Monday 20 August 2012

More on Mitt Romney - you couldn't make it up

Mitt Romney Republcian Presidential Candidate made the following comments while refusing to release his tax returns:

"over the past 10 years I never paid less than 13 percent. I think the most recent year is 13.6 or something like that."  ... "I’ve paid at least 13 percent and if you add in addition the amount that goes to charity, why the number gets well above 20 percent.”

he prefaced these words with:

“I just have to say, given the challenges that America faces – 23 million people out of work, Iran about to become nuclear, one out of six Americans in poverty – the fascination with taxes I’ve paid I find to be very small-minded compared to the broad issues that we face. But I did go back and look at my taxes and" 

One wonders if Mitt will ever see the irony of what he is saying.   Could there be a link between a huge gap between what the Government spends and what the Government gets in in taxes because people like Mitt pay hardly anything?  Could there be a link between 1 in 6 Americans being in Poverty - but many of them paying a  bigger percentage of their income in Tax than Mr Romney does ?   Clearly if all Amecians paid just 13% tax, then the system is unsustainable.  I am not anti-charity - but I am uneasy when someone can afford charity only because of their unethical behaviour.

The top rate of tax in the USA is 35% - wow Mitt - you pay just 13%.  It may be worth noting that Mormons usually pay 10% of their income to the Mormon Church.  So when Mitt talks about his big contributions to charity - he is including that contribution to the Mormon Church.  Personally, I don't get why Churches are considered charities. 

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