This "release tax returns to be a candidate" debate is simple, I solved it for you.

[Eliot Rosewater]

No liberal, no democrat, no progressive would support someone who hides their tax returns.

So this requirement will make our choices easier, right?

Eventually, each candidate will release what they release and it will be very easy to determine who is hiding something and who isnt.

Problem solved.

[patricia92243]

1. 100% agree. It is a no brainer.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I don't understand why it's so damn difficult.

I could release more than ten years' worth of mine today; they're in a cardboard box a few feet away from me. People who have the wherewithal to run for federal office probably have accountants who store these things electronically. One phone call to the accountant should take care of it. What's the big problem? As far as I'm concerned, anyone who won't do it is hiding something - not necessarily criminal, but maybe something uncomfortable or embarrassing. Too bad. Cough 'em up, and do it before the debates if you want my vote. If you want me to vote for you I need to know who you are, warts and all.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. I am surprised anyone does their own taxes, usually have a CPA do them

at the level of income these folks are, so getting copies is simple.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. I do, too, but I keep the copies they give me in those cardboard boxes.

When I did my own I always made mistakes; now I have someone else do them and it's a big relief.

[Eliot Rosewater]

5. If I had to put my hands on ten years, I could not do it without my accountant.

I could get some but not all, but I am sloppy that way.

Surely if all else failed a person could request them from the IRS, can you do that?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Yes, they'll send you copies of your own returns.

But they charge a fee. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-taxpayers-should-know-about-tax-return-copies-and-transcripts

[spooky3]

12. Many people use TurboTax and similar products.

They are generally easy to use and can be used even by people with somewhat complex tax situations. Producing hard copies of a return would take only a few minutes.

From what I’ve read of the Sanders tax situation, he should have been able to use this software. The only thing time consuming is preparing to enter the data, eg for people who do a lot of traveling, or sell a rental property or stocks, and have a lot of receipts. But all of this would have been finished by now, except for 2018.

[George II]

17. Jane said that she does their returns using turbotax. Unless you override the software....

Last edited Thu Mar 28, 2019, 01:28 PM - Edit history (1)

....it automatically saves a copy. It can be save two ways - as a turbotax data file (this year will be *.tax2018) and/or as a .pdf file. Options can be chosen to save just the pages to be filed or all pages including worksheets and backup data.

Simple. Doesn't take three years.

[spooky3]

23. She should start using it. Nt

[NastyRiffraff]

27. Jane and Bernie are 1%-ers

It's unlikely that they do their own taxes. At their income level plus all the real estate they own, they would almost have to use an CPA. I don't think Jane is one. And that CPA would have to keep copies of their returns, and give them a copy. Unless they failed to file which would be another problem, they should have ready access to their tax returns.

[George II]

15. You must be a 1%er!!!!

[Eliot Rosewater]

16. The current loss I am speaking of is actually a culmination that came to an end last year.

I made the mistake of being in business with someone not a liberal.

BAD mistake.

Long story.

Not a 1% and I wish I was because of the 65 things I will do today, 63 of them will be because I dont have enough money not to do something else, think about it.

I just responded to something you didnt say, sorry. Somewhere else I mentioned a loss I had equal to Hillary and Bill's tiny real estate debacle. As in it was NOTHING then but the GOP had to make something out of it.

[George II]

18. HAH! Great response.

[George II]

13. I have 15 of my last 18 (don't know where those other three are, but I'm not running yet)...

....they're copied onto a SD card, and backed up onto two other hard drives.

A year ago I got a letter from the IRS telling me I owed $21,000 in back taxes, interest, and penalties. My bank failed to send in the proper paperwork for a rolled over IRA. I had all the documentation collected in about 15 minutes and my response (21 pages) done in a couple of hours. Two months later I got a letter again, "Balance Due: $0.00"!

Anyone who doesn't have ready access to years of tax returns is asking for trouble.

When I announce my candidacy, it will be accompanied by 10 years of tax returns!

[SFnomad]

6. You solved it for you ... please don't try to speak for me

I'm sure I'm not alone in the sentiment.

[Eliot Rosewater]

7. Thanks, I solved it for liberals, Democrats and progressives. We all believe

in transparency.

Right?

[SFnomad]

10. If you think ignoring an issue and kicking the can down the road is "transparency",

then you really need to look up that definition of the word.

