Is it wrong not to pay taxes if you figure out a way to do it legally?
Sep 28, 2016, 5:46 AM | Updated: 9:37 am
One of the most shared moments of the presidential debate came during the scrimmage about Donald Trump’s income tax returns.
“The only years that anybody has ever seen were when he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license and they showed he didn’t pay any federal income tax, so if he’s paid zero…,” Hillary Clinton said.
Related: The fact-checkers were not kind during the Trump – Clinton debate
“That makes me smart,” Trump replied.
The moment Clinton implied he might be paying zero taxes, his instinct was to say “that makes me smart.”
And the next day, when running mate Mike Pence was asked about it?
“Did he confirm that he does not pay taxes?”
“Oh no, gosh no.”
No gosh no! Perish the thought that the man would pay no tax.
But is it wrong? Is it wrong – or somehow unpatriotic – to pay no tax if you figure out a way to do it legally? Who among us would decide, for example, not to claim the mortgage interest deduction as a way to demonstrate patriotism?
As far as I can see, no one is raising their hand.
And this is what’s so frustrating about Trump’s mystery tax return. We need to know what’s in it not because we want to condemn him, but because we want to copy him.
Promises of tax reform never get anywhere. The only tax reform the middle class is going to get is to figure out how to legally game the existing system the way the Trumps of the world do.
Am I right?
“You don’t learn that much from tax returns, that I can tell you.” Trump said.
Are you absolutely sure? Could we at least give it a try? Just this once?
-
Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.
