WildBill Loc: South West Florida

I am tired of hearing about speculation. We have all the facts we could ever want. Lets start talking facts.

Was what Mitt has done for Mass complimentary of the Republican platform he was supposed to be standing on?

How about Obama? Has what he has done for the country in line with the Democrat platform?

I doubt you can honestly say yes to either. So now you have to pull your head out and try to figure out which prick will hurt our country less in the next four years.

Obama managed to break Bush's record for irresponsibility and I question if we can afford 4 more years of that. Romney is not a good option either but I wonder if anyone could cost as much as Obama did. Taxes? really? Obama stole billions of our money to give to bankrupt companies.

The national debt grew by $4.899 trillion during George W. Bush's 8 year presidency; the biggest increase under any president in U.S history at the time.

Obama increased the national debt by another $5.392 trillion in 4 years.

Romney gave 2 years of tax returns already. IRS checks 3 for problems and we are not the IRS. Quit quibbling and think about the actual issues. Is Romney so bad that we can afford another 4 years of Obama?

TimS Loc: GA

Is anyone else surprised that people and the media have demanded more info about Mitt's background in the past 3 months than they have about Obama for the last 5 years combined?

I'm just not interested in playing that game.

Ian21 Loc: Short Hills, NJ

Yes we all have the legal freedom to minimise our tax payments, but in a society don't we have a moral obligation to contribute fairly? In Romney's case he is a man of clear religious conviction and so we might expect that he has a clear moral code. The reason that it's important to know what he has chosen to pay is that he wants to occupy the highest public office in the land and make decisions that will affect us all - so we're entitled to know whether he's public minded or not.

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

First ... on what basis do you make the dertimination that Harry Reid is an idio ..... is it clinical or is it .... takes one to know one ....what are your qualifications ....

Second ... it would not be unusual for him or many other super rich to pay 0 taxes .... remember on the 2010 return he paid a marginal rate of 14% .... I bet you paid a higher rate than he did .... but ... the issue should not be his tax rate .... the question sould be .... based on his circumstances .... can he, if elected, relate to the 99% of the nation .... can a person, who is so removed from his citizenry, possibably understand their problems ....

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

In 2010 Exxon made a profit on 41 billion ... paid 17% tax rate
2010 ... Exxon paid at 13% and in 2009 ... Exxon paid 0 taxes ... I would bet that all of you Rommeny supporter were angry or mad as hell at Exxon ... after all you got pissed every time you filled up ..... so ... isn't the situation the same .... if when you read that Exxon did not pay any taxes in 2009 and paid at a rate in 2010 and 2011 ... less than you did ..... why did that bother you and Rommneys taxes don't ....

TimS Loc: GA

You're right. I much rather have somebody that can talk in a black dialect (but only when) when he's talking to a black audience. That'd be like me, half Indian, giving a speech on a reservation and saying things like, "hello, great people of the land. Many moons it has been since the bears moved with the eagle..."

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

So ... Harry Reid is an idiot .... he graduated Utah State University .... in 2010 rated by Forbes as the number one public university in the U.S.... he graduated George Washington University Law .... one of the top law schools in the nation .... so he is an idiot ... where did you do your undergraduate and post graduate work .... maybe that would give us a hint as to who is the idiot ...

star2344 Loc: Lakewood Ranch, FLorida

If he did, congrats Gov. That's exactly what I have done for the last 10 years also. It's a non-issue. 50% of the population of the US pays no income tax!!

mlj Loc: Anderson, SC

My understanding is that Romney's "income" is only from capitol gains...and he pays lots of taxes on that. Also, it is my understanding that he donates 10% of the money he does manage to keep from his capitol gains to his church. Please correct me if I am wrong. I have not had time to verify this but will try to post what I do find.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

#1 I don't trust the press
#2 I highly doubt the IRS does not keep an eye on such a high profile individual

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

The charitable deduction is BEFORE taxes .... that helps to reduce his tax rate below the 15% capital gains rate .... also ... is it fair that the people who stand the most to gain from extending the "Bush" tax cuts... argue for it .... it is President Obama who argues for middle class tax cuts ... Mr. Romney thinks that only that 1% of the country is needed .... the remaining 99% are like worker bees ...

Carlmk Loc: Naples, FL & Boston, MA

And your evidence.

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

He does pay a lot of taxes, in absolute dollars .... so do you as a percentage of your income .... as a percentage of income ... you probably pay more than he does ...

historian65 Loc: Holtville, Callifornia

Perhaps Romney just doesn't want his church to know how much he made as the Mormon church levies a 10% tithe (tax) on the members so if he told them or paid them less than the 10% of what he made, then he would be in trouble with them so the less they know, the better for him and his family.

alann Loc: Virginia

Perhaps Romney will show his tax returns when obama shows his school records (which he spent ~one million to keep hidden). What is good for the goose is good for the gander.