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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 28, 2012, after the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Barack Obama’s health care law.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney greets supporters during a campaign rally at a local business, Tuesday May 29, 2012.
Sun Archives
Mitt Romney told Harry Reid to “put up or shut up” Thursday in an attempt to silence the Nevada senator’s recent, rabid spate of accusations that Romney isn’t releasing his tax returns because there are years he paid no taxes at all.
Reid did neither. Instead, he issued a statement quadrupling down on his allegations.
“As I said before, I was told by an extremely credible source that Romney has not paid taxes for 10 years,” Reid said. “People who make as much money as Mitt Romney have many tricks at their disposal to avoid paying taxes ... It’s clear Romney is hiding something, and the American people deserve to know what it is.”
The chorus of prominent politicians calling on Romney to release his tax returns includes Democrats and Republicans, but none so determined — or making such damning charges — as Reid.
While he won’t reveal his source, Reid has only grown more confident in his accusations about Romney’s tax returns since he first started levying them in floor speeches and interviews a few weeks ago.
“I think he’s honestly performing as an attack dog for the campaign, and I think he’s doing a marvelous job,” said Dan Hart, a Democratic strategist in Las Vegas. “Romney’s put himself in a very bad position where Reid can throw these things out there, and he can’t refute them without putting out his tax returns ... it’s pretty crafty.”
Reid did open himself up to some ridicule for pushing claims backed up only by an unnamed source. On the Daily Show, host Jon Stewart ran a five-minute segment labeling Reid a “terrible person.”
“Here’s a rule of thumb, if you have to follow your claim with ‘I don’t know if that’s true,’ then shut up,” Stewart said. “Should Mitt Romney release his tax returns? Of course. But him not doing the right thing doesn’t give you license to do the wrong thing.”
Romney has released two years of tax returns, from 2010 and 2011, showing he paid about a 14 percent tax rate. But he’s refused to go any further back in time — or release returns from any year before he decided to make a bid for the White House.
Reid isn’t the only one suggesting Romney may have avoided tithing any part of his income to the Treasury department. A recent campaign ad for President Barack Obama made the same suggestion. But Reid’s made it more pointedly, with the help of his unnamed source, because he has less to lose.
“Unfortunately, Harry Reid has a reputation for doing this, and the fact that there have been a number of media inquiries about what he said, shows that it was somewhat effective,” Republican consultant Robert Uithoven said. “Think of the comments he made about Obama ... he called the former President Bush a loser in front of school kids. He’s one of these guys that shoots from the hip, and he has a reputation for saying these kinds of things without any kind of backups.
“If the IRS had any evidence that (Romney) hasn’t paid taxes, they would be after him,” Uithoven added. “It’s just a political ploy that he may have to respond to through the rest of the campaign.”
Late Thursday, Reid wasn’t the only one sticking his neck out on the line with the accusation. CNN reported that they too had an unnamed source who could confirm Reid’s allegations.
Even if Reid’s source is wrong, however, there may not be much for him to lose by making these attacks.
“Let’s say (Romney) releases his returns, and Reid is wrong: He doesn’t have zero. Reid can just come back and say, 'Well why didn’t you show that to us in the beginning?'” Hart said. “People will remember that. They’re not going to remember what Reid said somebody told him ... maybe that’ll be an issue four years from now. But the issue today is, there’s a presidential election.”
In the meantime, one thing is clear: Until Romney either releases his returns or they are otherwise leaked, this promises to remain an increasingly vicious game of he said-he said.
“I’m sure Mitt Romney’s going to hear this question until Election Day. And if it’s not the issue of how many years of tax returns that he releases, well now it’ll be another figure on Capitol Hill who says you should release more,” Uithoven said. “I don’t think Harry Reid really has much interest in poring over Mitt Romney’s tax returns. He’s just trying to create a political issue. And it works.”
All I can say is that Reid is a despicable human being!
Romney continues to make claims that he will reduce the deficit by cutting loopholes and tax deductions but does not specify what they are. Romney should put up or shut up about his tax plans which so far have been illusionary, like his tax returns.
The 'moral imperative' he speaks about is backing Israel in preemptive attack on Iran for an atomic weapons program but isn't this the same atomic weapons program that Iraq had?
Iraq's illusionary atomic weapons program increased the debt at least $2 trillion. Romney must define where the money will come from for a war with Iran.
Romney lists a 'moral imperative' for the health of 8 million people who have guaranteed, socialized medicine, yet he declines any imperative for 30 million people that do not have health care. Where are Romney's true commitments?
Ask Saint Dean Heller to submit to an IRS audit for the past five (5) years and an audit for the next 20 years which will include himself AND his family. He was promoted to his anointed position without validation.
Harry Reid is part of the leadership problem that is killing this country. Along with Pelosi, Boehner, McConnel AND the president, we are doomed until they are all replaced. They set the tone, either cooperation or partisan backstabbing hateful intolerant politics. The direction of the latter is clearly wrong but they just can't seem to help themselves.
Ha ha ha!!!
Ol' Harry has BAITED The GaffeMan...
and the GaffeMan has taken the bait!
Hey, Mittens...
Silence that mean, old Harry Reid!
show us you DID pay taxes...how much & on WHAT...
Put up, or SHUT UP!
Aside to Karoun...
'RABID'? 'SPATE'?
Shirley, you jest!
Will Halo Harry demand a predatory peek of his minister's returns next?
Some Politicians' may believe they possess God-like powers but if God were here he'd tell them to their face "man you're some kind of sinner" and the sign said "thou shall not steal" did not apply?
