The best article (I think) yet on what might be in Romney's tax returns

[Jessy169]

This article I think does a very good job of condensing all the speculation into one easily readable and digestable article.

Excerpt:

It's beyond obvious that whatever's in those returns must be enough to do serious damage to Romney, or even sink his candidacy completely.

What might it be, exactly? In the vaccuum Romney has created by not disclosing, any number of theories have been floated as to what his returns could reveal. For your convenience, we've collected 10 theories that are making the rounds in the political press.

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10 Theories About What Mitt Romney's Really Hiding in Those Tax Returns

http://www.alternet.org/election-2012/10-theories-about-what-mitt-romneys-really-hiding-those-tax-returns?paging=off

[louis-t]

1. Wow, I just posted what I thought was my own idea

how evangelicals would react badly to finding out how much Romney gives to a church they consider to be a 'cult'. Now I see that idea as #1 in this article. I'm not as dumb as I look.

[Jessy169]

2. Just because somebody else thought it first doesn't mean it isn't a brilliant idea!

In all my speculations and musings about what could be in Romney's tax returns, that idea never occurred to me. But it should have! I remember Romney one time talking about all the money he has given to "charity", but in translation what he was really talking about is all the money he has given to the Mormon Church.

[louis-t]

9. Exactly.

[russspeakeasy]

3. A very good read...The man is a shit stain.

[Mnemosyne]

7. That, sir, is an insult!

To shitstains.

[NJCher]

4. Like the sound of this?

Willard "Teachable Moment" Romney--teaching the entire world how magnicently he played the hand bush gave him and all the other super-rich--at our expense.


Cher

[underpants]

5. It doesn't matter at this point

he waited too long even if there isn't anything in there.

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. If he "under-tithed" the LDS

maybe he can file a revised return after he dies.

[rufus dog]

8. It is not one thing

On the main points:

1. Mormons wouldn't care if he short changed the Church, they would rationalize that he gave millions and still ote for him.
2. Evangelical christians could not fucking care less if he donated money to the Mormon Church. The are racist, hate filled people who could give a flying fuck where he spent the money if it didn't go directly to Obama. (and they would rationalize that)
3. If 2009 returns showed he didn't pay taxes do to great losses in 2008, again, most Repubs would care less. Hell, I could care less, if he was paying taxes for years, got his ass hammered in a once in a lifetime down turn, then so it goes.

IMO, it is that he did not declare MA as his home state in 2008 and 2009 AND, he paid little to zero taxes for multiple years.

It will be straight out fraud.

That being said, I was less than impressed with the article, Repubs and low info Indies, could give a shit about most points. But if he is a lying cheating SOB... that is different.

[Jessy169]

10. You're right -- it is a probably a combination of two or more - or all of the above

There are at least a "few" Mormons who will care if Romney didn't fully tithe, although I agree that number would probably not be significant enough to make any kind of difference. As for the Evangelical Christians -- my ultra Republican 82-year-old minister father for example -- a lot if not most of them have always had a very negative view of Mormons, and anything that tends to put "Mormon President" front and center so that they can't miss it will also tend to discourage them from voting for Romney. But again, probably not a big deal.

My own speculation is that the multi-million IRA is hiding some very dirty and possibly borderline illegal secrets. I see a separate story where some in Congress "want answers" -- as posted on DU's front page today:

"Romney’s most recent financial disclosure form revealed that his tax-deferred individual retirement account holds upwards of $100 million — an amount that awkwardly showcases his enormous wealth but also raises legal and ethical questions."

That, and the trusts for his kids and that secret company that he transferred to his wife -- well, the list of possible borderline illegal possibilities are endless.

As arrogant as Romney is, and as money-hungry as he is, it seems very likely that Romney pushed the "definitions" in the tax laws a little too far, and possibly a lot of times -- enough so that a detailed inspection might turn up some fact-based questions of illegality. That's what I think is the worst thing in Romney's returns, though there has to be even more solid dirt than that.