Well… Trump’s tax returns released Friday: Live updates | AP News, I’d like to see the tax returns for every elected and appointed member of the federal government for every year they have been in office. A lot of them seem to get really rich while “serving.”
Democrats in Congress released thousands of pages of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns Friday, providing the most detailed picture to date of his finances over a six-year period, including his time in the White House, when he fought to keep the information private in a break with decades of precedent.
The documents include individual returns from Trump and his wife, Melania, along with Trump’s business entities from 2015-2020. They show how Trump used the tax code to lower his tax obligation and reveal details about foreign accounts, charitable contributions and the performance of some of his highest-profile business ventures, which had largely remained shielded from public scrutiny.
>They show how Trump used the tax code to lower his tax obligation
Is there any one who doesn’t do this? If he did anything illegal, then let the IRS process that – just like they would with any other tax paying citizen.
I think it’s high time that we open the government (and all employees of) up and make it completely transparent. After all, they are the Public Servants, and we are the Private Citizens. What we have now is completely backwards.
Jason, I disagree with “all employees”. But I would be ok with “all elected employees”. But I also have a lot of other things I would like to see done with congress as well. Start with NO individual stock trading for them or immediate family. And force them to divest all their stock holdings into some sort of index fund upon entering government.
Just out of curiosity JonnyV, what is the reasoning behind not ‘all employees’ having transparent earnings if they are paid their salaries and benefits by the private citizens?
And just how many stock movements do you believe Government officials are privy to in advance? I don’t really have a problem with limited stock trading at all, but I am not convinced it is as important as you have stressed it lately. I have not heard of accusation after accusation of elected officials using insider trading in the stock market. Have you?
And force them to divest all their stock holdings into some sort of index fund upon entering government.,/i>
You mean like Ron Johnson did–he put it all into cash funds.
“I have not heard of accusation after accusation of elected officials using insider trading in the stock market. Have you?”
Start with Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi is one. Then there’s this, from 9/13/22:
Nearly 100 members of Congress bought or sold financial assets that intersected with the work of the committees they sit on, according to a New York Times report.
Of the 435 House members, 183 traded stocks through themselves or their immediate family members from 2019 to 2021. At least 97 bought or sold stocks, bonds or other financial assets through themselves or their spouses that directly intersected with their congressional work.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11209689/97-members-Congress-families-bought-sold-stock-conflict-interest.html
And that’s just ‘intersecting….with committee they work on..,,’
Think maybe one of those guys talked to another MC who was NOT on that committee?
Hint: water is wet.
Jason, just because a person works for the govt, doesn’t necessarily mean we should be able to look at all their tax history or returns. Does this include part time workers? Hourly? etc. What about people who receive gov’t assistance? Anyone who gets ANY tax breaks???
But, if you are asking me to elect you then that could be different.
And if Dad29, Mar, & I all agree on something… there is probably a good reason. LOL! Many in Congress are practicing “insider trading” or trading with advanced knowledge. They just don’t call it that.
Insider trading is for the newbies. Straight up influence peddling pays a whole lot better than insider trading. Trading gains are taxable. Suitcases full of cash not so much. Board seats for your grossly unqualified, drug-addled kids are okay, too. Nobody pays any attention to the full ride scholarships for the grandkids. Or the free rides to fantasy island. You can ignore those charitable foundations and vanished humanitarian aid funds, too. None of your business.
JV, I wasn’t talking about employee tax returns. I was talking about how it’s become the default of all levels of government to be secret / private / closed door.
I would support putting all tax records of any government employee online if they earn anything over and above their government wages.
Don’t care if it is a janitor or the fake doctor Fauci.
Certainly redact personal information like addresses and kids names and the like.
And if Dad29, Mar, & I all agree on something… there is probably a good reason.
It ALSO means that JonnyV is now on the FBI/NSA/CIA watch-list. Heh.
Members of Congress beat Dow by a ton:
More than two dozen members of Congress beat the stock market despite Wall Street suffering its worst year since 2008, according to an analysis by a popular stock-trading news site.
But there was one notable loser last year: Nancy Pelosi. The outgoing House Speaker’s portfolio dropped 19.8% in 2022 — worse than the 18.2% decline in the ETF that tracks the S&P 500, according to the 100-page report by Unusual Whales.
Topping the list of winners was Rep. Patrick Fallon (R-Texas), who made 51.6% on his investments in 2022, according to the data. Right behind him was Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.) with a 50.8% spike, the report showed.
See: https://nypost.com/2023/01/06/dozens-in-congress-beat-stock-market-in-2022-analysis/
I can’t wait till they release Jonnyv’s tax records to the public.