Public-theft through taxation is as immoral as welcoming unborn Americans into the world with the priceless gift of massive public debt.
In the mirror of "show me your tax returns" reflects a deeply rooted illness of thy cultured sins.
Let the social thieves repent!
Criminalize taxation -- and such predatory peepers can't exist.
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The last time I looked a person was innocent until proven guilty. (But with the way this administration that you are a part of is trashing the constitution that may have changed). Mr Reid how about you offer the proof of your claims and your sources first. Your very fast to throw out accusations but I don't see you providing FACTS! Oh and by the way lets see your 10 year tax returns....and your families as well...
Gmag, yes, rabid spate. Pinky has no proof other than the voices in his head. If anybody wonders why our country is circling the drain, here is your proof. Instead of doing the country's business, Harry is Obama's lapdog. Pinky needs to go back on his meds.
Pinky truly is an embarrassment to Nevada.
It's Romney that needs to put up or shut-up! Why is he hiding his tax-returns from the American public? Why should working Americans pay more % in taxes than someone who makes $20 mil a year?
Romney has not released 2 years worth of tax returns. He has not even released all the forms for a full year.
Why shouldn't everyone pay their fair share? Is that your question? If so Why is it that the top 10% of income earners pay 48% of the taxes? That leaves 52% of the taxes for 90% of the people to pay? Lets make it even across the board. People need to quit believing everything that is put out there in the media and do the research on their own. Learn the FACTS!
The punch drunk BUFFOON plays on!!!!!!
"Last week President Obama said, 'We tried our plan, and it worked.' With the unemployment rate going up again, it's obvious that plan didn't work at all,"
Be that likely voter and go to the polls on November 6th 2012 and vote the Blamer/Complainer/Campaigner-in-Chief out of office!
Since Obama has been in office:
1. 85% of polled say they are not better off.
2. Labor force has dropped ~7 million jobs/workers.
3. Middle class net worth down 40%.
4. Greatest debt in US history.
5. Greatest middle class tax increase in US history.
6. First US credit downgrade in US history.
7. Lowest percent paying taxes lowest in modern era.
8. Highest government dependence in US history.
9. Housing ownership is down to 1960's levels.
10. Percent living in extreme poverty is at all-time high.
11. Obama pushed and congress approved the unconstitutional Obama care bill (with penalty not tax) and the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. In addition many other unconstitutional acts such as the "dream act" which costs law abiding citizen jobs.
Be that likely voter and go to the polls on November 6th 2012 and vote the Blamer/Complainer/Campaigner-in-Chief out of office!
Vote for Ebenezer Romney in November,
And there will be no Christmas pie by December!
Mitt's a Miser so he hides his Returns,
Scrooge's straitjacket he wears so I've learned!
Conservatives didn't want him from day one,
God Bless us All. -- Everyone!
Give them Hell Harry and keep it up. Mandate Mitt is hiding his record of not paying taxes and investments in companies that do business with IRAN.
We know that Republican Supporters Koch Brothers do business with IRAN:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-02...
Harry might have got the information from Jon Huntsman or someone who worked for Bain like Robert C Gay.
Also Donald Dump Trump the comb-over crusader does not name names why should our great Senator Harry Reid.
Harry Reid then,
Harry Reid now,
Harry Reid forever!!
Guess right wing nut talk radio has something to talk about!
@milt1007 your comment shows the exact reason this country is in trouble! I like how the simple minds blame everything on Obama even things that started over 200 years ago!
"The multiculturalism movement must be unmasked for the fraud that it is," Romney wrote in his 2010 book, "No Apology".
Romney doesn't mention places like 'Little Italy', 'Chinatown', and the Polish, Welsh, Norwegian, German, Spanish, African etc. communities that were formed by their respective immigrants (and slaves) when they arrived in America. This is a multicultural nation according to history but Romney apparently learned history in his Sunday school classes where they teach only one culture.
We are the bums and the refuse that Europe, Russia, the middle East, China etc. didn't want any more. From the Statue of Liberty:
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Now that Romney has his cash, he wants to re-define culture and rule in secrecy as did the Old World aristocracies. He wants to rule, not govern: "Do as I say, not as I do". It's time to put up or shut up on his tax returns.
The republicans hate it when the democrats start doing the Lee Atwater/Karl Rove play book back on them hey?
Mitt Romney is coming off as the Republican version of Michael Dukakis now, plans for a photo op in a tank would be great me thinks..
am i the only one who thinks all this sounds eerily similar to the birther movement? birthers were also convinced they were correct and had the same "unnamed, yet totally credible sources" to back them up. they doubled and quadrupled down on their convictions. and where did it get them in the end? looking like conspiracy theory idiots who may be losing their grip on reality. say it ain't so, harry...
Reid's echoing Joe Arpaio's birther game of making a claim without providing evidence.
Arpaio's a hero to the GOP.
But don't they just throw a complete hissy fit when the table is turned? Give 'em hell, Harry!
Come on Hypocrite Harry, tell us who you talked with at Bain Capital about Romney's tax returns.
It is very clear that Reid is right and Romney is hiding the fact that he has not paid any taxes.
It is the only thing that makes any sense.
Another rich greedy repugnican lying and fooling the american people.
Why doesn't the IRS just release the truth? Because then the american people would have a list of all the rich greedy scum bags who exploit the american 99%!
And then we would really know all about tax dodgers and their trick and special interest rules.
