When Trump said that not paying taxes ‘makes me smart,’ undecided voters in N.C. gasped

[Stonepounder]

Source: Washington Post

CARY, N.C. — Donald Trump so captured Ron Townley’s attention as “an outsider ready to tear down the system,” just the one who might break the Washington logjam, the doer to build new airports and highways, that he was considering voting for him.

But Trump’s response Monday night when Hillary Clinton accused him of not paying a cent of federal tax left Townley appalled.

“That makes me smart,” Trump said, unapologetic and smiling, during the presidential debate, held in Hempstead, N.Y.

That comment caused a gasp in the hotel conference room where Townley and five other undecided voters in this ­battleground state were watching the debate.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-lean-toward-clinton-among-one-group-of-undecided-north-carolina-voters/2016/09/27/ff271b2e-8469-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html

---

He is just SO tone-deaf.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. Good.

[Chemisse]

2. I hope this really hurts him.

It shows exactly how much he cares about the country - as opposed to himself.

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Good. Now let's hope those undecideds do the right thing. . .

. . .and pull the lever for Hillary in November.

[rock]

4. Yeah, he's a regular

Al Capone.

[Xipe Totec]

5. Al Cabrón. nt

[rock]

7. I had to look it up

Good one!

[CanonRay]

21. Perfecto!

[retrowire]

6. Yep, this North Carolinian right here gasped while watching as well.

My wife and I were dumbfounded.

[Igel]

8. Do you take all the deductions you are entitled to?

Would not taking them make you smarter than taking them?

Yeah. It's one of those "do as I want but not as I do" sort of things.

*They* should pay far more taxes. We, on the other hand, shouldn't. Or, if we pay a small amount more that's okay as long as they pay "their fair share." Which is defined as "most" and "far more than me."

The gasping is on par with the desire to claim deductions, born of the same motivation.

[Stonepounder]

13. I disagree.

We all know that there are tax regulations written that apply only to the extremely wealthy so aren't available to us peons. The fact that you can make $600 million a year and pay $0 Income Tax is manifestly unfair. To brag about it so just so elitist. To claim that it 'Makes me smart' says to every tax payer out there: "You are stupid". Not a great move by someone who wants your vote.

[obamanut2012]

17. perfect reply

[mnhtnbb]

16. Ah, but the rules are written to benefit the likes of Trump and screw the middle class.

Mitt Romney took a $75,000. health expense deduction for a horse for his wife--part of her "therapy" for her illness.

The rules are written so that parents who are helping their kids in graduate school--making $6,000./year from work study--can't deduct
$.01 for providing help with living expenses. Who the hell can live on $6,000./year? Without support, the student has to take student loans.
So, the parents help and get ZERO deduction.

Is that fair?

[Skittles]

19. maybe that is why YOU would gasp

but many of us actually do not mind paying taxes for our defense, infrastructure, education, etc.

[madokie]

22. I like paying taxes

This old white ass man would have starved to death as a kid if not for welfare. I appreciate what our country did for me and my family. Not a one of us kids complain about the taxes we pay. Nor do any of us try to come up with ways to get out of paying our fair share.

My wife and I will pay taxes on upward of plus 80 big ones this year and you won't hear either of us complain

We both know where the money comes from that educates our children. Where the money comes from that maintains our roads and on and on. We know, simple as that

[llmart]

43. Same here...

I have never complained about paying my taxes. I do, however, complain that the wealthy don't pay a fair share. I actually feel it's a privilege to pay my share as an American.

I know that makes me non-mainstream, but then, I've always been non-mainstream.

[Leontius]

23. Does not sound good

Last edited Tue Sep 27, 2016, 11:43 PM - Edit history (1)

but it's true if you don't have to pay taxes you won't and anyone who says they would is lying. This is the system we have and everyone is in some way responsible for it. If you want it changed then vote for change and that may include getting rid of your representative if he lets the status quo continue. This is the single most important issue that faces the country today and I haven't heard either candidate really offer a solution to make it better.

[brett_jv]

34. It's one thing to 'naturally' have some deductions due to your 'doing what you do' ...

It'd be another if I was so rich that I could afford:
1) paid lobbyists working on my behalf to manipulate that tax code, and
2) to make donations that give me access to politicians that can grease the skids for my 'projects', and
3) teams of accountants & lawyers dreaming up countless ways to hide to how much I actually profited, moving my earnings around through byzantine networks of off-shoring my cash, shell corporations, etc, etc, etc.

And then I took advantage of all the above to profit MANY Million$$$ ... and paid ZERO taxes.

Yeah, I'm not paying taxes I don't 'have to', but my deductions are 'incidental', not a direct product a team of highly-paid professionals doing ALL they can to 'hide' everything I actually 'made', and perhaps even tweak the tax code in ways that benefit me/my family/my associates.

You understand the contrast, at all?

