The president’s taxes

[Nickdfresh]

That's an unsubstantiated claim. There are many articles listing both accomplishments and failures of the Trump Administration. Like President's before him, he's done many things; it's just up to each person's world view if the accomplishments are appreciated or not.

Business Insider

The New York Times

The Frank Report

Real Clear Politics

What "accomplishments"?

[Funkmonkey]

What "accomplishments"?

Oh, c'mon Nick, click the links for Pete's sake. I included articles from both sides of the political spectrum to give a wide spread of viewpoints.

[twonabomber]

[Seshmeister]

President Trump's political enemies are far and wide, and their job is to get him out of office or at least neutralize his effectiveness. So I get it that fighting to obtain those tax returns is a prudent strategy against him. But I question whether obtaining those records is worth it in the long run. It's a slippery slope to demand the candidate give up that much privacy beyond showing tax information to get a mortgage. Currently, it's a tradition, but if it's made mandatory by an ethics law, then I would think requiring tax returns be revealed need to be equally applied to every public employee. But, to be fair, that also sets a precedent that every contractor, personnel, or company/corporation doing business with the Federal government must make their tax records public and available. To me this is a silly notion, and an exercise in brinkmanship, but plausible if one can justify removing the ability for citizens and private corporations to be private. I think it opens up the possibility of all kinds of government intrusion into one's life, including a nosy neighbor who wants to know how much money you have and where your assets are located. I can choose not to get a bank loan, and so the lender cannot demand my financial information. Imagine what industries can do if I have to give up my private financial information. And then if I don't have that privacy, then it will be easy for a government to require I account for everywhere I go and provide a log of who I talk to and conduct business with. That will make sure I'm not doing anything untoward or talking to bad people. It goes without saying guns will have already been all registered and perhaps kept for safe keeping by the local authorities to protect the public.

Silly argument 'If the president has to give up some privacy then everyone has to and where does it all end?' If you wanted to become a swimwear model then as part of the process of getting the job you would have to give up the privacy of showing your semi naked body, that doesn't meant everyone has to.

If you wish to adopt a child then before you were allowed to do that you have your privacy invaded as background checks on you are done. It's not unreasonable that if you want the power to lock peoples children up in cages you have to give up your right to privacy on your tax returns.

Also as a side point, Trump projects himself as being a great businessman, how is that possible to be that without generating any wealth?

[Seshmeister]

what "accomplishments"?

The article lists Space Force at #2!

[Nickdfresh]

Oh, c'mon Nick, click the links for Pete's sake. I included articles from both sides of the political spectrum to give a wide spread of viewpoints.

I clicked on Business Insider which makes him look like a blundering asshole...

[FORD]

[FORD]

[Seshmeister]

Wow...

[silverfish]

I don't understand the fascination or obsession with Trumps taxes or any political candidate's... what the hell does it matter..?

Why Donald Trump’s Tax Returns Matter

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/09/why-donald-trumps-tax-returns-matter/

If you don't feel like clicking, here's a couple reasons:

"...as a business owner with interests around the world, his tax returns were important for assessing
his actual or potential conflicts of interest. They were also important for evaluating his sales pitch. He
contended that because he was a super successful, deal-making billionaire, he was qualified to be
president of the United States. But the finances of the Trump Organization were opaque—Trump used
literally hundreds of separate companies to do business—and voters had no way of knowing whether
he was bullshitting them. His tax returns were one of the few ways to objectively judge this novice
politician. They could be the corrective to his I-am-the-greatest propaganda. They also could reveal a
crucial element for any politician, let one seeking the highest office in the land: is he or she honest?"

and

"Trump has over $400 million in loans coming due in the next few years, and he has few obvious means
for making good on all this debt. This poses a gargantuan conflict-of-interest problem, with the American
president in hock to a foreign bank (Deutsche Bank) and others."

[Seshmeister]

Trump paid his daughter Ivanka $747,622 in 'consultancy' fees but only pays $750 income tax?

[ZahZoo]

If people wish to vote for a crook they should be made aware of it and accept it rather than pretending he's not. Without upholding the law then people start all the false equivalency bullshit that all politicians are crooks so Trump is allowed to do anything. Is he allowed to shoot one of your kids in the face? Is there a line anywhere that Republican voters and politicians will say ok no further?

That's a real dilemma... if one were to raise the bar on only voting for an individual who've lived squeaky clean personal and business lives prior to running for office... I doubt there'd be many seats filled.

I have no delusions that Trump's business and tax dealings don't include questionable elements... I wouldn't even attempt to justify or defend any of it.

I will say that if there were something bad enough to warrant criminal charges... that would have occurred by now. Plus, he's 3.75 years into a 4 year term with thousands of highly motivated people with the resources to bring him down for such things... It hasn't even come close. Does any of that make it morally right to support his presidency..? I don't know... Tough call. No one is offering any better, morally superior or compelling leadership options today.

I'm not getting the shoot your kid analogy... the president isn't running around discharging firearms indiscriminately. Crooked businessman... most likely.

[Seshmeister]

I will say that if there were something bad enough to warrant criminal charges... that would have occurred by now. Plus, he's 3.75 years into a 4 year term with thousands of highly motivated people with the resources to bring him down for such things... It hasn't even come close.

Difficult to do when he owns the court - the senate.

Ignoring everything else if you vote for him you have to take the gamble that his self interest is coincidentally in your interests because he certainly isn't going to do anything that isn't especially since he won't ever need to stand for election again.

You are considering doing this in the middle of a pandemic that he has clearly badly managed so far when compared to every other developed country in the world?

Seems like a hell of a gamble to take.

[Nitro Express]

Trump paid his daughter Ivanka $747,622 in 'consultancy' fees but only pays $750 income tax?

He filed a tax deferment and had to pre-pay an estimated tax amount. Not uncommon. It’s actually illegal to publish people’s tax information. There’s plenty of lefties in the IRS who would love to nail Trump. This is just cooking up a bad story before the election. I’ve been hearing the guy is going to jail the whole time since he announced he was running for the presidency. Is h squeaky clean. I doubt it. Most billionaires from New York aren’t.

[Seshmeister]

I'm worth just over $400 million more than Donald, does that make me a billionaire too?