Thank you for your service Mr. Romney

[GBMelBlount]

Perhaps there are other, more genuine and more patriotic ways of giving back to your country than just paying more in taxes......

While this goes largely unnoticed, I am not sure Mitt Romney has ever accepted a single dollar of compensation for his 28 years of public service...including governor of Massachussetts and saving the Olympics.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that Mr. Romney has been largely mischaracterized by the media and his detractors who portray him as greedy and selfish man.

Thank you for your caring service Mr. Romney.




Next was the story of David Oparowski, the 14-year-old for whom Romney helped write a will before he died of leukemia. Oparowski's story was first told at the Republican National Convention by his mother. On Friday, Romney told it himself for the first time.

"I went to David's bedside and got a piece of legal paper, made it look very official," said Romney, of the day Oparowski summoned him to his bedside. "And then David proceeded to tell me what he wanted to give his friends. Talked about his fishing rod, and who would get that. He talked about his skateboard, who'd get that. And his rifle, that went to his brother. I've seen the character of a young man like David, who wasn't emotional or crying. He had his eyes wide open. There's a saying: clear eyes, full heart, can't lose. David couldn't lose. I loved that young man."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/mitt-romney-gets-personal-florida-012508174--abc-news-politics.html

[suitanim]

WHEN the attacks start in on his taxes (and they WILL start) in the debates, all he has to do is A) Ask how many people in the audience, by a show of hands, DONATE extra money that they do not legally owe to the IRS, and B) (Something he should do, Obama WOULD do, and Romney is too humble to actually ever use) That he donated 200% more than he paid in taxes to his church last year.

On a little less than 14 million in income, he paid 2 mil in taxes (on money that had already been taxed at least once, maybe twice), and donated FOUR MILLION to his church. Maybe my math is bad, but isn't 14 million minus 6 million almost 43%? In what Newt Gingrich calls a "self-tax"?

[ALLD]

Right on. I always said if the democrats want to pay more taxes, nobody is stopping them. How many tell their accountants to add a few extra points to keep the government bloated and inefficient? The point is they want OTHERS to pay, not them.

When almost half of the people do not pay taxes there is something out of balance, but the dems are not putting it in context. They are doing what they can to retain power and control. Their objective is to get as many people dependent on the gov't in order to get re-elected, the main priority for career politicians.

[Wallace108]

One of the things that drives me absolutely nuts is constantly hearing politicians refer to their jobs as "public service." And people are always THANKING them for their "public service." Technically, the phrase is correct, but the way it's often used, they make it sound like they're doing it for free, giving their time and working for the good of the people out of the kindness of their hearts. But as we know, that's a load of crap. For a good number of them, it's all about money and power. Let them work for free, then we can call it public service and be grateful to them for giving their time and effort.

With that in mind, I commend Romney for the things he has done for free. That shows leadership. And it shows someone who truly cares about what he's doing and that he isn't in it for the money and power. Well, I can't say anything about the power, but he's not in it for the money, which a good number of politicians are. And that's how they get controlled.

[BnG_Hevn]

WHEN the attacks start in on his taxes (and they WILL start) in the debates, all he has to do is A) Ask how many people in the audience, by a show of hands, DONATE extra money that they do not legally owe to the IRS, and B) (Something he should do, Obama WOULD do, and Romney is too humble to actually ever use) That he donated 200% more than he paid in taxes to his church last year.

On a little less than 14 million in income, he paid 2 mil in taxes (on money that had already been taxed at least once, maybe twice), and donated FOUR MILLION to his church. Maybe my math is bad, but isn't 14 million minus 6 million almost 43%? In what Newt Gingrich calls a "self-tax"?

Not for nothing but the church donation doesn't count. In fact, in my book it makes him look more like a "tax dodger".

Think about it, if you were to "illegally", and I use that term loosely, avoid taxes and you want to run for president, donating money to a church would be a logical choice.

If he had donated the money WITHOUT knowing he'd be a presidential nominee then he may be able to thump his chest about it, but to do it as a presidential nominee under these circumstances makes it a bit cloudy.

[BnG_Hevn]

Perhaps there are other, more genuine and more patriotic ways of giving back to your country than just paying more in taxes......

