Mark America

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney announced on Monday that he will release his 2011 tax return in April, presumably the 15th, the ordinary filing deadline for taxpayers.  This is a problem in my book, and it’s based on the fact that by then, he will have successfully deprived most Republican primary voters of the chances to examine his records.

I find it deplorable that Mitt Romney would resort to such a transparent tactic to avoid disclosing his tax returns.  This is shameful, and it demonstrates how he remains unwilling to be open and honest with the American people, most of whom will be deprived the ability to examine these records before casting their votes.

After April 15th, the following states are the few remaining that will not have voted:

• April 24, 2012
  Connecticut (primary)
  Delaware (primary)
  New York (primary)
  Pennsylvania (primary)
  Rhode Island (primary)
• May 8, 2012
  Indiana (primary)
  North Carolina (primary)
  West Virginia (primary)
• May 15, 2012
  Nebraska (primary)
  Oregon (primary)
• May 22, 2012
  Arkansas (primary)
  Kentucky (primary)
• June 5, 2012
  California (primary)
  Montana (primary)
  New Jersey (primary)
  New Mexico (primary)
  South Dakota (primary)
• June 26, 2012
  Utah (primary)

In stark contrast, below is the list of all the states that will have held their primaries/caucuses already, making this release useless for them:

• January 3, 2012
  Iowa (caucus) – Complete
• January 10, 2012
  New Hampshire (primary) – Complete
• January 21, 2012
  South Carolina (primary)
• January 31, 2012
  Florida (primary)
• February 4, 2012
  Nevada (caucus)
• February 4–11, 2012
  Maine (caucus)
• February 7, 2012
  Colorado (caucus)
• Minnesota (caucus)
  Missouri (primary)
• February 28, 2012 Arizona (primary)
  Michigan (primary)
• March 3, 2012 Washington (caucus)
• March 6, 2012  (Super Tuesday)
  Alaska (caucus)
  Georgia (primary)
  Idaho (caucus)
  Massachusetts (primary)
  North Dakota (caucus)
  Ohio (primary)
  Oklahoma (primary)
  Tennessee (primary)
  Vermont (primary)
  Virginia (primary)
• March 6-10, 2012 Wyoming (caucus)
• March 10, 2012
  Kansas (caucus)
  U.S. Virgin Islands (caucus)
• March 13, 2012
  Alabama (primary)
  Hawaii (caucus)
  Mississippi (primary)
• March 18, 2012
  Puerto Rico (primary)
• March 20, 2012
  Illinois (primary)
• March 24, 2012
  Louisiana (primary)
• April 3, 2012
  District of Columbia (primary)
  Maryland (primary)
  Wisconsin (primary)
  Texas (primary)

Now, while I’m sure this is all well and good, let’s look at what Mitt is trying to pull off here:  If he can avoid releasing his tax return until April 15th, this will be only 18 of 50 states in which voters will get to consider this information.  This is a fraud.  This is an attempt to delay the disclosure until your votes not longer matter. These 32 states in which primary elections or caucuses will have passed constitutes enough of the delegates at stake to nearly guarantee a Mitt Romney victory.

Sorry, Mitt. This isn’t good enough.  I want to know why you won’t do as your own father did when he ran for the nomination in 1968: George Romney released twelve years worth of tax returns.  (Obviously, in the primaries, since he didn’t secure the nomination.)

No disclosure, no vote!

Meanwhile, the Democrats are already cranking out campaign ads highlighting this particular flip-floppery.  Watch Romney duck and dodge this and other issues:

If we make this guy our nominee, we’ll be stuck with this.

Lastly, from Jake Tapper via Twitter: Mitt Romney’s Dad George set the standard.