This could be a golden opportunity for Willard to publicly humiliate Harry Reid -- but for some reason (I wonder what it could be ???) the Etch a Sketch candidate still refuses to let his tax returns see the light of day.
As the powerful majority leader said recently, Willard's father must be embarrassed and ashamed.
This isn't just political hardball, and it is. Harry knows this is close to the fact, if not the actual fact. Romney has a reason to not come clean on a lot of things. Harry is putting the screws to him and increasing the pressure. If he wasn't pretty sure of his source, he wouldn't have done this. Reid is way too smart. By the end of the month, Romney is going to be in very bad shape unless he does something dramatic, and if he has a trump card to play, why hasn't he played it already?
Give 'em hell Harry!! Baseless claims??...just watch Faux News and their loony guests make non-stop baseless claims.
Newt Gingrich started the call for Romeny to release his tax returns during the Republican primary. Many Republicans have called on Romney to release his tax returns. But, in the minds of the Tea Party folks this is an evil plan by the Democrats. Laughing all the way to Obama's re-election.
McCain chose Palin over Romney after reviewing 10 years of Romney's tax returns. That says a lot about how UN-electable Romney is.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
And if that greasy vulture capitalist does actually show us his taxes (he won't), we want to see the long-form version, not some redacted, abbreviated crap.
From the article;
Reid did open himself up to ridicule for pushing claims backed up only by an unnamed source. On the Daily Show, host Jon Stewart ran a five-minute segment labeling Reid a "terrible person
New Romney campaign slogan:
"GOP Tax Dodger in 2012!"
The Senator must be senile.
Both Harry and Mitt have alot in common...Money is GOD...next to Joseph Smith that is...
Nobody could pull this off better than Sen Reid!!! I love it!!! Mitt's got the evidence,c'mon Mitt... shut Harry up and do what you shouldda done some time ago... come clean with the public.
The distraction is killin' ya Mitt!!!!
The only people with ya right now are the sizeable clan or Klan of Obama haters, but they look stupid trying to deflect this for you. What up? Ball's in YOUR court!!!
Millions of middle class Americans have lost nearly 50% of their wealth in just the last six years, many have lost everything. Is it getting any better America?
All of this Right Wing Hate could be solved with One Very Simple Thing. For Mr Romney to have his Accountant hit the "SEND" button on his computer of his completed taxes (they've been filed) to a couple of News Outlets. As long as Mr Romney wants to HIDE his tax Records - They are fair game.
I suspect it will show he paid very little taxes (Legally), because Congress is Purchased By Very Wealthy individuals and Corporations that have Tax Laws Written for them. If Mr Romney Paid NO Taxes, and did so Legally, he's a Fool for not releasing six to ten years.
Enjoyed the article, Karoun. But I just want to point out to you that you carefully edited your take on the Jon Stewart Show segment.
If anyone took the time to watch it all the way to the end, Jon Stewart expressed mock outrage at how Senator Reid supposedly said something someone else said without proving it, and Jon Stewart went on to mention how no one on the other side would ever do something like that.
Then it switches to just about TEN or so Fox News segments where they made up stuff. Stuff where they start by saying, "Some people say," "It has been said," and "Some have conjectured," and other nonsense like that which was only meant to throw a right wing agenda out there...with absolutely no iota of proof to it.
So, the end of the piece actually slammed the far right news media. Because Senator Reid only repeated what he heard. While Fox News is just agenda driven, not concerned with checking anything to see if it's true or not.
Anyways, I love seeing all these comments by the righties. Really spun them up.
All I see is Senator Reid playing really, really hardball politics and calling out Romney, and more important, trying to get his goat. At the same time, he calculated Romney would double down and bullheadedly not bite and not release his tax returns.
It met with success.
People are calling Senator Reid a "taxer," and equate it with the "birther" thing, but there is a stark difference.
President Obama produced his birth certificate. Along with the written proof and people who backed up the fact that he is indeed an American. And his actions while in office speak volumes; in that he has demonstrated without a doubt he is indeed an American and represents this country admirably.
On the other hand, Romney hasn't budged. He hasn't proved anything. The boil festers. The pimple gets bigger. No tax returns.
The simple fact of the matter is that Romney will NEVER release his tax returns. Because they will show things he doesn't want revealed. Things that prove he is a liar and a fraud.
I do enjoy the ultra-conservatives going ballistic at Senator Reid about this though. And it's no big thing if people attack Senator Reid. He definitely demonstrates he is not concerned. Because even if he didn't say what he said about Romney and his stupid tax returns, the right wingnuts would attack him about something else. So, it's no big whoop. But I do enjoy seeing Senator Reid jumping in the big swimming pool to play, and throwing the Tea/Republican Party's tactics right back, smushing it in their faces.
Gooooooo, Senator Reid! Now I know for a proven fact that my vote for you wasn't wasted.
Important information about Jay Brown, Senator Reid, and Judge Dawson
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php...
All Romney has to do is show us his tax returns. Romney has the proof for all of this in his own hands.
Consider, if Romney has not paid income taxes in ten years, it means WE are all paying his way. That includes the military that protects his fortune for him.
He is lower than anything because he can well afford to pay his own way..
Why on Earth does this state continue to vote this guy back in office? This man is the perfect example of what is wrong in DC. This guy is scum and you all continue to just vote him back in"wake up NV.
