PUBLIC OPINION > Liberals Want to See Romney's Tax Returns, Conservatives Think It's Just a Distraction
SodaHead News
2012/08/07 22:00:00
No presidential election is complete without its share of drama. Each candidate will be faced with the ghosts of their past -- some real, and some imagined. Right now, Mitt Romney's tax returns are holding the public's attention. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid claims he heard from a "reputable source" that Romney didn't pay taxes for a decade. Romney has already released some of his returns, but there's still a gap in the record. We asked the public if Romney should release more records.
We were hoping for some consensus, but no such luck. Responses were split down the middle, and can you guess what the determining factor was? But first, we wanted to call attention to an interesting argument mentioned in the Top Opinion: "We have it from a very reliable source that Harry Reid is a pedophile." This is a very popular response calling attention to the similarities between Reid's "reputable source" and tabloid rumors. Now, let's get to the stats.
All Politics
Naturally, the biggest difference between people who think Romney should release his tax returns and those who think it's a distraction is their political alignment. Most liberals want to see them, and most conservatives don't. That suggests the shoe would be on the other foot if the parties were reversed.
Big Money, Blind Eye
There was also a correlation between income and response, but there are a couple of issues with that. First of all, income typically correlates with political alignment, meaning the relation between income and response could be directly caused by politics. But it should also come as no surprise that well-off respondents are more likely to call it a distraction.
Young and Suspicious
Another factor that could have affected the income correlation is the age breakdown. Younger respondents were much more likely to want to see Romney's returns. Again, age and politics often line up, so all three of these demographics are probably somewhat linked. Young, left-leaning people with smaller incomes want to make sure Romney is playing fair.
If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll on Mitt Romney's tax returns. We'd love to hear from you!
Top Opinion
-
PAUL F 2012/08/07 22:37:51
+17I like the idea that Obama needs to show his High School and collage transcripts! As well as his bar exam test scores! This man is suppose to be a scholar! Producing his applications and documentation on the subjects Obama has hear say about is fair game! So, I say to all you communist out there! If you want to see 10 years of tax returns then we want to see proof of his education! Not just a diploma but TRANSCRIPTS!!!! If not, this is a dead issue!
I'm trying to find an explanation why you abuse people and call them liars. That's immature and juvenile behavior!
Screaming "liar" at everyone does not change your fake and phony so called "documentation".
It's as fake and as big a fraud as you are little man!
Buh, bye!
Was factcheck.org not a valid source when it accused Obama of exaggerating when he accused Romney of shipping jobs overseas?
Face it Buh Buh Buh . . . . the Facts rarely support the Repugnant Ones.
That's why you hate Factcheck.org, Snopes, Politifact and every other reputable fact checking source.
And that's why you hate the mainstream media.
You know what I mean? . . . LIAR.
Lying is the default mode for Right Wing Nut Job Slime . . . And you know it as well as I do.
lol
LIAR
Why would anyone deny what you do, to everyone? What hypocrites!
HE/WE ARE NOT STUPID! Why would an astute businessman pay any more than is required by law? No one else does!
WHATEVER ROMNEY paid or didn't pay was LEGAL!
GE COMPANY paid NO taxes! So what, that was LEGAL.
There are 80,00 pages in the Tax Code..Given enough time, or a smart accountant, we could all find a way to pay no taxes!
50% of Americans pay NO tax!
Vote for TaxCode reform. Make it simple. Vote for a Flat Tax , toss out all the deductions and loopholes, and put the IRS out of business!
In the meantime, stuff the bogus diatribe about Romney's tax return! It's a red herring
to distract from OBAMA'S stagnant economy.
You RWNJ's think that if you repeat the same lies often enough, they become true.
WRONG.
You're still just a liar.
Afraid not!
Gary is is a truth teller and he told you!!
But most Right Wingers only PRETEND to believe in truth in responsibility.
I'm trying to help you see the light.
And we may be making progress.
Don't fight it.
Wouldn't you actually like to know what you're talking about for a change?
Don't you ever get tired of licking the boots of the plutocrats who walk all over you?
But according to them it was their enemies who were telling the Big Lie.
And here we have a bunch of Nasty Right Wingers repeating history all over again.
ROMNEY is not legally required to dance to your tune!
FreedomAdvocates-Michael Coffman, Alex Jones-prisonplanet, infowars, Curtis Bowers-Agenda Grinding America Down! Do you care about your nation and your freedom your family? The United Nations sucks!
NO, MITT ROMNEY DOES NOT NEED TO SHOW HIS TAX RECORDS AND HARRY FREAKY REID IS A ACCUSER JUST LIKE THE EVIL ONE, SATAN IS!
nazi-unaffordable obama care (does not care), in this nazi health care is nothing but a government take-over, listened to a Nuerological surgeon who said that anyone 70 or over with any problem will not get help! Also that this anti-christ obama care gives the mark of the beast page 1000 talks about people have to get the RFID chip put under the skin!
How about Fast and Furious? The most corrupt administration in the history of the US and they are screaming... "I want to see Romneys tax return!!!)
Like a Lib would even know what they are looking at.
He is rich. We know that. Who gives a crap how rich?
If you don't want him as Pres don't vote for him. Vote for the guy who raised the debt 6 trillion over 4 years. Vote for the guy that couldn't get us out of recession Recession typically last 2 years if you don;t screw with it. Vote for the guy who keeps unemployment over 8% if you believe his false numbers.. more accurately 10%+. Vote for the guy who promised no more lobbyists.. Then packs his house with them. Vote for the guy who said he would be transparent only to slam the door in your face. Go ahead keep believing in him while he laughs his way through the hallowed halls of the white house.
It is okay to be fooled once. He spoke a good speech in 2008. Look at his track record.. Besides we need to vote them in before we can look at it.
Get over it!
You do have the LEGAL right to know why Obama has more than one SS #
and why it has a dead man's name on it!
You do have a LEGAL right to know why OBAMA is playing fast and loose with his birth certificate, selective service information and "passport to Pakistan"!
Have you looked into that ILLEGAL activity? Why not?
You have to play fair...well I guess not if you're a liberal.
Do as I say, not as I do is the liberal mantra!
You know he earned a lot of money because he is an intelligent business man!
You know he paid taxes on that money before it travelled across the pond!
It's a tax shelter on interest and every American does it in some form or another!
Your Roth IRA is a tax shelter!
Romney is not legally or morally required to let you muck around in his personal finances...because you are a Nosy Nancy!
What you are trying to do is..... well......a form of blackmail!
Let me see...Let me see! It 'ain't" going to happen. Deal with it!