Mitt Romney's Tax Return Folly

During the 1988 Presidential Election cycle, Saturday Night Live did a skit with Jon Luvitz playing Governor Michael Dukakis and Dana Carvey playing George H.W. Bush. During the skit, after one of Dana Carvey's perfect impersinations of George Bush, Luvitz looks at the camera and states, "I can't believe I am losing to this guy."

At some point, President Barack Obama must be thinking, how is this election even close? He very well may be saying at some point, "I can't believe I am losing to this guy." This guy, of course, refers to former Governor Mitt Romney who is currently refusing to produce his tax returns. To be fair, he has produced a partial tax return from 2011 but will not produce anymore until this years returns are done. (Didn't April 15 pass?)

Presidnet Obama, Democrats and even Republicans at this point are demanding that Mitt Romney release his tax returns. Mitt Romney went through the Republican primary season claiming that his business experience makes him the best candidate to defeat President Obama in November. Yet, now, he refuses to disclose how much money he made in his various business endeavors. More importantly, Mitt Romney does not want the American public to know how he made his money.

Personally, I don't know if Mr. Romney has something to hide or not. Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't. But this recent refusal to talk about or produce his tax returns is just another example of Mitt Romney claiming that the American people can trust him without knowing all the facts.

The following is a list of the things Mitt Romney won't talk about or refuses to produce records on:

- Tax Returns except for a partial return for 2011 - Olympic Uniforms Made In China. - The Lily Ledbetter Act - The Dream Act - What tax loopholes he will close to pay for his 5 trillion dollar tax cut - whether he supports full authorization of the Violence Against Women Act - Which federal agencies he would close - Specifics about his budget plans except to say that his will have more choice than the Ryan Plan - His general economic policy.

At one point, Mitt Romney said that his time at Bain Capital was "off the table." This is the very experience that Romney claims makes him most suited to be President, yet he doesn't want to talk about. By the way, notice how former Governor Mitt Romney never talks about his tenure as Governor. Could it be because he doesn't want to talk about Romneycare?

With Mitt Romney's list of things he won't talk about, is he really surprised the media is focusing on yet another thing he won't discuss or won't disclose. Can this really be a candidate for President? Someone who doesn't want to talk about issues, his past, or his future plans? What then are voters supposed to use to determine who will make the better President? The Republican response is an unsubstantiated hatred of the President because he is _________ (fill in the blank: black, socialist, a terrorist, African - All things alleged by Republican pundits and some Republicans members of Congress)

And Mitt's new response: Put Donald Trump on the case and have him fix it for him. Seriously, when did Donald Trump become a part of the political process? Has the American election process become akin to a reality television show? Donald Trump has demanded that the President release his college records. Because after being President for 4 years apparently it is now relevant what grades the President got in college. Pretty sure being editor of the Harvard Law Review means the President got good grades in Law School.

So the Donald and Mitt are using the Republican Party's favorite strategy: double down on a bad idea. Mitt Romney is currently in hot water for lack of disclosure: Quick demand that President disclose something . .. anything.

The funny thing is that if Mitt Romney did disclose his tax returns then this story would be over and he could keep bashing the President at every turn. But he won't and now he is being snooty about it. At some point, the American public wants to talk about something. If Mitt Romney keeps taking stuff off the table, they won't be talking about him anymore. But until then, the President, who has disclosed decades worth of tax returns, wrote two autobiographies, and has been one of the most scrutinized Presidents in history must be wondering: How can I actually be losing to this guy?