Harry does not have to do a damn thing it is Romney who must put up or shut up,it is Romney who without revealing his tax returns could not be appointed to head an exeuctive post. Romney is a phony scumbag who thinks he is in the boardroom and can bully his way out of this issue.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
"and equate it with the "birther" thing,"... That's too easy, just produce fake tax returns, it's perfectly acceptable in America to be a liar, and it's even legal to be an idiot.
Romney doesn't pay his taxes, so all of us "Little People" have to pay more. Good for Reid to call Romney out on his tax cheating. All Romney has to do is show his tax returns. Obviously, the reason he won't is that: 1. He paid an UNBELIEVABLY low tax rate or NO taxes, or 2. He has done something criminal.
By the way, how is it possible to have $100 million in an IRA account? The program has been in place since Reagan, there is not way that compounding even on excellent returns and full contribution that this is possible. Obviously, there is something really fishy here. Finally, how does one write off a dressage horse as a medical expense...and then have it compete in the Olympics? Further signs of cheating on taxes.
"Romney doesn't have to do anything but expose the lying, classless Democrat party (small p)!"
Really, NVMakz?
You posted outright lies and slander from Ashley Todd, the mental patient who carved a backwards B into her face during the 2008 election and claimed a black man attacked her!
In your desperate, "classless" attempt to play the race card, you embarrassed yourself and destroyed your credibility, hence the new username.
I think this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
But your lone wolf crusade against Harry Reid has brought me more than a few chuckles today. Thanks! It's always nice to have some lighthearted humor before the weekend.
Breaking news.... Another person came out and said someone in the know confirmed what Senator Reid heard about Romney not paying taxes for ten years.
And this person wasn't encouraged to come forth. He just volunteered it, relating what he heard also. And it backs up what Senator Reid heard.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02...
In the meantime, go ahead, right wingers. Keep humping each others' legs in the comments section here on this article and jump on the hate Senator Reid with a vengeance bandwagon. Don't amount to a hill of beans. Because Romney has something to hide. That's the long and short of the whole matter.
The horrible truth is that Romney is a totally flawed candidate with skeletons in his fiscal closet. Continual deflection away from the tax return issue is not going to help with the voters out here. Romney can run, but he can't hide.
Goooooo, Senator Reid!
"Is it getting any better America?"
Yes, actually, it is. Visitation is up, taxable sales are up, housing prices are starting to recover, job growth is back in the black, US forces are no longer losing limbs and lives in a failed search for WMDs, bin Laden is at the bottom of the ocean,and we are leading the medal count.
So, yes, things are getting better. Thanks for asking.
Didn't we hear all of this BS when Sleaze was running against Angle? U people forget or don't care the last weekend he won the reelection by having his staff come in to Las Vegas and get the Latino vote (documented and undocumented) to vote The reliable source that sleaze has is fr the White House and u know where that is going. U people are happy with the worst education in the nation one of the highest Unemployment rates in the nation than u can compliment sleaze all u want. With his faults I will take Romney over BO. BTW where are BO college transcripts? I have it fr very reliable sources that BO is a Muslim.
Harry Reid is just a pathetic human being. He values money over character - He values position over doing what is right. It is impossible to reason with him. He said this past week, answering a question regarding taxes, that the United States does not require its citizens to pay taxes. He cited that in other countries, the employers collect it all. I am gainfully employed so what's so different.
Romney's sources should prove their claims that he paid taxes, and that is none other than the great Anglo Saxon himself, Mr. Uniculture nonpareil.
Ah, Mr. Traeger will call tactics pathetic... even when the candidate he'll vote for in November used THE SAME TACTIC in 2002!
Yup, Romney Zombies, guess who accused his opponent of "hiding something" in unreleased tax returns?
MITT ROMNEY!
"In 2002, Mitt Romney's gubernatorial run Fehnrstrom was Romney's attack dog, hitting his opponent Shannon O'Brien for not releasing her husband's tax returns."
"Fehrnstrom accused O'Brien, who released her tax returns every year since 1998, of being disingenuous by releasing her but not her husband's returns, a former lobbyist who had worked with Enron implying the returns would show wrongdoing."
"Her hands aren't clean. She can't claim to be disclosing anything until she discloses the returns of her husband, the Enron lobbyist," Fehnrstrom said. "Under Shannon O'Brien, the state Pension Board lost millions by buying Enron stock when it was collapsing -- what is she hiding?"
http://bit.ly/PKLrYv
Hypocrites. Every single time they accuse Obama or his campaign of being "pathetic" or "dirty," it turns out Romney has a history of doing the exact same thing.
Harry Reid makes stuff up and MSDNC repeats it to rally his mindless base. What a surprise.
Harry Reid deserve the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his great work exposing the fact that Mitt Romney does not pay his fair share.
What does Romney have to gain by releasing his tax records? It's obvious if he does he will be attacked for whatever rate he payed which is probably a bit lower because most of his income is capital gains and investment income. If he doesn't than it gives the left a straw man to beat up saying Romney is hiding some evil tax evasion plot. I guess this also means that since Obama won't release his college transcripts it must mean he was a terrible student with a fraudulently awarded degree possibly using the same logic the left is on Romney on the tax returns.
Harry and Barry's green and Romney's green reality.
http://usactionnews.com/2012/08/romneys-...
Obumma's axelrod has done this to all former opponents. Sealed records on divorce, child custody and criminal. Chicago values.
I'd love to see what Obumma got in his token science class.
The stupidity of the media in this country is unreal. Many of them are asking Reid for proof. He is a politician and anyone in this country with half a brain knows that politicians lie all of the time. Reid did this for one reason and that is to force Romney to release his tax returns which is what he should have done a long time ago. The American people deserve to know the truth Romney, show the returns.
