Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumI can release 10 years of my tax returns this afternoon.
My annual tax returns are stacked in a box in my closet. If I needed to release them, all I'd have to do is take them to Kinko's to be copied.
Why hasn't Bernie Sanders released 10 years of tax returns?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
we can do it
(12,118 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Sneederbunk
(14,208 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Auggie
(31,067 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LexVegas
(6,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)I'm a total Luddite when it comes to some computer/tech related things... but I do know that I could easily locate paper copies of our tax returns (if needed) and I know how to print PDF copies that are saved on disks in our fire-safe (if needed).
Personally, I think that anyone who wants to be the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD should have a better (or equal) understanding that I do of how to maintain and access one's own tax documents. Lacking that ability (or willingness) is something that TOTALLY DISQUALIFIES someone from seeking national office and I will never be able to support anyone who's not honest and forthcoming about their tax documents.
There are just no two ways about it for me. No tax documents = NO VOTE FROM ME. Period. End of discussion.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)And those who hire a tax preparer just have to call and ask for copies.
I mean, it's not like you can change what's on those forms to make them look better. The originals are still at the IRS.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
WeekiWater
(3,259 posts)Why doesn't he? Doesn't really make sense to me. I imagine they are finalizing some revisions, or something of the like. Jane was their tax preparer. I imagine some of the deductions were kind of funny. But I don't see anything earth shattering even if there were corners cut or questionable deductions. Maybe they filed jointly and it's really on Jane Sanders side of the equation.
Do they not want people to find that they are multi-millionaires? We already know that they are very wealth.
Do they not want people to see how many homes they own? We already know they own multiple homes. Any somewhat wealthy family would make real property a part of their portfolio.
Do they not want people to know how much Jane has brought into their household? I think it's awesome that she was probably the bread winner until Bernie decided to run for President and started making millions.
I am assuming it's the nature of deductions or in one or two of the years they made income from a place they don't want people to know about. I don't get why they haven't released them.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)I think that his tax returns will blow that sky high.
My guess is that Bernie is the fourth of fifth wealthiest candidate in the Democratic Party primary field. Bloomberg obviously is the richest, followed by Harris because of her husband and California being a community property state, the come Warren and ORouke at about the same level of wealth, then comes Bernie. Bernie is likely richer than Biden, Booker, Klobuchar, Gillibrand, Gabbard by a significant amount.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
greymattermom
(5,751 posts)And they file as single taxpayers. Because of the marriage tax, many people over the years have done this.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DarthDem
(5,253 posts)Inspired thinking.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mariana
(14,849 posts)Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008
Name: Bernard Sanders
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 28 May 1988
Event Place: Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont, United States
Gender: Male
Father's Name: Elias
Mother's Name: Dorothy
Spouse's Name: Mary Jane Driscoll
Spouse's Birth Date: 03 Jan 1951
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
bullwinkle428
(20,627 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mr Tibbs
(539 posts)I feel sorry for them once he releases them and the most exciting thing is him writing off his dentures, or something equally minor.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Why doesn't he do that? Hmmmm....
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
trueblue2007
(17,138 posts)why why why
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)it's a double standard if you aren't.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(295,925 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
redstatebluegirl
(12,264 posts)I agree with some of the posters here, I think BS is not the "common man" he tells his people he is. I also think his wife has done his taxes over the years and he is afraid she may have done something shady. He may have someone looking them over to make sure they are ok. That is not ok in my book, he should have released them when he ran the last time.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BluesRunTheGame
(1,586 posts)Filled out with a quill pen by lamp light. Jefferson personally signed my refund check. $1.13. I have that too.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
mcar
(42,210 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
comradebillyboy
(10,119 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)If he is a simple common man like he wants people to see him as, his returns should be mundane and his wealth in line with what someone that makes his salary should accumulate. At any rate, sharing his tax returns with the public should not be an issue.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,283 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,418 posts)There's always an excuse for why he can't do it immediately.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mr Tibbs
(539 posts)When the primary ends the opponents stop campaigning.
Bill Clinton didn't release any tax returns until the second year of his presidency.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
rogue emissary
(3,147 posts)put them online.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,283 posts)Trump would go berserk if Warren were the Dem nominee.
I mean, even more berserk than usual.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Warren, Booker, Klobuchar, Gillibrand, Harris.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)The older ones are on paper.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)...hanging over your head since 2015.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)If I have to go back more than 5 years, I can go back at least 15 by looking into boxes on shelves in my basement, marked IRS Return nnnn, where nnnn is the tax year for which the return, which is the top item in the box, was prepared.
