschlander

Tom – it is ok the Easter Bunny is truly coming along with Santa Claus!

There are one hell of a lot of people who have problems with the IRS, mainly because the IRS picks some number out of the air and sends you a letter telling you you owe money on the thin air. Where they come up with some of their numbers remains a deep dark mystery.

Romney and the GOP (Republicans) have nearly destroyed the U S Democracy.

The GOP, Republicans took the country 14 Trillion Dollars in Debt with malfesance!

The REAGAN RECESSION of 1981 through 1986 was a disaster!

The BUSH GREAT RECESSION of 2008 through 2023 was superceded only by the REPUBLICAN DEPRESSION of 1930 through 1950.

EVERY REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION has slowed the U S Economy and raised unemployment, YES EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION has SCREWED the U S ECONOMY!

tokoloshi27

William; are you trying to prove the Easter Bunny? What opium dream did your facts come from?
Kevin Schmidt

But then so has every Democratic Administration.

Fascism is fascism, whether it comes from the Republicans or the Democrats.

karinursula

I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so. Clinton got us into Surplus, which Bush squandered with his 2 illegal wars.

http://profile.yahoo.com/YPI4NVMAWGSK43SFUAL6OUISGA Bunny

The writing is on paper, but these people do not want to see this. Denial makes the Repubs. feel better about themselves.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D5HPWVIJUUCDCQIWUV636LNM4A Elsa

The biggest problem with your point is you are talking about what other people’s tax problems not the President’s. Romney’s tax problems are his own, so I think he should take “personal responsibility” and release his tax records so we all know what he has done is legal.

tokoloshi27

I blow a raspberry in the writer’s general direction.

The Greeks’ story can (perhaps more accurately) be spun in the completely different perspective, because the Greeks were actively avoiding paying their due taxes (all, not just income tax). This is not the same thing as an assumption of a deduction under the U.S. income tax system.

Both parties, over the decades since the imposition of a Federal income tax, have created – deliberately – a confusing system that preys on the payer who doesn’t religiously, and on an annual basis study the available deductions. How this differs is that culturally the Greeks as a whole avoided paying or actively sought documentation showing payment, when such was not the case. Anecdotally the bulk of those that paid the required amounts were those employed by the Government for whom it was a condition of employment (which may demonstrate other absurdities). Also annecdotally, there was a perception that the funds raised would be used in ways that were mandated by non-Greek EU regulations. What happened can also be construed as Greeks not wanting to financially support an unwieldy northern-European entitlement structure (a lesson for liberal brethren?).

Folks read what you want into the situation, but to extrapolate an American moral from a completely different cultural situation, based on superficial and, in my opinion, misleading data is inaccurate and deceitful.

dtgraham

The Greeks have their own entitlement structure and that’s part of the problem. You can get away with collecting little in the way of taxes if you’re offering the gov’t services of a third world nation, but the Greeks want to retire at 60 and have health care too.

2hheels2

If you want to be President you should support the Country that made you the Wealth. If you don’t support America you shouldn’t be President. Warren Buffet keeps his money here. I realize it is good business to hide your money for taxes but not if you want to be President

Tom_D44

Many americans make their wealth in other countries through international investments. How is that getting your wealth from America?

2hheels2

They are running for President. Mitt has known he wanted to be President for a long time. Part of that is supporting America. He is failing at that. As a business man goo but not as a Presidential candidate.

Kevin Schmidt

Let’s not forget that Clinton made the actions of Bain Capital, as well as the Wall Street banksters possible.

http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

I spent 30 years studying and working overseas. The law when I was abroad stipulated that money earned overseas after an American citizen spends 510 days abroad is all tax free. That is not what Mitt Romney has been doing. He has worked in the USA all his life, he earned his money in the USA, and he has been laundering some of his earning overseas to avoid paying taxes. The name for that is tax evasion and it is considered a crime.

http://profile.yahoo.com/NDJ6N73INHGXQFFG2LDZDYH4LI mare

yea and he wants to be our president, no way am i going to vote for a man that breaks the law and gets by with it, it goes to show that if your rich you can get by with anything probably even murder.

DurdyDawg

Let’s see who pops up on that getting away with murder quaff.. There’s Cullen Davis.. O.J. Simpson.. Joe the janitor (no, he was convicted of political whistle blowing). Anyway, I think you can follow up on this pretty easy.