Yet another article slamming Romney about his taxes. And this relates to fellow Tea/Republicans urging Romney to show his tax returns.
Exerpts from a Huffington Post article:
"GOP Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) said Thursday that Mitt Romney's refusal to release more than two years of tax returns could hurt him in the presidential election.
'I don't think this will go away,' Jones told The Hill. 'And if we're still talking about this in September, he's in deep trouble.'
Many Republicans have called on Romney to release more than two years of tax returns to make the issue go away, including his former rivals Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman. Conservative pundits Bill Kristol and George Will, as well as the editors of the National Review, have also called on Romney to release the returns.
Romney has steadfastly refused to do so."
So, the pressure is mounting. Romney is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The longer the American people talk about Romney's arrogance, coupled with his wife talking about "you people, that's all you're gonna get" crap, along with running away from the issue, pointing fingers back at non-existent controversies, Sean Hannitization on Fox News, and other deflections...is really not gonna work with the American voters out here.
He's toast.
He's gonna get crushed in November. And not only him, but we're taking the Senate and the House too.
Sick and tired of the non-stop games that get us nowhere...except to watch the Tea/Republicans suck up to the rich all the time...at the expense of everyone else.
The 99 percent of fine upstanding citizens of this great nation are gonna have their say on November 6, 2012.
And the Tea/Republican Party, as a whole, is not gonna like it.
Man, you Harry Haters...
Seriously; read your own screed on Reid...
That kind of HATE is NOT HEALTHY!!!
Well, it seems as though there's a lot of 'unhealthiness' going around...
"A new Pew survey has found that Mitt Romney is so unpopular that he has now replaced Sarah Palin as America's most hated national political figure."
I do not like the 'hate' label...
Let's go with 'HIGHLY UNPOPULAR'.
http://www.politicususa.com/mitt-romney-...
Backers of Mittens Howell-Rmoney are going to have a difficult fall season.
Realize, that if Romney did not pay his taxes he would be breaking the law. What Reid is accusing Romney of is criminal activity. Thre reason Romney wont share his taxes is because he probably uses every tax benefit at his disposal to protect his wealth as he should, and democrats will use that against him to make him appear as a tax dodging jerk. The reality is however, nobody wants to over pay on their taxes and everyone uses the deductions available to them. There is no moral argument to be made here unless Romney is breaking the law (which is highly unlikely). Further, its amazing that the democratic leadership continue to beat this drum when they have given so much power to influnce to GE (a company that paid nothing in income tax utilizing tax loopholes last year) Its complete politcial theater and only goes to show what a joke their economic platform really is. Its just the latest distraction from a failed adminsitrations record.
Hmmm ...
32 comments on this one about Michele Bachmann claiming Muslims have taken over the government: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/jul...
64 comments & counting on Harry Reid quoting someone else about Romney not paying taxes.
If true, which would be the bigger threat?
The best thing that could happen now is the Republicans nominate Romney and then Reid shows the proof that Romney didn't pay taxes for 10 years. Dems would not only win the Presidency but own the House and Senate as well. Romney is a slick weasel who's finally been outmastered! LOL
It's pretty easy to make claims that you can't back up. Unfortunately it's coming from the Senate leader which is disgraceful and further erodes any chance that after the election anything will get done in Washington.
This country is sinking into a cesspool and we have two parties that are name calling, race baiting and pretty much ensuring that whomever wins the other side won't sit down and find a compromise to govern the rest of us.
Is there any statesmen left in this country?
The reason no one in either the House or Senate will say anything bad about Senator Reid is, they know the Senator has the highest credibility standing of any legislator ever.
They also know all Myth Gaffeney has to do to clear up this issue is release the tax forms.
But thanks to Mr. Gaffeney's refusal, the president has painted his opponent as an indictment of illegitimacy.
Desperate & despicable! That's the Dumbocrats! They have nothing, and I mean nothing, positive to run on so it's 24/7 mudslinging whether or not the accusations have any basis in truth or not. If shame was still a commodity within the leftist community, that's exactly what they would be - ashamed to have their good names associated with such a low-life windbag as Harry "the Red" Reid. BTW, this just in, Harry the Red appeared on the Senate floor in his bare feet due to swallowing every pair of shoes he owns with his foot-in-the-mouth ignorance.
I say that Romney should respond to Reid's claims by offering to release just as many tax returns as Harry Reid has himself released. (BTW, That number is currently ZERO)
I mean, here's a US Senator, leader of his party, pointing out that we can't know if we can trust this politician unless we can examine his tax returns to make sure he's paid his fair share. Shouldn't that mean that Harry Reid would do us the same courtesy and let us examine HIS tax returns to make sure he paid HIS fair share?
Chuck Gladu: where's your contempt for Romney? His campaign did the exact same thing in 2002!
Once again, the GOP demands a double-standard for their own candidates.
Did RedRocky/NVMakz abandon ship? His comments are suddenly gone and his username comes up with "Can't find that page."
Did I run him off the site.... again?
So why did it take the Sun three days to cover this story? Reid looked idiotic from day one, but finally the pressure got too great to ignore him?
And why are the Dem's so concerned about Romney's tax returns? After all, they've got a tax cheat in the Treasury Secretary that doesn't cause them any concern.
Leave it to wealthy Senator Reid
I think Sen. Reid may have caught the same disease that Michelle Bachmann is suffering from.