If someone wanted 15 years of my tax filings, it would take me about an hour to locate and copy the forms. Perhaps a little longer if my printer/copier/scanner needed an ink refill. However, I'd probably just scan them and save them as PDF files, though, and then put them on that USB drive. I keep meaning to do that, but never seem to find the time.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)...I don't know where those other three are, but they're very old.
Keeping records like this is just something people these days do, ordinary citizens. One would think and hope people of authority or in high places would be more diligent in keeping such sensitive records.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)But, then, I don't bother. Can't just put them in the garbage because Social Security numbers and invoices with people's credit card numbers are in the boxes. They'd have to be shredded, and that's $$$$.
So, there the boxes are on shelves in my basement. And there they will probably stay, at least until we move to some other house. Then, I will have to scan the returns and haul the boxes down to the shredding company for destruction. But, maybe I'll die before I do that, and then it won't matter.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
redstatebluegirl
(12,264 posts)The last audit we had was for 5 years prior. My Dad went through a line by line audit on his farm taxes one of the last years he farmed. It almost killed him thinking they thought he cheated. After putting him through all of that, they found out he owed 9.36. He ended up in the hospital with chest pain, he was terrified they would take his farm.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)...when exiting the program. I don't know how many years I have, but probably about 10 years' worth of pdf files exist on my hard drive. They can be copied onto a SD card in a few seconds.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)Click and print.
Click and print.
$35.00 special at Costco during tax season (maybe $45?).
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
/photo/1
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
samnsara
(17,570 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,836 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,455 posts)I can't think of a reason why it's taking so long, unless he is afraid some relevation will hurt him. But putting it off hurts him. It's better to just get it over with.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
bigtree
(85,918 posts)...we can have your nomination voted on and approved by tomorrow morning!
May I be the first to congratulate you, President Yardwork.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
forklift
(401 posts)#whataretheyhiding
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)Theres a tweet Ive seen that shows its like day 1,000-something since the Sanders said Jane would go home and fetch their taxes. Thats like THREE years ago now.
That tweet was very valuable. Will try to dig it up.
If you are putting yourself in the position of questioning others character, you should be transparent yourself. Not a hard concept.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mr Tibbs
(539 posts)Hence his obligation ended with it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)of his attacks on the character of others. No more excuses. No more smears of others. Show us the taxes.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Eliot Rosewater
(31,097 posts)one
ONE
one
ONE
to refuse
ONE
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,418 posts)Last edited Tue Mar 12, 2019, 12:54 PM - Edit history (1)
Edited to add the 2016 promises - both before and after the primaries.
These excuses are ridiculous. If Sanders didn't want to release them, he should have said so. Instead, he's been promising to release them "soon" for years. It's clear that he's hiding something. What do you think it is?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LongtimeAZDem
(4,494 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)This is just bizarre.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Mr Tibbs
(539 posts)He will release his tax returns, it's a non issue.
I have no problem with him doing so AFTER the primaries are over.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(295,925 posts)Transparency Issue.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mr Tibbs
(539 posts)He released one during the last primary.
Here's the boooring one he released, in full.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2804313-Bernie-Sanders-Just-Released-His-Tax-Returns.html
A lotta folks will be disappointed when he releases the rest.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LongtimeAZDem
(4,494 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
lapucelle
(18,040 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(295,925 posts)Releases his Tax Returns. Everyone Gets Vetted. No Exceptions.
A lot of people will wonder wth took him so long.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dsc
(52,130 posts)why not wait until after the general election? The whole point of releasing the tax returns is to know if the policies a candidate is advocating benefit the candidate. We need to know that before we choose the candidate not after.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,418 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LongtimeAZDem
(4,494 posts)Then his campaign manager said he would release them before the Convention:
Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders plans to release his tax returns before his party's national convention in late July, his campaign manager says.
"He said he would," Jeff Weaver told MSNBC's "Hardball" on Wednesday evening.
"Before the convention?" host Chris Matthews pressed.
"He said he would, yes," Weaver responded, though he declined to offer a specific date.
The exchange came after Matthews asked the Sanders aide about whether presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump should release his tax returns, amid intense pressure from Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Republicans like Mitt Romney.
"Theres obviously something hes trying to conceal, and he ought to release his tax returns," Weaver said.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
GemDigger
(4,305 posts)and push them on to the general.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)What's the delay? If the tax returns were complete enough to submit to the IRS, then they are complete enough to release to the American voters. No "polishing" or "adjusting" or "clarifying" or "fixing-up" or "fine-tuning" is necessary.