Tom_D44

The problem with your point is that Romney isn’t guilty of tax evasion. You might be claiming that, but the media is just speculating to get people to be suspicious that he is guilty. If there was any evidence whatsoever, or even some hints that Romney was guilty of tax evasion or any kind of tax fraud, the press and the IRS would be all over it – ESPECIALLY since he is a candidate for the presidency. So quit fostering the lies.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Craig-Walker/100003117896489 Craig Walker

laws may have been twisted to make his actions legal but for a president morally right must be factored in ! who’s side is he on ? the highest bidder!!
http://profile.yahoo.com/F7N6EYN4STTT5QNALQII5ACXRM Joose

Please find me the part of the US tax code that makes foreign investment ILLEGAL. You claim he’s broken the law, but please provide the law he’s broken instead of just being a blow hard liberal.

cwalter711

It appears that the Republicans want all of the benefits of public spending on education, infrastructure, etc. without paying for it. As an futures, options and stock trader one saying that you hear on the market floor is “bulls make money, bears make money, but pigs get slaughtered”. Time to make the tax structure more progressive and eliminate the Reagan Revolution.

Even in my wealthy neighborhood there are short sales on multi-million dollar home. If it were not for anchor stores by Dominick’s and Walgreen the mall would be vacant. If the little guy does not have money how can you expect anyone to open a new store and invest?

If you squeeze the middle class into the lower class, the result will be a Latin American style economy with few businesses, corruption that makes anything now look clean, and what is left of the middle class taking up arms.

I believe we need to rebalance the economy, just like an investor rebalancing their portfolio. The Bush Era demonstrated just how bankrupt their economic theory is and they want to continue it? If this is the future you want vote monopoly.

PS Isn’t it ironic that the communist Chinese out capitalized the capitalists? Remember every time you see “Made in China” that the production order came from an American company. As V. Lenin said, “A capitalist will sell you the rope that is used to hang him.” So didn’t corporate leaders export our jobs and hang the middle class? Don’t blame the Chinese they only produced what corporate America ordered.

tokoloshi27

Dear ewalter711; I disagree with your opening statement. Many goppers are intent on stopping Federal spending on education (Dept. of Education is often listed as a white elephant that serves little or no benefit to national education). With respect to ‘infrastructure’, you need to be more specific, since I’ve seen much support for Army COE projects, less for river locks and the like but overall not much to choose between the parties except that the current dem administration seems to lean for anything associated with unions to the detriment of minority business participation (which is just odd).

Segueing from your retail observation, which seems symptomatic of the current lender/borrower uncertainty issue into a discussion of class that left me grasping for villains, here I’m referring to “what is left of the middle class taking up arms”. Are you prophesying violence from those bearing the brunt of supporting the lower class? Is this a criticism of left or right policies?

By the by, it is not ironic that Red China has “out capitalized the capitalists”, it is more in the way of a five year plan. As long as the reds can provide the material at a better price capitalists will use them. When Chinese communism costs rise, those manufacturing jobs will move elsewhere. The real point is that capitalists are not pulling in tandem with each other, it is not just American firms using China-made goods or parts, many European firms are doing the same; the strength of capitalism is that when the bottom falls out of using China labor, some companies will go under and others will rebound elsewhere. By then many of the rebounding companies will likely be Chinese – that is the irony.
Tom_D44

cwalter77-

I hope you are not using the Chinese as an example of “communism gone good”. The only reason everything is made in China is because of costs – really, really, really, cheap costs. Labor costs a few dollars a week and they house millions in bunk rooms above their factories so they don’t have to go far to get to work…..I suppose many around here might look at that and say, “Hey they all have free housing”. They have no costly regulations resulting in their factories which spewing out carbon emmissions like there is no tomorrow. It’s a no brainer why companies are producing over there.

What we should do, as consumers, is reject China and it’s wrongdoings, and choose to pay a little more for american made products. And through our efforts, let corporations know this, so that they know that their products would be supported even if they were more costly. But we don’t. We want all the benefits of the regulations for cleaner air, we want the higher salaries and wages, but we also want our products to be as cheap as the competition’s in China and that can’t be. Then we look to the evil corporations and say that they should foot the difference in costs by reducing profits because they make too much – but in the same breath we demand that our IRA’s and Mutual Fund investments continue to appreciate which are all tied to profits of these evil corporations. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

cwalter711

If you have been studying China you will find that the Communist Party has been buying pollution control equipment so your real cheap cost argument is rapidly becoming dated. The Chinese need to clean-up their air quality and more importantly their water quality. You cannot poison your population and expect to have a robust society, regardless of which form of economic organization you live under.