Kevin, why would I have any contempt for Romney? He has chosen to not release his tax returns to the public...which is his right as a US Citizen, just as it is yours.
I simply pointed out that if Reid insists that the only way to know that Romney didn't engage in criminal tax fraud is to release his returns...then Reid should hold himself to the same standard.
Jerry Wise -- the Reason the top 10 percent pay 48 percent of taxes is because they make 60 percent of the money.
So shouldn't they actually pay 60 percent of the taxes?
It's a little silly to expect a man making $20,000 a year to pay the same amount as a man making $2 million a year.
Sorry Evil_Slayer, you got the numbers backwards.
"The top 10 percent of income earners paid 71 percent of all federal income taxes in 2009 though they earned 43 percent of all income. The bottom 50 percent paid 2 percent of income taxes but earned 13 percent of total income. About half of tax filers paid no federal income tax at all."
Source: PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL INCOME TAXES AND INCOME EARNED (2009)
This is all stupid and baseless back and forth -- probably over nothing. Mr. Romney could put this to rest in an instant by releasing his tax returns, both income tax and gift tax returns, so everyone can see just what he declared and what he paid. I suspect that they would reveal he was a clever tax avoider. I hope it is nothing more than that. But as long as Romney thinks he is protecting himself by not releasing his tax returns, he will be open to charges of having crossed over into major tax evasion -- charges which he cannot refute without making public his tax returns. So Mr. Romney has already allowed himself to be foxed by Harry Reid. (And we are left to wonder whether if Romney can be outfoxed by Harry Reid, how a President Romney would fare against the Chinese -- who pick their leaders for superior competence.)
One other point: Mr. Romney is supposed to be a superior businessman. Superior business people usually work to a business plan. I have searched for Mr. Romney's business plan -- so far I have found nothing but the usual vague political statements. He appears to have no Business Plan for guiding this mid-sized Country to success in preserving its liberties at home and advancing its' economic interests at home and abroad. As a supposedly superior business person, he should already have had his Business Plan done.
If Mr. Romney has no Business Plan and won't make his tax returns public, the view of this independent is that the Republican Party ought to nominate someone else -- Jeb Bush, Mitch Daniels, Chuck Grassley -- anyone else. Mr. Obama -- like Herbert Hoover -- ought to be a one-term President, but if Mr. Romney is the nominee, Mr. Obama is likely to win re-election by enough to affect key races in the Senate and House.
If Reid has the proof then show it and the election is over. Making accusations without proof is wrong. Maybe Romney should sue him for libal. Reid will never have the proof. Romney was vetted before and will be again. The IRS knows if he paid taxes or not. If true that he didn't its a slam dunk for the President. But on the other hand if its not true it could damage the Presidents chance of winning the election. Oh I did forget that with Fast and Furious , Solyndra, security leaks it would probably be swept under the rug. It will be a very sad day in Nevada should Reids claims turn out to be false.
No Deposit No Return.
Mitt has chosen to deposit his wealth in secretive bank accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. Why does Romney not deposit in American banks...what is he hiding from the IRS and the American people?
No Returns to prove Romney paid taxes prior to 2010. I assume he followed the laws that benefit the wealthy"I'm more interested in his effective tax rate because he wants to give the wealthy another 20% cut when he is likely paying much less than the middle class tax rate already.
IF Romney releases his returns it won't be till after he secures the Republican nomination at the RNC. Romney can't give more fuel to the Ron Paul supporters.
"A majority of Americans, including almost a third of Republicans, say GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney should release more tax returns than the two years he has promised to disclose, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/st...
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Simple solution,
Show america your tax returns Romney. Make Reid look bad....
What, no tax returns !!!
Something stinks
Romney refuses to prove he paid taxes. Rombey is anti middle class and wants to raise taxes on the middle to pay for the rich.
What's so comical about this is that, if Romney is telling the truth, he could release his returns and effectually ruin Harry Reid's career. The Senate would probably censure him and have him thrown out for grossly unethical behavior. And what's more it would make the entire Democratic establishment look incredible it would probably clinch his victory in November.
That's simple common sense. So You really have to believe that he is hiding something and Reid is telling the truth. You can't win a game of Clue by claiming Mrs. Peacock is in the envelope but you refuse to show the card to anyone.
No surprise
Reid is an alleged liar
Reid does not do the work for the American people.
He does not do a budget.
He does not put forward job creating bills that have passed the House that would create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Reid is most likely a despicable liar - The American people deserve far better than the idiotic Reid.
He needs to be brought up on liar charges by the Senate ethics committee.
Tricky Mitt Romney thought his disastrous overseas tour would get the American voters' minds off his taxes: Wrong. Fact is that Tricky Mitt comes out more each day as a deceitful flip-flopper than as a duplicitous, wimpy candidate who obsesses to takeover the oval office. When you are running for president, you should be an open book. Tricky Mitt is no different from Bernard Madoff and Tricky Dick (Pres. Richard Nixon). For 50 years (half a century since 1960) Madoff was not charged with $65 billion fraud because of power, influence, bribery= secretly known as not a lawbreaker like Tricky Mitt and Madoff would never have been caught had he not voluntarily confessed.Senator Harry Reid himself is standing by his statement in going for the jugular with his two evidence that Tricky Mitt did not pay taxes for 10 years which is why Sen. John McCain didn't choose him for VP. Seriously, Tricky Mitt cannot wait to buy the Presidency. In fact, thirty-two billionaires who are spending big to put Mitt in the White House accordingly want big things in return. This tax-cheating flip-flopper cannot be trusted to run for President and does not even have the decency or integrity to admit mistakes even if all evidences are jumping out at him.