Everyone should play by the same rules. No special favors for anyone! No exceptions.
The American people have the right to know whether or not anyone running to be the "Leader of the Free World" has properly paid his taxes. We have the right for an honest, forthcoming, and COMPLETE release of his FULL tax returns for a period of TEN years so that we can confirm where the candidate's money is coming from, and where the candidate is investing or saving (ie: domestic or off-shore) and what the candidate and his/her spouse claims as "deductibles" or other assets.
We need to see EVERY candidate's tax returns BEFORE the primaries... so that we'll know whether or not he or she is honest and has the integrity to be our party's nominee. Last thing we need is to nominate someone without fully vetting them... only to discover the embarrassing details after it's too late.
All I'm saying is that it's complete BS for any candidate to think they're entitled to DELAY and not release their tax returns until they win the nomination. I think that everyone can agree that American voters deserve better than the peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek delays and excuses.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mike Nelson
(9,903 posts)
more wealthy than people think - but who cares? We've had very wealthy Democrats before - people care about what they want to do on the job much more than their personal wealth.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)I don't begrudge any candidate having wealth. But what I want to know (and what the voters deserve to know) is where the money is coming from, how it's being invested, where it's being saved (domestic or off-shore) and whether taxes are being paid fairly and promptly.
That's not too much to ask.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mike Nelson
(9,903 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
forklift
(401 posts)was April 2016 and he could easily stall for a couple of months because those really were busy times.
This time, it is a long 9 months to the Iowa caucuses and standard stalling won't work. He will have to say his tax returns are being audited by the IRS and as soon as the audit is done, he will release them. That is a line tested on the faithful and we know it has worked in the past don't we?
'#whatishehiding
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
still_one
(91,963 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ecstatic
(32,567 posts)the returns. It's been weeks since he was asked about it at the town hall. I'm not interested in trump light. Bernie's platform is mostly related to taxes and money, so show us the returns. NOW. Or shut up.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)What does that even mean?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
yardwork
(61,418 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(295,925 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brooklynite
(93,873 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
awesomerwb1
(4,256 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)farce. Show us the taxes!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)This is great news https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/434412-washington-senate-passes-bill-that-would-keep-trump-off-2020-ballot
The bill, which advanced Tuesday to the state's House of Representatives, according to CBS News, would require any candidate on the ballot for president in the state to release five years of tax returns before appearing in a general or primary election.
Senators voted by a 28-21 margin to approve the bill, according to CBS. The state's attorney general and solicitor told lawmakers in a letter this week that the proposal likely was constitutional, but analysts expect the law if passed to be challenged in federal court.
"The disclosure requirement you propose is likely Constitutional," the two wrote to lawmakers, according to CBS, adding that the measure "would definitely be challenged in court."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
In addition to Washington, several other states, including California, Hawaii and New Jersey are considering similar bills. Many, though not all, of the legislatures considering the bills are controlled by Democrats, but even in Republican-controlled states, Democrats have put forth such legislation. Measures failed earlier this year in Mississippi, New Mexico and New Hampshire.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
R B Garr
(16,920 posts)taxes, then you dont belong on the ballot.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,418 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Stuart G
(38,365 posts)Even though he has said he would release current returns? Is that correct?? Please excuse me on this, I really don't know...
.I looked back and he did release his 2014 tax returns. I know nothing of anything other than that. ..Here is a link to that story..It is from Politico.......04/15/2016 08:13 PM EDT..... Hit the link and it discusses those returns that he released in 2016..
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-tax-return-222041
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
True Dough
(17,095 posts)I mean any individual who can readily release 10 years of tax returns and choose the DU screen name "yardwork," advocating for something that so many Americans are dead set against?
That takes chutzpah!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
Enough with the excuses, Senator. These sorts of shenanigans and make no mistake, thats exactly what they are at this point both reduce the pressure on cowardly congressional Democrats to pursue President Trumps personal and corporate tax returns, and endanger Democrats hopes of taking back the presidency in 2020. The progressive positions that Sanders champions, including Medicare-for-all, expanded Social Security and increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, are much too important to both the future of our country and our own personal finances to risk them over tax returns.
Trump broke with decades of precedent in refusing to make his tax returns public when he was running for president. The result? Not only dont we know our presidents net worth, we also have little idea how he earned his fortune or how he makes his money now. Minus his paperwork, its hard to determine whether Trump is using the White House as a just-in-time moneymaking opportunity, violating the emoluments clause of the Constitution, and/or even paying his fair share of taxes at all.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden