Tax returns may be serious business for the Internal Revenue Service, but in the realm of politics they’re irrelevant to political discourse — so long as there is no wrongdoing.
That's the overwhelming consensus of Wisconsin Republican insiders who took part in Patch's latest "Red Wisconsin" Survey. More than 80 percent of party leaders and activists surveyed made it clear that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has no reason to release more of his personal income tax returns than he already has.
Democrats — and even some members of the Republican Party — have demanded that Romney release additional years of tax returns beyond 2010 and 2011 that he already has made public. (Copies of his returns are attached to this article)
Adding to the taxation aggravation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday refused to back down from his earlier accusation that Romney hadn’t paid taxes for over a decade. Reid said he received the tip from an unnamed source who invested with Bain Capital.
But for Patch’s group of Wisconsin Republican Party insiders, the hullabaloo surrounding Romney’s tax returns is just a red herring distracting citizens from the real issues at hand in November's election.
"Additional time spent on his tax returns reduces the amount of time we spend on the economic and foreign policy mistakes made by Obama.”
A resounding 83 percent of respondents said Romney shouldn’t release additional years of tax returns to the public. Just 11 percent claimed he should release additional returns, and 5 percent were undecided.
Patch sent questionnaires to 93 key party activists, elected officials, conservative bloggers and talk show hosts, and others who agreed to anonymously give their opinions in a series of surveys between now and November. Patch received completed surveys from 77 people — or 83 percent of those surveyed.
Among those who have agreed to participate in the survey are state Reps. Jeff Stone, Dan Knodl, Mark Honadel and Don Pridemore; Mark Green, former congressman and U.S. ambassador; Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas; and conservative radio talk show hosts Charles Sykes and Jeff Wagner.
Dems Are Going Fishing
For the Wisconsin Republicans surveyed, the debate over Romney’s tax returns is just another political game of gotcha before November. To them, tax returns are irrelevant to a candidate’s qualifications and are a personal matter. They claim it's another tactic to distraction voters and mask Obama's own inadequacies.
“(Romney) has released everything that is necessary to inform the public,” said one insider. “Everything is in order. No issues. Additional time spent on his tax returns reduces the amount of time we spend on the economic and foreign policy mistakes made by Obama.”
Added another: "Romney has complied with all pertinent campaign disclosure requirements. If the American public finds the law lacking, than we should change the law. Besides, Romney has been running for president for about a decade. I find it very hard to believe that all of a sudden, 100 days before the election, that his tax returns are the one last thing we need to see before voting."
Wisconsin Republican influencers say those foreign policy and economic mistakes by Obama are the issues that matter — not tax returns. Roughly 78 percent of Patch insiders surveyed believed Romney’s tax returns are not an issue that matters to voters. Furthermore, 85 percent of those surveyed said the tax return debate will have no impact on the election.
“These are the most current (tax returns). The Dems are making much ado about nothing,” said one insider.
So what's all the fuss about?
Insiders believe the debate regarding Romney’s tax returns is simply another way for Democrats to throw a political barb. No matter what option Romney chooses, many insiders feel he’s caught in a Catch-22 created by the Democrats.
“There’s no upside for (Romney). He will get raked over the coals for making a lot of money if he does — and possibly more bad press if he doesn’t release them,” said another insider.
But the small minority of insiders, just 11 percent, who were in favor of releasing more tax returns claim Romney has nothing to lose through transparency.
“If he doesn’t have anything to hide, why not? What’s he got to lose? Everyone knows he’s rich,” said one respondent.
One insider said Romney could even turn the tables on Democrats by releasing more tax returns. That person claimed it could give the presidential hopeful a platform to expose the faults in the current tax code and demonstrate that he’s a candidate serious about tax reform.
Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine
Another revelation from the latest Red Wisconsin Survey is that most GOP insiders are quite familiar with the definition of hypocrisy. Many asked why Obama isn’t transparent about personal matters himself.
“Transparency should apply to both sides, and quite frankly I’m not sure why it’s important to scrutinize one candidate, while ignoring the other,” one insider pointed out. “Maybe when Obama releases his academic records, passport, and other records we can talk about it.”
For years, Republicans have demanded to see personal records from Obama’s past. And in mid-July, sheriffs in Arizona claimed they had proven Obama’s birth certificate was a forgery. The White House released the birth certificate in question back in 2011.
“The Obama administration will not comply with releasing records from the Obama’s past, why should Governor Romney or the Romney campaign comply with his request?” one survey respondent asked.
Patch will be conducting Red Wisconsin and Blue Wisconsin surveys throughout 2012 in hopes of determining the true sentiment of conservatives and liberals on the ground in the Badger State.
If you are an activist, party leader or elected official and would like to take part in a weekly survey that lasts just a few minutes, please email Regional Editor Mark Maley at mark.maley@patch.com.
The first Red Wisconsin Survey, Patch asked its group of insiders to take on Tammy Baldwin for the U.S. Senate seat.
Members of Patch's Red Wisconsin Survey particpants are:
Jim Bender, president of School Choice Wisconsin, former chief of staff for Assembly Republican Leader Jeff Fitzgerald; Bill Berdan, first vice chairman, Wauwatosa Republicans; Keith Best, public relations chairman for Waukesha County Republicans; Bob Bradley, party activist; Charles Brey, field director for state Assembly candidate Tracy Herron; Tracy Brodd, Republican campaign worker; Paul Bucher, former Waukesha County district attorney and candidate for Wisconsin attorney general; Roy Catron, Tea Party activist; Andrew Cegielski, former Milwaukee County Board candidate; Sara Conrad, party activist; Bill Cosh, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources; Michael Crowley, Waukesha County supervisor; Jake Curtis, former state Assembly candidate; Lou D'Abbraccio, board member, Racine County Republican Party; Brian Dey, Racine County Tea Party member; Fred Dooley, conservative blogger; Steven Duckhorn, former Republican candidate for Milwaukee County sheriff; Bill Folk, chairman of Racine County Republican Party;Elisabeth Friesen, Republican activist; Jesse Garza, chairman, St. Croix County Republican Party; Mark Green, senior director of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, former U.S. ambassador to Tanzania and former congressman; Chris Haines, longtime campaign volunteer and former GOP campaign manager; Deb Hawley Jordahl, conservative strategist and consultant; John Hiller, co-chair of Scott Walker's transition team as governor; Sandra Hollander, member of Mitt Romney's “Juntos con Romney” leadership team; Ethan Hollenberger, former chairman of the College Republicans at Marquette University and staff member on several legislative campaigns; Mark Honadel, state reprsentative, 21st District; Marguerite Ingold, party activist; Valerie Johnson, former GOP fundraiser and staffer for various campaigns; Thomas J. Keeley, political consultant; Scott Kelly, communications director for former state Sen. Van Wanggaard; Cindy Kilkenny, conservative blogger; Rik Kluessendorf, attorney and former state Assembly candidate; Dan Knodl, state representative, 24th District; Tif Koehler, campaign volunteer and civic leader; Johnny Koremenos, regional field director for Tommy Thompson campaign; Gordon Lang, member of North Shore Republicans; Chris Larsen, trustee in Village of Sturtevant Trustee; Noelle Lorraine, field coordinator for Americans for Prosperity; John P. Macy, first vice chairman of Waukesha County Republican Party; Kathleen Madden, Waukesha County Clerk of Circuit Court; Ginny Marschman, party activist; Jessica McBride, conservative columnist; Bill McCoshen political consultant and; former cabinet secretary for Gov. Tommy Thompson; Joe Medina, party activist; Randy Melchert, field director for Mark Neumann's campaign; Gerald Mellone, Brookfield alderman; Ryan Morgan, conservative blogger; Dean Munday, conservative blogger; Mark Neumann, U.S. Senate candidate and former congressman; Kelly O'Brien, founder of Shorewood Citizens for Responsible Government; Eric Wm. Olsen, conservative activist; Nick Oliver, state Assembly candidate, 22nd District; Victoria Ostry, treasurer of the Wisconsin Federation of Republican Women.; Rick Owen, Brookfield alderman; Monnine Parnitzke, party activist; Steve Ponto, mayor of Brookfield; Don Pridemore, state representative, 99th District; Paris Procopis, grassroots activist; Jim Pugh, director of public relations and issue management for Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce; Denise Rate, Tea Party member; Bob Reddin, Brookfield alderman and executive director, Jobs First Coalition; Pam Reeves, treasurer, Waukesha County Republicans; Joe Rice, former county supervisor and member of North Shore Republicans Executive Committee; Nate Ristow, candidate for 13th District State Assembly; Brandon Rosner, Wisconsin Republican consultant; Bill Savage, aide to state Rep. Don Pridemore and officer of Menomonee Falls Taxpayers Association; Jim Schaefer, Muskego-Norway School Board president; Josh Schimek, conservative blogger; JB Schmidt, conservative blogger; Christian Schneider, senior fellow at Wisconsin Policy Research Institute and former policy analyst for Wisconsin State Legislature; Ashley Schultz, state director of the Recall Action Fund; Nick Schweitzer, Libertarian pundit and blogger; Tim Schwister, former State Assembly candidate; Dan Sebring, vice chairman, Milwaukee County Republicans and candidate for 4th Congressional District; Cathy Stepp, Wisconsin Natural Resources secretary and former state senator; Jeff Stone, state representative, 82nd District; Jonathan Strasburg, attorney; Dave Swarthout, board member, 1st Congressional District Republicans; Charles Sykes, conservative talk show host for WTMJ Radio; Steve Taylor, Milwaukee County supervisor; Jenny Toftness, executive director of the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee; Greg Torres, Jefferson County supervisor; Jim Villa, former chief of staff to County Executive Scott Walker and Alberta Darling; current CEO of Commercial Association of REALTORS® Wisconsin; Robin Vos, state representative; 63rd District; Dan Vrakas, Waukesha County Executive; Yash Wadhwa, former State Assembly candidate; Jeff Wagner, conservative talk show host, WTMJ Radio; Tom Weatherston, candidate for 62nd Assembly District and Village of Caledonia trustee; Steve Welcenbach, head of the Menomonee Falls Taxpayers Association and Tea Party activist; Todd Welch, Wisconsin state coordinator at Campaign for Liberty; James Wigderson, conservative blogger and columnist for Waukesha Freeman; Eddie Willing, conservative columnist in Racine County and executive director of FoundersIntent.org; Chris Wright, Sturtevant village trustee and former candidate for State Assembly; Phil Ziegler, CEO of InPro Inc. and party activist.
Like you Liberals worked with Bush 43? Like Jim Doyle worked with the Republicans? Like Obama, Reid and Pelosi worked with the Republicans?
"The election process is a sham bought by anonymous PAC donors who have an agenda that is way different than the average American's. P.S. Don't mis-read this, but I think your candidate, Romney, is a dork, but he does have great hair and is tall. What more could a simpleton like you want?" Apparently, you're unaware as to how exactly our election process works. PAC donors get only 1 vote per person, per race, that they are jurisdictionally qualified to participate in, which is exactly the same as what the "average American" gets. No more, no less. So how exactly can a PAC donor effectively buy the election process? They have no more power than the "average American" individual does. And seeing as how there are far more "average Americans" than PAC donors, it would appear as if the the "average Americans" do indeed have the upper hand here, doesn't it? For a teacher, your logic appears to be a bit rusty and in need of some major work. BTW - Thanks for the name calling - real mature!
"Life costs money. And a good life even more." So, Eugene, how much extra above and beyond your legal tax burden did you donate to the federal and state governments when filing your last set of income tax returns? And if you own any real property, how much extra did you pay in property taxes? After all, you don't want to rip off your level of governments that provide you with a good life, do you? Do you even pay any income or property taxes?
What are you smoking your one of your other brothers? A single individual has the same effect on a candidate, a vote, a policy is so lopsided ignorance require no answerer. Anyone with just a tad of intelligence can see through such an ILLIOGICAL ranting your on. http://youtu.be/2Ux8Q3XC98U Your other two brothers must be ashamed of you.
Perhaps they donate for the same reason small "average Americans" like you and Hoffa might donate to political causes - because they believe in something??? Nah, that couldn't be it! It has to be because they want something direct in return. When someone like you or Hoffa gives $250, it could very well represent close to 1% of our yearly take home pay, assuming a $40k annual gross. When someone like the Koch Bros gives $10M, it represents .02% of their net worth. Who do you honestly think is expecting more from their respective contributions here? Under your logic, Obama, who has a significantly lower net worth than Romney, is more apt to being bought off by outside big money interests, right? Plus we already saw the crony capitalism from the Obama administration - Solyndra ring any bells? Or how about the GM and Chrysler deals - behind closed doors with the UAW, Italians, and Canadians. The way Bush had the auto bailout structured, it was to be a straight up, interest bearing loan with a controlled repayment schedule and security interest in assets, just as Carter had done it with the successful Chrysler/Iacocca bailout in 1979. The Obama hanky-panky wasn't necessary at all, except to repay his crony friends! But hey, that's the kind of crap that you apparently support going on in DC. Personally, Hoffa's had enough of that kind of BS!