To suggest that we let corporate America poison our population in order to get some price advantage by deregulating industry is extremely irresponsible. Especially when the Chinese themselves are realizing that without pollution controls their quality of life goes to hell in a basket.

If you haven’t noticed there is beginning an influx of American companies that have stopped producing in China. The reason is that American workers are more productive than Chinese workers. This justifies a higher wage for American workers relative to Chinese workers.

Remember economics systems are a dynamic processes that are constantly adjusting.

The terms “communism gone good” and “evil corporations” reflect a prejudice that lacks analytical objectivity.

It is ironic that modern corporate behavior is proving a slogan said almost century ago correct.

Shouldn’t this get one to reexamine corporate philosophy and policy, to correct it and get the economy going in the direction that Adam Smith envisioned?

howa4x

Graham is right when he said you hide your money to avoid taxes,and putting it out of reach, off shore is the best way to do it. Romney is part of the greedy culture that dosen’t take responibility fully for being an American. We need to fund schools, roads, bridges, health care, social security,medicare/caid, homeland security and military, and that’e everyones responsibility. The 1% that Romney belongs to can be summed up by Leonia Helmsley when she said:” Only little people pay taxes”. So they want a minimal part in the funding of what makes america.
It seems interesting that all religious scriptures scorn people who are greedy no matter what religion, and it’s the republicans who are the 1st to bring out the holy book but never about greed. They bring it out for sex, or abortion but never about income disparities. Maybe in their form of Christianity Jesus never really was at a leeper colony but actually was sipping cocktails at the country club, consorting with other rich notables like the Kock bros. and the Romneys. The Republican philosophy is to take from the poor what little they have, like a head start pre school program and give it to the truly deserving: the 1%. That is how they see religion and Graham represents the bible belt so is cheating and lying ok?.
Make you think dosen’t it?
tokoloshi27

I found this interesting from the other side – for contrast…

Portman: Oust Obama, or US Will End Up Like Greece
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, a top contender to be Mitt Romney’s running mate, tells Newsmax.TV in an exclusive interview that President Obama “has fumbled the ball” and must be voted out of office, or the United States will follow southern Europe’s indebted nations into bankruptcy. Portman also slams Obama’s proposal to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans as a “campaign agenda item” to divide Americans.

karinursula

we are already divided.

http://www.facebook.com/john.gustafson.92 John Gustafson

This whole budget crisis is just political fakery.
Fact: The “national debt” == total money spent by Government minus total taxes collected.
Fact: Money supply == total money spent by Government minus total taxes collected.
Surprise: Money supply == national debt.
Fact: There is no legal US money supply except that created and spent by the Federal Government.
Question: Where would the Chinese get legal US dollars to lend to us?
What we actually borrow from the Chinese is goods and services, which gives them a lien on goods and services which we will produce in the future. We will have to share our goodies with them.
Fact: Every dollar reduction in the “federal debt” reduces the money supply in the civilian economy by one dollar. Do you find that there Is too much money in circulation? Are you receiving more that you would like? Of course not.
What we have in this country now is a crisis in liquidity – – too few dollars in circulation per person. Federal debt reduction, no matter how implemented, will make this worse.
Remember: Under the current fiat currency system, the Federal Government can create — from nothing – - – all the money it needs to pay its bills, including Chinese, Medicare and Social Security. They don’t even have to print it or mint it – - – it’s just a data entry in the FED’s books. It comes from the same magical source that baseball scoreboard numbers come from. The Government neither has nor does not have money; it creates money.

Now, how about inflation? Won’t the creation of too much money cause inflation. Yes, but that’s what taxes are for – - – they are like a throttle on inflation. Inflation → raise taxes and/or decrease Government spending. Recession → lower taxes and/or Increase Government spending. What do you think the economy needs right now?

How about distribution of wealth? Clearly this is largely determined by who gets Government spending and who pays taxes. The fundamental principle here is that there are people who immediately spend any money they receive because they have to; likewise there are people who spend only a small fraction of the money they receive because they don’t have to – - – better to save it until there is a depression then buy up everything. Unfortunately almost all of the existing money supply is being hoarded by people and banks that don’t need to spend it – - – it is not in circulation. That leaves only a small fraction available for you and I to receive and spend – - – that’s a liquidity crisis.

Too bad we don’t have a big tax on the difference between money received and money spent – - – on anything; stocks and bonds, groceries, real estate – - – just any spending that keeps the money in circulation – - – all expenditures are deductable. Give it a cap so that savings of several million per year per individual are not taxed.

Budget based thinking is causing most of our economic problems. We have people willing to work but no jobs while there is plenty of work that needs to be done – - – infrastructure, manufacturing…not in the budget.
We throw food away while there are people hungry – – not in the budget.
We have sick people unable to get medical treatment – - – not in the budget.

We should be thinking in terms of budgeting goods and services, not dollars. There will always be plenty of dollars unless politicians inhibit it. But goods and services will have to be shared with an increasing number of people.
quasm

Mr. Conason;

I applaud anyone who legally avoids paying taxes. The less money the government has to waste, the better the country will be for it.

Dik Thurston
Colorado Springs
Kevin Schmidt

Meanwhile, the Democrats fail to prosecute the Wall Street banksters, and instead hire them to work in the White House. So don’t just blame the fascist Republicans, when the fascist Democrats are just as guilty.

Definition of madness:
Continuing to vote out of fear for the lesser of two evil fascist political parties every two years, while expecting different results.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D5HPWVIJUUCDCQIWUV636LNM4A Elsa

Linsey Graham is basically an honest person, I do not agree with most of what he believes in, but I have to give him credit for not covering up the fact that Romney puts his money in foreign banks so he can avoid paying taxes on it. He is one of the few Republicans that have directly addressed the issue…………

Having said that, I do not agree that it is OK for a future President to go alone with tax policy that hurts the Country and who hinds his finances. If he is elected President, he will not be able to do that, so what is the point of doing it now? I have to ask myself what he is hiding. If what he is doing is legal than nothing could happen to him except it just might turn off all those poor middle-class people who are paying 25% taxes on the measly few dollars they make – you know the people that the Romneyites call shmucks. Come on Mr. Romney open up tells who is asking for our vote, release all your Tax forms. The fact that you refuse, just makes me think that you do not want anyone to know how much you have benefited from the Tax Policies you push.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VGQPF4SAS4BGFLDBZYCATHIVFY Chris Herz

I am convinced that Republicans will inadvertantly end the American Empire and its manifold aggressions quicker than we liberals or even radicals could ever imagine. This will be done as it was in the Soviet Empire: By bankrupting the state because of the machinations of a corrupt, dysfunctional elite and too much emphasis on foreign aggression.
Furthermore, I could never see the USA actually being allowed to vote for real progressives, even for another FDR. The right would send in the cops, the Army, raise Death Squads, do anything to keep the corporadoes in power. This way few will get hurt and the empire will fall just as quickly.
A vote for Mitt is a vote for fun!
All power to Occupy.
kb2dhg

I am so confused with all these campain promeses… I am not a Republican or Democrat. I am an independant who LOVES my country. I want a leader who will NOT outsorce and keep taxes at a minimum… One who can help rebuild industry and jobs right here in the states. I want a leader that is more concerned with the well being of MY country and its needs NOT other countries…
I want truth and integrety WHO IS THAT CANDADATE?

http://profile.yahoo.com/YPI4NVMAWGSK43SFUAL6OUISGA Bunny

When you find out , please let me know. My gut feeling is still Obama. I feel one of our problems is the lack of interest from the American people that these Candidates are counting on. We all need to pay more attention and voice our opinion to the right people!

dtgraham

I’ve seen these exact same reports about Greece on the BBC and Deutsche Welle. The Greeks are all a bunch of tax cheats. Crudely put, but that’s about it. Lindsey mentions tax avoidance, which is ok, but read his words. He’s talking the language of tax evasion.

The U.S. ranks right at the bottom of the 33 OECD nations in terms of tax revenues collected as a percentage of GDP. Successive federal and state governments have simply legitimized what the Greeks have been doing. There are worlds of differences between the United States and Greece, and the U.S. is not going to become Greece any time soon, but they are playing similar financial games. Nothing ever gets paid for.
Jack Wormer

Despite his Mormon Beliefs, Old Mittens is an enthusiastic player in our Judaeo-christian games, which only require fervent belief in the supra-natural, oblique talk, non-stop hypocrisy, and the characteristic Middle Eastern belief that MONEY cures all ills, as long as YOU have all the money!

dtgraham

Well said. That’s a classic Jack.

Tom_D44

It remains to be seen if China’s products start to become more expensive due to regulation and pollution controls. It remains to be seen if they start to treat their people like people and give them a decent life. It remains to be seen if they take their role in the world as it relates to environmental policy seriously. My guess is that they do what they need to do to keep political pressure off of them.

I did not suggest that we de-regulate corporate america to our own demise. I mearly pointed out why we obviously have a hard time to compete from a cost standpoint.