While this goes largely unnoticed, I am not sure Mitt Romney has ever accepted a single dollar of compensation for his 28 years of public service...including governor of Massachussetts and saving the Olympics.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that Mr. Romney has been largely mischaracterized by the media and his detractors who portray him as greedy and selfish man.

Thank you for your caring service Mr. Romney.

This begs the question: When did he do this? Was it before or after he was vying for the presidency?

Not that his actions were disingenuous or anything, but it smacks of "brown nosing the public for support".

[suitanim]

He's donated somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 million that we know of. Sorry, I don't buy the whole "tax shelter" argument, either. Capital gains taxes would claim 15%, so if he was "dodging" taxes, he would have saved a lot LESS than 4 million. It would only make sense if he donated the EXACT amount to bump him down 2 -3 tax brackets into a bracket where he'd pay nothing...and 4 million minus 2 million will always still equal 2 million.

Romney has a long history of being VERY generous, and NOT for tax purposes. He is way too humble about this stuff as well...

[BnG_Hevn]

If he has a history of doing it then that negates my argument. If I were a whacko liberal that's the angle I'd be taking though because one you say something like that and people hear it no matter what Romney counters with won't matter.

Just like if a paper prints something on the front page and everyone sees it. From there on out it won't matter if a retraction is made, the damage is done.

[Polamalu Princess]

Thank you for your caring service Mr. Romney.[/QUOTE]

Amen.

[suitanim]

Part of the "problem" (if one could call it that) from a PR standpoint is that Romney and the Church are both secretive about the actual amounts. 18 million is only what we KNOW...it stands to reason that he's probably given a lot more.

If it was Obama, he'd be thumping his chest and handing out spreadsheets with his charitable giving, but that kind of illustrates the difference between the men, doesn't it?

[Count Steeler]

Some may not be happy that Romney is a Mormon, but how do they reconcile the fact that Obama is an idiot?

[zulater]

Some may not be happy that Romney is a Mormon, but how do they reconcile the fact that Obama is an idiot?


I don't think for a minute that Romney's religion defines him politically. Regardless, I'd rather have a Mormon than someone who's ideologically linked to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

[GBMelBlount]

I don't think for a minute that Romney's religion defines him politically. Regardless, I'd rather have a Mormon than someone who's ideologically linked to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

I don't think so either but to some it does matter. I remember 4 years ago Suitanim "dismissed" Romney in large part (ostensibly) because he was a mormon and he feels many of their beliefs are absolutely whacko.

So I think for many it comes down to being comfortable that Romney is not going to force his mormon beliefs down other's throats.

[zulater]

I don't think so either but to some it does matter. I remember 4 years ago Suitanim "dismissed" Romney in large part (ostensibly) because he was a mormon and he feels many of their beliefs are absolutely whacko.

So I think for many it comes down to being comfortable that Romney is not going to force his mormon beliefs down other's throats.

Similar concerns were voiced for JFK because at the time it was wondered if a Catholic would put country before the Pope. And also there were idiots who thought Reagan would hasten the second coming by launching a nuclear assault against the Russians. And of course the same was insinuated with GWB.

You don't rise to this level of the political spectrum with extremist views. Or at least in the Republican party you don't. :chuckle:

[suitanim]

I don't think so either but to some it does matter. I remember 4 years ago Suitanim "dismissed" Romney in large part (ostensibly) because he was a mormon and he feels many of their beliefs are absolutely whacko.

So I think for many it comes down to being comfortable that Romney is not going to force his mormon beliefs down other's throats.

To be fair, Mormons beliefs ARE completely wacky. But, then again, almost all organized religions are loaded down with absolutely insane fantasies and ridiculous fairy tales...People largely believe these preposterous tall tales largely because humans are pre-programmed to seek explanations for things, even things which can't be explained, as well as the fact that a lot of this has to do with generational indoctrination. Anyway, that was only part of the reason I dismissed Romney....it was mostly because I liked McCain's stance on the military and small business (read: the economy), and I like moderation in a candidate. I actually like some of McCain's planks of his social platform more than I like Romney's, and in many cases, I like OBAMA'S social issue stances more than I like most Republicans positions. But social issues don't mean much to me...economic issues do. A strong economy is far and away the most important factor to me, and Romney is as strong of a candidate in this regard as any I can recall.