10-28-2016, 06:44 PM
Yeah, so Clinton nor any other politician that I've heard has ever said or implied that it's criminal for the very wealthy, including Trump, to pay a lower tax rate than everyone else by taking advantage of tax codes that favor them. Nobody is screaming, "lock him up!" over it.
Instead, it's been stated that it's not 'fair', which is not synonymous with not 'legal' by any stretch, Tiki.
Trump himself acknowledged in the third debate that he has taken full advantage of operating loss and depreciation write-offs which would allow him to pay little to no personal federal income tax and that is was 'unfair'.
He and his surrogates later called him a 'genius' for taking advantage of the tax codes. Trump claimed it was Clinton's fault the tax codes were unfair because she was a NY senator and failed to change them when she had the chance. He insinuated that she didn't really want to change them because she was in bed with Wall Street and the banks and that HE would fix the tax codes. However, he mentioned only the carried interest tax break (which wouldn't affect him since he's not a hedge fund or private equity operator).
At any rate, you're right about us not knowing for sure what he did or didn't pay because he refuses to release his tax returns and he and his sons have repeatedly made inconsistent claims about whether or not he's paid personal federal income tax. That lack of transparency is what I figure is a bigger problem for him with voters than the fact that, according to him, he's chosen to take full advantage of the tax codes.
Instead, it's been stated that it's not 'fair', which is not synonymous with not 'legal' by any stretch, Tiki.
Trump himself acknowledged in the third debate that he has taken full advantage of operating loss and depreciation write-offs which would allow him to pay little to no personal federal income tax and that is was 'unfair'.
He and his surrogates later called him a 'genius' for taking advantage of the tax codes. Trump claimed it was Clinton's fault the tax codes were unfair because she was a NY senator and failed to change them when she had the chance. He insinuated that she didn't really want to change them because she was in bed with Wall Street and the banks and that HE would fix the tax codes. However, he mentioned only the carried interest tax break (which wouldn't affect him since he's not a hedge fund or private equity operator).
At any rate, you're right about us not knowing for sure what he did or didn't pay because he refuses to release his tax returns and he and his sons have repeatedly made inconsistent claims about whether or not he's paid personal federal income tax. That lack of transparency is what I figure is a bigger problem for him with voters than the fact that, according to him, he's chosen to take full advantage of the tax codes.