You have solved nothing. You're just providing cover for someone who is not being transparent.

[George II]

14. "Kicking the can down the road" is delaying release of expected documents.

[SFnomad]

19. Yeah ... and Eliot Rosewater's "solution" is just to wait and see whatever it is they do

We've been waiting 3+ years for BS ... how much more patience are we supposed to have?

[George II]

21. To be honest, I don't care how much longer we wait anymore, due to his 3 years of stalling....

....and some other negative things he's done, I've eliminated him as a viable candidate in my mind.

This time around is going to be very difficult considering the alternatives.

Warren is going to suck off some of his support in NH and MA, maybe even VT
Harris and Booker will dominate the southern states
Harris will dominate in CA and probably OR, WA, AZ, NV
O'Rourke will dominate in TX and some other states like NM and OK
Buttigieg and Klobuchar will get a lot of support in the midwest
Booker will dominate in NJ and PA
Even Gillibrand, who isn't a top tier candidate yet, will get a lot of support in NY, as will Booker

Other than VT, I don't see Sanders having much support anywhere else.

[NurseJackie]

9. Not releasing taxes is like "Pleading-the-Fifth...

Not releasing taxes is like "Pleading-the-Fifth"... it doesn't prove wrongdoing, but it sure is fishy... and it makes people wonder what's being hidden.

And, it's a huge, classless and unmistakable "fuck-you!" message to the voters and other candidates.

[Clash City Rocker]

26. Yeah, like many things Trump does

It isn’t proof of wrongdoing, but it’s the way a guilty person would act.

Candidates have been voluntarily releasing their tax returns for a long time. It’s something that’s expected (unlike, say, birth certificates, which Obama released anyway). If a candidate doesn’t release them, we have to wonder what that candidate is trying to hide.

[patricia92243]

31. Yours is the Best way of explaining it that I've seen.

[MyOwnPeace]

11. It is simple............

If you have nothing to hide, show them. You are asking a population to put their trust in you to help run some segment of their government (local, state, federal) and they are showing their faith/trust in you. Just prove that you deserve their faith/trust to be responsible for their safety and responsible running of their government.

If you can't do that - don't run. Like Eliot said, "simple!"

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. Yup. It really should be that simple. And i believe it will be

Whatever we may feel about the past, and what was or was not potentially acceptable then, we have rounded a corner and there is no going back. Releasing one's tax returns is as fundamental to running as a Democrat for President now as is defending the social safety net.

"Eventually, each candidate will release what they release and it will be very easy to determine who is hiding something and who isn't." Exactly true.

In the case of Sanders in specific, either his returns will indicate no real issues when he releases them, or whatever issues there may be will be out there for all to openly weigh, or he will not adequately release his returns for a suitable number of years past.

If it is the latter he is D.O.A. as a potential Democratic Party candidate. I could not in any way support Sanders getting the nomination under those circumstances. Among even those who view him overall favorably, I am confident large numbers feel the same as I do, and that would doom his candidacy.

Personally I expect Sanders will release his returns but no point in speculating. Either he will or won't and all of us will soon know which.

[LiberalBrooke]

22. That is one of the reasons why I did not support Bernie.

My attorney asked for 7 years of tax returns and it took me 15 minutes to get them. Bernie is once again avoiding releasing them. What is he hiding?

[revmclaren]

24. I do my own taxes every year

and I use TurboTax. When I'm finished I can download a complete copy to my computer. Copies of each year are also saved online to be accessed and downloaded at any time

There is absolutely no excuse for releasing his taxes except possibly discrepancies the records may show. Of course, the speculation of what's in the returns is causing more damage to his campaign than knowing...IMHO.

ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

[WeekiWater]

25. There are many situations where I could vote for someone...

Who doesn’t release ten years of their taxes. That doesn’t mean I’m not a progressive. It is something I take under consideration.

[mcar]

28. It's that easy

[GemDigger]

29. It needs to be done before the primaries.

Otherwise it is too late to take your vote back. I would be pissed if I got blindsided.

[Iggo]

30. "No liberal, no democrat, no progressive would support someone who hides their tax returns."

Um, unless they're the Dem nominee in the General.

Then I'll support the fuck out of them.

[BlueFlorida]

32. 100% in agreement with you.

[Gothmog]

33. From Jennifer Rubin

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

34. Kirsten Gillibrand released her 2018 tax returns on Wednesday

Link to tweet