Dear Loves to Hike: How do you "know" Reid is a liar unless and until you've seen Mr. Romney's tax returns? You can think that -- but you can't KNOW it. Knowledge requires actual seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, hearing AND accurate memory.
What we can all know from our senses is that Mr. Romney cannot both have been Chief Executive Officer of Bain as he stated under penalties of perjury in the SEC filings which are open to public examination and at the same time have no connection with Bain as set forth in his election filings -- also under penalty of perjury. One or the other can be true but not both. And how did Mr. Romney deal with those conflicting statements? He accused the President of being an outrageous liar.
Now Mr. Reid makes a claim which can be proven or disproved by making public Mr. Romney's tax returns, which Mr. Romney refuses to allow. And Mr. Romney's response is "put up or shut up." ???? When Mr. Romney controls the production of the evidence one way or the other?????????!!!!!!
It looks like we might have a presumptive Republican candidate for president, who is of the "Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes" type. And, because he fears the result of letting us see with our own eyes, blusters and rants about the other guys having "no proof" when he himself refuses to produce the proof. While everyone has a 5th Amendment privilege in criminal matters, in civil matters, the failure to produce evidence is regarded as bad form.
Even Richard Nixon turned over the Watergate tapes.
If Mr. Romney cannot bring himself to turn over his income and gift tax returns, then the Republican Party ought to find another candidate who can survive a close look. I am sure there are many.
Romney has released only ONE year: 2010. The 2011 is an ESTIMATE.
Why can't he complete the 2011 filing? Isn't it STRANGE that a person who PAYS tax attorneys to file his income tax has not yet completed his 2011 forms?
All he has to do is PAY the tax attorneys to complete the job - but he hasn't.
When his attorneys finally file, they could find many deductions "not known" at this time that might ZERO OUT his 2011 taxes, just like he did in the 10 years previous.
He can also REFILE the 2010 later, after elected and with more 'discovered' deductions, pay less than is shown at this date. Once elected, anything goes and it's ALL SECRET.
Harry has spent a career telling lies. Why would anyone expect anything more.
Why would I care about Romney's taxes? Anyone with half a brain would use the tax code to avoid them as much as possible.
He has shown you all he is required to show you and I'm guessing that's easily as much as Harry ever did...
It's all a smoke screen so you don't pay attention how badly BHO has done.
Ja, Romney paid no taxes during the decade he turned 10 years old.
Willard is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't because the idiot thought he could win the nomination not do what every presidential candidate has done since own father started the practice in 1968. This is exactly what Noot Gingrich said would happen during the GOP primaries if Willard didn't square with the American people.
It's a wet dream with a bad ending. Saddest of all, Romney is the best that republicans have to offer.
HARRY REID IS 100% CORRECT!!
Romney must not have paid any taxes or he would
prove Reid wrong and show the world his taxes.
WOW!!!
HARRY REID IS THE MAN!
WILLARD IS A WIMP!
Our senior US Senator has sunk to the level of a supermarket tabloid, but with more heinous motivation. He is deliberately trying to harm the candidate.
Reid should be investigated by the ethics committee and impeached. Beyond a hypocrite, now he has become just another partisan political hack.
What a bum. All of Nevada is shamed by his antics.
Mittens is a liar and a crook. He was in Northtown today trying to make the case that he can create 250k jobs PER MONTH in the first 4 years of his "Presidency". 250k jobs PER MONTH FOR 4 YEARS. Is he serious? Of course not, but he'll keep splashing that Kool Aid on anyone who'll listen. Is he a tax evader? Don't know, but if he isn't, than cough up the tax returns. Harry Reid has forgotten more about hard ball politics than Mittens will ever know. If you're smart, Mittens, you'll divulge your smelly tax returns, or this will be dogging you until the election (which you will lose).
Amazing, all you have to do is mention the words "Harry Reid" and you get 97 comments, so far.
I will admit that I was not impressed when Senator Reid first leveled these allegations. But I will also admit it has been effective. I watched Mitt Romney today say 'I have paid taxes every year, lots of taxes.' Many people are going to wonder why he just doesn't prove that, and end this controversy.
I wish we were talking about Mitt Romney's disastrous economic plan if God forbid he becomes president. This plan alone should be enough to just destroy him politically, but unfortunately, not enough people seem to be aware of his economic plan. He wants to cut taxes for rich people and raise taxes on everyone else.
You go Harry - give him Hell.
I'm tired of these rich guys hiding and hoarding.
I'm tired of them accusing teachers and other hard working people of bankrupting America - while they manipulate the rules and starve our communities of funds. It's America's resources, labor, and environment that helped them become wealthy - but people like Romney selfishly think they are the only ones that matter and they are better than the rest of us. This elitism is terrible.
Show us your taxes Romney.
Actually if you parse Ann and Mitt's statements it is clear that they didn't pay any "income" taxes for years. Perhaps other taxes, but no income taxes.
Show us the income tax returns. They want us to lower income taxes for the wealthy even more, so we need to know how it would affect them. They have stonewalled this issue for decades. Time to shine some light in it.
Isn't it amazing how despite the fact we supposedly have a progressive income tax setup where the rates are higher for the high earners, they actually pay lower rates. This we already know from the partial return. They are laughing all the way to the bank.
