Yes,
it’s just a politically partisan stunt, bordering on trivial, for a group
calling itself the Democratic Coalition Against Trump to try to use the Freedom
of Information Act to get the Internal Revenue Service to release information
concerning the income tax returns of Republican presidential nominee Donald
Trump.
 |
| TRUMP: He's rich, but how much? |
BUT
THAT DOESN’T mean the issue of Trump and his income tax returns isn’t something
of significance – although I don’t regard it as the be-all-and-end-all issue
that some would have us believe it means.
It
is a practice going back to the days of Richard M. Nixon, who wanted to respond
to the allegations of illegal activity and the fact that only the most
hard-core of political partisans believed him when he said “I am not a crook”
by letting us know the personal information about his finances.
It
is a practice that presidential candidates have carried on since then, along
with many other government officials at varying levels. It is supposed to let
us see for ourselves that these government officials are really just regular
folks like you and me.
Of
course, they’re not in so many ways. But they’d like us to think so.
BUT
THIS PRACTICE is being altered in this election cycle. For Democrat Hillary
Clinton came forth with her tax return, which shows that she and husband Bill
Clinton are doing well financially.
An
income of just over $10 million – largely because the former president is
involved with his foundation that raises funds for supposedly good causes, and
Hillary has been active on the speaker circuit and can command ridiculously
high rates for her appearances.
So
yes, we can see for ourselves where Hillary is coming from – although I found
it interesting to read the recent New York Times story about the two-year time
period after Bill Clinton lost an Arkansas governor election and she had to
work her butt off to support him financially while his ego recovered from
political rejection.
 |
| CLINTON: Her wealth mere pennies by comparison |
This
may actually be of importance to some people who don’t have a knee-jerk hatred
of a candidate and don’t know who they’re voting for yet.
BUT
WHAT DO we have of comparable value about Trump? Nothing!!!!!!!!!
He
has refused to make anything known of his finances. What do we really know of
the Trump Organization and its CEO? Not a thing!
There
has been some speculation that what Trump doesn’t want known is his actual
financial worth – which may not be as high as he likes to give the impression
of in public. His ego would take a blow, and yes Trump is nothing else if not
an egomaniac!
Although
his attitude also reminds me of the never-quite-came-to-fruition New York
gubernatorial campaign of radio talk show host Howard Stern. He talked a lot of
trash about public policy, but wound up dropping out when he learned there were
legal requirements concerning personal financial disclosure.
HE
DENOUNCED THE system that would make him reveal his wealth, which with all the
different mediums in which he has his finger dipped into is quite sufficient.
Trump,
who at one time was a regular guest on Stern’s radio program because he was
entertaining with the garishness of his lifestyle, is giving us that same “It’s
nobody’s business” approach. Which is why this election cycle will likely come
and go without anything resembling a financial disclosure.
Besides, I suspect that the whole purpose of a tax return disclosure is to create the appearance of ordinariness. And the last thing Trump would ever want to appear to be is ordinary.
We’re
supposed to think he’s better than us, which is why we’re supposed to place
blind faith in him that all his goofy rhetoric won’t lead us (with apologies to
that 2002 Tom Hanks film) down a road to perdition. Because some of us are likely just like the Rhett Butler character of "Gone With The Wind" and just "don't give a damn."
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