It's a persons right to be uninformed, isn't it? Why should the government step in and enact legislation simply because many people choose to be stupid and easily influenced? It's just more pointing the finger and absolving personal responsibility in favor of government restrictions on freedoms. Sorry, but that's not what this country is about! If you really want to blame someone, blame the media for abandoning journalistic principles in favor of sensationalism. Just look at the way the media treated Ron Paul during this election cycle.
Is English your native language?
Now we know how the HOFA”S decide to vote. The three monkeys could do better than these HOFA”S. Their logic in financial math is outstandingly ignorant. HEY Jamie how much of those super pacs are stuffed with Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and so on and so on, monies? Supreme Court ruled that corporations are people to and can donate all they want with no disclosure. Little wonder that foreign sovereignties have a corporation within the USA. LOL I wonder who do they want to win. Let the bidding begin… Hofa some homework for you; http://youtu.be/Knqpgj0x7xY
What is that nonsense about? Obama did lend the Auto Manufacturing and save Thousands of Jobs and the surrounding supporting Manufacturing’s. It was paid back with interest and is growing to add more Jobs on. It was the republicans at every step of the way naying, naying, naying. Even Mittens was singing right along with the naying , no, no leadership of the republicans. Perhaps your brood of Hofa’s got turned around and your mixing it up with Eric Cantor? Eric and his Tea buddies get $ 300 Million and GIVE it to the Avondale shipyards, in Avondale Alabama, to SHUTDOWN! Something Tea Baggers like to do. SHUTDOWN, SHUTDOWN Hooorrraaahhhh! 5,000 to the unemployment lines. Foreclosures’ galore, families busted, credit gone, money gone. Surrounding supporting Manufacturing gone as well as their employees. OH by the way South Korea’s shipyards send their thanks. OH yeah we know what the HOFA”s are all about. Support welfare to the record profiting oil companies, that paid no taxes, received $Millions in tax returns and DEMAND $ Billions in subsidies [welfare] and the price goes up. I know how much you are disturbed about how the media treated Ron Paul so I got this clip for you. Ron Paul and the Media; http://youtu.be/5m76BOQ_2Hs YOUR WELCOMED.
Ron Paul is a fringe candidate with little profit potential. Why would you be surprised that he received less media attention than the billionaire boys club candidates or the logical front runner?
Are you participating in the Blue Wisconsin surveys?
You need to do better homework. Try expanding your sources beyond the Daily Kos for a start! Until you get up to speed with the FACTS, there's not really a point in continuing a dialogue with you.
"Mr. Hoffa, you are underestimating the influence of advertising." If you honestly believe that our elections have come down to a contest over who can produce and air the more effective media advertisements, that doesn't say very much as to your opinion of the masses of this nation, does it?
Because he made health & medical more accessible and affordable to Americans???? Why"? Because he's trying to raise taxes on the wealthy 2% so we can get back to Clinton years of federal budget surpluses? Ques Mr NObama 2012 (cute). Are you one of the 2%???? I bet not - so why will you vote for the 2%??????
What's the matter Greg, can't find your Delete key??? Also, have respect. Are you proud of your disheveled post???? Dave has just as much rights to place his comments where he wants, just like you and me. Agreed Greg???? <><
To many believe unfounded rumors. Do you know that rumors and facts are alike in one way and but differ in another? <=> The're both a bunch of words, but facts are the truth. <>
"Very interesting that you are a prominent posted here as well as for the metro San Francisco market as well. So who exactly are you, a mouth piece for this liberal rag called Patch of maybe some DNC plant?" Bernie replies; Long time no hear what are you doing here? Chased you out of town again? Hate to break this to you this site is from Aug.3 most everyone has left. Here a bone 4-U Mitt will Not show his IRS Tax information! Mitt does Not know where his monies are ! Mitt does NOT know how it is invested ! Mitt does Not know when he quit Bain ! Well Americans know what all these KNOTS add up to, and it is Not presidential material. His party supports outsourcing. Republican senators “stood firm with Mitt Romney and his 1 percent lobbyist friends” when they successfully filibustered the Bring Jobs Home Act yesterday, [July 19 2012] says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. The bill would cut taxes for U.S. companies that bring jobs and business operations back to the United States and end tax loopholes that reward companies that ship jobs overseas. Let us not forget our ladies. Oxymormon ideologies‘. http://OFA.BO/dBxgXk Mitt lying about what Obama said http://OFA.BO/DPtM1v Mitt dodging tax returns http://OFA.BO/g8usYZ Mitt singing to outsourcing http://OFA.BO/iG451c Mitts record for outsourcing This is what oxymoron’s find appealing.. LOL