Someone so corrupt as Dirty Harry should be careful about digging up someone else's little secrets and just stick to hoping the media (or worse, congress) finds out about his. Maybe both candidates should get together and put it ALL on the table at once- Romney with his tax papers and Obama with his REAL birth certificate.
I'm sure his taxes are fine. They will just show all the loopholes that have been exploited. It's not criminal, but it's not going to look good.
Starting with Richard Nixon, republicans are still
the same greedy, liars, thieves and crooks.
Nothing has changed.
We're lucky we have Harry Reid.
Harry called Bush a liar and was 100%
correct.
The bottom line is this...
WE'RE NOT STUPID,
WE'RE KEEPING PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
Teabaggers need to face reality. Like four years ago, the GOP candidate for 2012 is toast.
Stick a fork in Mitt the Twit. He's cooked.
The ultimate in hypocrisy is that Reid will not and has not ever, released his tax returns
knight......
Reid is not running for president.
Romney is.
And Romney is worth more than 250 million dollars.
Voters need to know.
M. Romney should offer to trade B.Obama his past tax returns for B.Obama's missing school records and what happened to the law professor's "Law License"?
Its amazing the media is spending so much time defending Harry and Obama. If they were journalists instead of hired hacks, we would also know what is behind Obama's sealed records.
Why would someone need to seal their college records? their financial records? Thieu social security records and medical records??
And why would anyone listen to this old baffoon this state elected to office??
But hey, they gave a Nobel Peace Prize to Obama for teleprompter reading...Shows how low they will go
Romney's actions demonstrate that he owes American NO TRANSPARENCY. "Trust me, I give to my church", along with "I'm not concerned about the poor" are very compatible in is his state of mind.
After going through the rituals of his church, he has been put in direct contact with god. Romney has taken blood oaths that bind him to his church and these are stronger then his obligations to the Constitution, US Law and the Christo-Judean understanding of God.
When tested, he will have to make the choice between eternal life or the Constitution. The Constitution does not bring one in communications with god nor grant eternal life, but making money for the church does. Making money is sacred, for only money has the power to do work for god on earth - his prayers are empty.
Since he has never been a missionary for the Constitution or US Law, the answer is evident. US Law takes his money away for godless activities, like feeding the poor, when they should be taught to pray for food instead.
"The multiculturalism movement must be unmasked for the fraud that it is," Romney wrote in his 2010 book, "No Apology". Multiculturalism is godless and America must be returned to god, the god Romney knows.
"Can you love your neighbor as yourself and at the same time knee him in the face as hard as you can?" If you are working for god, all things are possible and can be forgiven. Mitt has become blessed among men and must teach, not listen in order to save America and Israel.
Reid is exhibit A on what is wrong in DC and politics.
We should be ashamed to have him as a senator.
He only got elected because the big casinos corporations worked with unions to harass their employees to vote for him.
He is greatly dislike by a majority of voters in Nevada and they only tolerate him because of the power that he has in DC.......he has taken voters "holding their noses" to a whole different level.
Romney is a crook. Your tax return was due April 15th. His 2011 are still hidden. What is he hiding? This man is not fit to be president!
Who cares about tax returns. Who cares about Obama's grades. This is irrelevant garbage. The big issue is the unemployment situation. It is pretty dismal out there. Obama has been blaming George Bush and just about everyone else. He took on a job that he really had no background or experience in. The real unemployment number in Nevada is about 15% and that it is terrible. We need to get Obama out of office and put in office someone who can get the economy up and running.
Wendor -- The numbers I have from the IRS is that the 93 percent of U.S. wealth is in the hands of the top 20 percent. And the top 25 percent pay 87 percent of the taxes.
There's an overlap there that just doesn't jibe mathematically in fairness.
If you have 50 percent of the wealth, you SHOULD pay 50 percent of the taxes.
ESPECIALLY when the system is so skewed toward the rich in every other way.
Paul Rupp -- I think you've been duped. These days, anyone can start any rumor.
But read this from the good folks at snopes.com ...
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/law...
get_involved - "All I can say is that Reid is a despicable human being!"
I agree, for the comment he made, but he isn't any more despicable than the crap being slung from the right.
desert_eagle - "@milt1007 your comment shows the exact reason this country is in trouble! I like how the simple minds blame everything on Obama even things that started over 200 years ago!"
Thank you, these clowns need to stop getting their "facts" from bloggers.
From the comments here, it seems we are left with 2 candidates who are so flawed that neither should be running for even dog catcher. How I love political campaigns (NOT). Whoever came up with the idea that to win office that you have to destroy your opponent deserves a special place in human history. This is the reason I will never run for political office. Why put yourself and your family up to this kind of abuse?
Now to the topic at hand. I think Reid is a buffoon. I also think that any fair-minded media outlet that doesn't challenge Reid's statements is a softie, incapable of "reporting" or investigating unproved statements. They become worse than tabloids. I truly feel sorry for my Nevada relatives who have this bozo as their Senator. You folks deserve better, and it's a shame that you can't find a better candidate than Harry. The worst part about all this is that Reid is a Mormon. Where in his Book does it approve of his attacks on a fellow Mormon? It doesn't. He has no shame.
I like how now the burden of proof is not longer on the accusser, but placed on the accussed.
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Hollar and scream all you want about Harry Reid. The fact remains that he is not running for President. Raise the same amount of anger about Romney not explaining his secret banking accounts, and his failure to provide income tax for more than 2 years, then maybe your howls will have some crediblity.
Tax cheat Romney should be deported to the cayman islands!