You obviously have much more faith in the Chinese Government that they care enough about their people and the world, than I do.
http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

I wonder how Sen. Graham would feel if any of us would do what Mitt Romney did? Can you imagine an average Joe telling the IRS that he doesn’t know where his $250M overseas investments are? We would be in jail for tax evasion faster than the time it took me to write this post. I am not surprised though, Rick Scott, the founder and former CEO of Columbia HCA was elected Governor after his company was charged and fined for the largest MEDICARE fraud case in history! He won with the support of the Tea Party, who loved his credentials!!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CVVNCBX2KNCHGWBHEXQM56VQKQ parmm

“it’s really American to avoid paying taxes,” ??? Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that? That I guess South Carlonia wants to leave the Union again. He sure comes across that way. He is Un-American in my book!!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CVVNCBX2KNCHGWBHEXQM56VQKQ parmm

I’m sure that someone is digging for hints! And I thing they will hit pay dirt!!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CVVNCBX2KNCHGWBHEXQM56VQKQ parmm

or illegal!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CVVNCBX2KNCHGWBHEXQM56VQKQ parmm

Or illegal
http://www.facebook.com/people/Craig-Walker/100003117896489 Craig Walker

of coarse they (the 1%) believe it right to avoid paying their fair share of taxes when there are so many people bellow them to do it. take the money and stay. reap all the security of living ing and protection of being American but don’t chip in on the cost? is this what you think is best for all America ? vote with your head learn the facts!! Obama 2012
stsintl

Senator Graham’s position is consistent with the core values of the Neo-Republican Party: Pay little or no taxes; little or no government regulations; Each on his own; Carry guns [even in churches]; and NO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Since these are the same core values crime syndicates operate on, no wonder the Party of Lincoln and Eisenhower has been now taken over by the likes of Mafia.
http://www.facebook.com/wendy.beck.14 Wendy Beck

Worse still is that the Simpson-Bowles and other budget documents reason that because “compliance” is so difficult when taxes reach a certain level, that we should lower upper rates further. We used to have rates up to 91% in the very productive 50′s, a great time for the middle class. By their reasoning, we should lower taxes because tax cheating and avoidance goes on. With that reasoning, why not lower their rates to zero? When you hear “compliance”, think cheating.

stsintl

Then the US would like Pakistan, where rich don’t pay any taxes and own the government and the military. There would be no public education. No civil infrastructure. Religious extremists would operate Christian Medrasas. Warlords would control everything and send their ill acquired gains to Swiss banks.

1standlastword

What if he owns stock in Chinese businesses? Wonder how that would fly with the party?
http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Jones/100000169400636 James Jones

if you a habitual liar like Romney why would even a republican vote for him,if he shipped jobs oversea and he did, lied about that, and he did, distroyed a company for his own selvish greed, he did
will he lie as president? he will, ship your jobs oversea he will, lie about that?you bet your sweet[arse]
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonny-Dancer/100003939186029 Jonny Dancer

RE: ……….As long as it was legal, I’m OK with it,” said the South Carolina Republican……

As a Christian, this man should understand why Jesus drove the money changers from the temple!
http://profile.yahoo.com/HEAG7KKF3XLYFBMNHN3SOTB5GI WSA

If Romney does not release more tax returns he is going to lose. If he releases say 5 years of tax returns he will lose by more than 5%. Either way, Romney is going to lose. It just depends by how much. Romney has too much baggage to be President. Romney does not have the baggage of a Gingrich or Santorum, but he has enough to doom his candidacy from the start. The biggest liability for Mitt Romney is Mitt Romney on videotape. He has contradicted himself on every issue at one time or another. I think he has the paranoid schizophrenic vote locked up. Yes he has. No he hasn’t. The 2012 Presidential election is over and the man who saved the 2002 Olympics but extracting $ 1 billion from the Federal Government will get SILVER MEDAL AGAIN to add to his collection.
DurdyDawg

Lindsey (the) Graham (cracker) sez, “it’s really American to avoid paying taxes,” .. and, “I don’t blame anybody for using the tax code to their advantage… It’s a game we play. I see nothing wrong with playing the game because we set it up to be a game.” (yeah! A game for the wealthy elite.. when was the last time you were capable of avoiding taxes to the point of it feeling like a game?)

