If a candidate for President can hide his tax returns, what else could he hide?

[kentuck]

Could he hid his criminal record? Could he hide medical records that would show mental instability? Could he hide his travel records and business dealing with stated enemies of our country?

If tax returns are to be off the table, what else would be off the table? How much do we really need to know about the guy that will carry the nuclear button? How much do we want to know?

This is no trivial political matter. It is not open for debate between Democrats and Republicans. It is a necessity to know certain things about who is going to be our President?

[liberal N proud]

1. What else is he hiding?

What is hiding in those hidden tax returns?

Why is selecting a VP so secretive? Heard this AM they will use decoy airplanes to make sure the selection is kept secret? Hiding the VP selection?

This guy wants to hide everything from public view.

[kentuck]

6. Very, very secretive..

Nixonesque.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Criminal records are public. Not all presidential candidates have released their health-records.

[kentuck]

7. Remember Thomas Eagleton?

He dropped out as McGovern's VP nominee because of "health" questions.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Don't recall why, but both McCain and Obama had to release theirs in 2008.

(Medical records, that is)

[kentuck]

11. I think that is how we found out about all of McCains houses??

that he and Cindy had? From his tax returns.

[mother earth]

3. They are expert at stealing elections, far worst than tax issues. nt

[RevStPatrick]

4. You know, I have mixed feelings about all this.

The only requirements to be president are that one be 35 years old, born in the country and have been a permanent resident for at least 14 years.

There's nothing requiring people to show their tax returns. That is something that is done by tradition. I happen to think it's a good tradition. There is no requirement that the person be sane, a non-felon, or whatever.

So to answer those three questions you opened with... Yes. He or she could hide those things, and still be eligible for the office.

Of course, I would want to know those things, but there's no way, other than tradition and the ballot box to compel them to reveal those things. Frankly, I don't give a shit about Mittens' tax returns. We know he's filthy rich, we know he's "done everything legal" to pay as little tax as possible, and probably a few illegal things, and we know he's a disaster capitalist scumbag. That's enough for me, but I know it's not enough for many. However, you can't force him to reveal that stuff.

Should we change the constitution?

[kentuck]

8. Hmmmm..

Interesting.

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. No, we should not.

But just as noted by the National Review, Willard is playing by the law (what the SEC does and does not require him to reveal).

In the body politic, you are playing with perception in asking people to trust you to represent them as the leader of the nation.

I for one hope he digs his heels DEEP in this and refuses to tell the people of this country how he made his money, while running on the fact that he should lead the country just because he made money.

[oldhippie]

15. I have some of those same feelings .....

Sometimes it seems like we sound just like the birthers. They demanded to see President Obama's birth records, especially the long form birth certificate. He fought it tooth and nail, spending hundreds of thousands of his own money on lawyers to block it. The birthers said, "He must be hiding something or he would just release it!" "The voters need to know to make an informed decision." Just like we are all saying about Romney's tax return. Why would he withhold it if there wasn't something damaging? Same as "Why would Obama withhold his BC if he wasn't hiding something damaging?"

So after months and months of legal and PR struggles, Pres Obama finally releases his long form birth certificate. And what? Nothing! Nothing damaging. So why the heck did he spend so much time and energy fighting to withhold it? Maybe it was just a matter of principle to him. Maybe it's just a matter of principle for the Mitt. (Though I doubt it.)

I think we should be careful making calls for full transparency for all things from a Presidential candidate. Remember, the Pubs and birthers are still calling for Pres Obama to release his college transcripts, college financial records, draft records, passport records etc. They want to figure out where he traveled as a teenager and young man, and who paid for that travel and the expensive education. They are looking for things to bring up that could damage his chances to be re-elected. We are not happy about that, and think he should not have to release such things, on principle. So I don't see how we can legitimately call for the same things (passport records, draft records, bank records, etc) from Romney. It's just a matter of consistency. (We don't like hypocrites, do we?)

If the voter really needs to know all those things about candidates, we probably need to do an amendment to the Constitution adding the requirement to the existing qualifications to the office. I don't think that's gonna happen.

[B2G]

5. Oh I don't know

College transcripts, selective service registration records, passport records come to mind off the top of my head.

[oldhippie]

16. As I mentioned just above, .....

Those are all the same things the Pubs and birthers are demanding that President Obama release. Do we think that is a good idea? Sometimes we should be careful what we ask for.

[nc4bo]

9. I agree with you 100%. nt

[malaise]

13. Not just hide but publicly state that he will not submit them because

The Democratic Party will find things that he doesn't want discussed.

Unfuggingbelievable.

[kentuck]

14. That is why I suggested he give them to his own Party ...

If they want to cover for him, then that would be their choice? However, we know he would not even turn them over to his own political Party.