[Leontius]

42. No contrast at all because if you could do the same you would.

If you don't like the system work to change it. If you like the system don't cry when others use it to their advantage and you can't or don't.

[dixiegrrrrl]

31. Sadly, that makes him a hero to the Fox news crowd down here.

Avoiding taxes is a patriotic duty to the Tea Party mentality.
A LOT of transactions are cash only.

[WestMichRad]

9. He'll deny he ever said it

Just wait until he's called on this. He'll swear he never said that... or, he didn't mean that... or, it was sarcasm. You know, his usual BS.

Personally, I loved his performance in last night's debate. Anyone amazingly still on the fence who watched or listened got to see what a genuine ass he is. My anxiety that he might somehow win this election has vanished. Yay!

[Stonepounder]

18. Already did.

Donald Trump on the debate stage:

During the first presidential debate, during a discussion about Donald Trump's refusal to release his tax returns, Hillary Clinton noted that he's "paid nothing in federal taxes" in recent years. "That makes me smart," Trump bragged.
Donald Trump an hour afterward:

Dana Bash (CNN): “My question for you is, first of all, it sounds like you admitted that you hadn't paid federal taxes and that that was smart. Is that what you meant to say?

Trump: “No, I didn't say that at all.”

See the video:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/9/26/1574749/-Trump-denies-saying-not-paying-taxes-makes-me-smart-an-hour-after-he-said-it?detail=facebook

[Mc Mike]

36. Lying is like breathing for him.

[Snellius]

40. "I didn't say that at all"

https://www.facebook.com/TheOther98/videos/1472059186138388/

[groundloop]

10. Between that and "that's called business" in regards to millions of people losing their homes...

We ought to grab more than a few undecided voters. I have no doubt that those two gaffes will make it into campaign ads for Hillary in short order.

[cynzke]

39. TRUMP LOVES "THAT KIND OF BUSINESS", RAKING IN WEALTH DUE TO OTHERS' MISFORTUNES, SO.....

Let's put him in a position of power where he has the tools to manipulate the economy and cause more recessions/depressions to screw more VICTIMS. Not just in this country either.

[rivegauche]

11. Good. WAKE THE HELL UP, NORTH CAROLINA nt

[4lbs]

12. Trump: I pay no taxes and you do. I'm smart, and your brains are shit stew.

Pretty much what he told the country.

[snacker]

14. I gasped too...

Not paying taxes makes him "smart"? This is beyond disgusting to me.

[Matthew Rose]

15. Call it what it is folks: Welfare

Over $200 million in Welfare for $600 million income.

[lindysalsagal]

20. File this under "No-Shit, Sherlock."

How did anyone miss this arrogance?

[forgotmylogin]

24. Trump: You would have squandered them

David Waldman (@KagroX)
9/27/16, 7:50 AM
I didn't pay taxes because you would have squandered it. pic.twitter.com/bMcyXlnHcC

[ColemanMaskell]

25. Thanks for sharing that article

[jonjen]

26. Paula Poundstone's response

"Trump says other NATO countries aren't paying their fare share. I don't know if that's true, but wouldn't that make them smart?"

[Beartracks]

33. Ha ha! Awesome, Paula Poundstone.

Touche'.


================

[Egnever]

35. Poundstone is a gem.

Saw her live recently, her shows are unique.


She has no real show just reacts to the audience mostly and she slays.

[roamer65]

27. ...also the "that's business" comment on the housing crisis.

Hillary let him right into that one. He took the bait, hook, line and sinker.

[Stonepounder]

28. Did you hear Biden on those two comments.

Biden was outraged. He wasn't joking, he was MAD! ANGRY! He was breathing fire. I love Joe!

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/joe-biden-wants-know-what-hell-trump-talking-about-n655576

"Tell that to the janitor in here who's paying taxes!" answered Biden raising his voice.

"Tell that to your mothers and fathers who are breaking their neck to send you here, they're paying taxes ... It angers me, it angers me," Biden added.

[dae]

29. Doesn't pay taxes but wants to lower tax rates for the

wealthy and corporations, WTH for?

[yellowcanine]

30. Only the little people pay taxes.

[closeupready]

32. I too gasped. I knew he'd lost the election at that moment, early in the debate.

Little did I know how he'd just gotten started (to say nothing of Hillary's brilliant job), so I think that's just about all she wrote.

[sellitman]

37. He was finally honest

What's wrong with you Liberals? Can't he catch a break?

[maddiemom]

38. Ordinarily, that remark should finish a presidential candidate.

Also (I didn't go back to try to find this in the transcript), didn't Trump, at a similar point say "That's (good) business, MY DEAR" ? If I heard correctly, this also deserves note.

[Vinca]

41. Maybe some of the dim bulbs realize that the country has to collect a certain amount of money

each year to pay for things we require as a nation. People who weasel out of paying their fair share make everyone else's tax bill higher.