So… It’s all a game.. A game THEY set up. Who’s ‘they’ ..? The Pubs? Congress? Joe the janitor? Who?? We don’t know, their not talking.. SOMEBODY set up our g’ment, the IRS and probably every other mickey mouse law.. As a game? Gotta be the game of monopoly (their ‘free’ passes from prosecution gives us THAT clue). That alone proves that Obama isn’t to blame for everything yet these Pubno’s keeps playing the ‘game’ even after they admit it’s all a game. I can’t wait for the real debates to start.. This slug will be slammed and it’s so obvious.. None of the Goppers have taken this election serious.. It gives me the idea that the big frogs don’t want a Republican in office.. They want Obama to win so the Nation can deteriorate from the hatred that follows, then martial law, fema camps.. Total control.. NWO!! Does it sound like I’m paranoid? Very astute of you. Where’s Jesse Ventura when you need him? (block seven, bunk three in the fema camp perhaps?). People, don’t blame Obama for NDAA.. It was drawn up and voted majorally by the Pubs (with a number of Dem traitors) to be for future use (one way or the other). Be afraid.. Be very afraid. (sounds like a Stephen King novel doesn’t it?).
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

romney dosent was to be like dear old dad . for if he was to show his taxs for 12 years two thing would come out 1 being he has alot more then his $250,000,000 he says he has . closer to a billion or more im sure . and 2nd would be the fact that he worked for bains longer he says he did. he says he has investors that handle his money that gready bastards dosent let no one know any thing about his money with out him knowing about . as for how much money he says he has and realy dose have . well that greedy B i dont think even for his kids would put $100,000,000 aside for his kids in a trust type of fund . its just too high of a % of his money
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

But the Republican candidate and his flacks have repeatedly insisted that the Romneys’ admittedly minimal tax bill , 15% isnt the smallest price one can pay ? for the life of me i cant find the reason why some one can make so much more money and not pay the same % points as the rest of the countrys ppl. (all but the other greedy bastards)
michaelnola

Sen. Graham wants us to believe that somehow these tax laws just appear out of nowhere, and just happen to be as they are because of some benign and objective force instead of the reality that the rich get the laws they want to favor themselves and their objectives. If rapists had control of our government like the rich do, they could leave their DNA at the site of their escapades and have no fear of jail, either.

To Repubs, there is nothing more American than avoiding taxes, legally or not. These people, who never fail to praise the sacrifices of those in the military, in fact lead lives of their own that are diametrically opposed to the concept of selflessness they so admire in those wearing the uniform.

Getting back to Sen. Graham, the Greek practice of avoiding taxes is not the only Greek thing he practices, especially in the bedroom, or wherever he is when the blood begins to churn.
http://profile.yahoo.com/FGACBEJRSIIEWB4HJ72D5JUQWM Kevin

The tax code is written for people like Lindsey Graham, greedy SOBs who like to wrap themselves in the American flag when it is convenient. If the tax code was revised and we eliminated all deductions and the hiding of income in offshore banks (Mr. Romney), the tax rates for middle income Americans would be reduced significantly if not totally eliminated. The economy of the U.S. has and will always be driven by the largest bloc of people, the middle class. Unless, of course, the GOP succeeds in killing the middle class. We buy the products and services that drive the economy which ultimately leads to job growth. It’s basic economics of supply and demand. If companies are selling more they will produce more and that ultimately means more people to hire to help get their products made and sold. The “trickle down” method with the Bush tax cuts was tried for eight years under Bush, yet in the eight years George W. was in office we saw job growth virtually non-existent. Remember this saying, “burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me.” If Mitt (don’t call me Wilbur) Romney is elected president, we should all be ashamed.
imabrummie

And this is news because? From what I can understand, tax avoidance, at least for those infamous one-percenters, is the current policy pursued by the RePUBIC-clown party!
rustacus21

But it’s a non-issue, no matter what, if there are more enlightened voters who don’t vote Republican & who LITERALLY know better than to vote to impoverish themselves (as in 2001-2009 – post Clinton era), b/c of a crazed, insane policy such as ‘supply-side’ economics…
http://www.facebook.com/joe.coupon.52 Joe Coupon

GOP party they all love america but “Avoiding Their Fair Share of Taxes”
http://www.facebook.com/rick.sanborn Rick Sanborn

To follow Graham’s logic it’s “really American” for Hospital Corporation of America to scam Medicare and it’s “really American” for Kellogg, Brown & Root to overbill the Pentagon — if they can get away with it, anyway.

Memo Pad

If We’re Headed Toward Greece, Republicans Are Driving Us There

Continue Reading >> 1 2

Follow Us

Newsmaker Memo

Most Read

Most Comments