Tax Returns Coming Tonight?

[Technocracy Timmy]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

All too true.

[cinyc]

Well, back to playing Overwatch.

No, this 2005 return is helpful. It showed us that most of his income ($150 million) came from the sale of two properties in Manhattan and San Fran, according to Patrick LaForge, on Twitter - to Hong Kong investors. Which means only one thing, the later returns will show a much more heavy reliance on foreign investors especially since he started leasing Trump Tower deals around the world post-2005.

And?  Selling or leasing high-value properties to Hong Kong investors is neither unusual nor illegal.  Plus, you really don't need tax returns to "prove" "reliance on foreign investors", whatever that means - which again, even if true, wouldn't be unusual or illegal.  Property sales, in particular, are usually a matter of public record.  Deeds get publicly recorded.  Anyone who knows how can look them up.

This will backfire on Maddow and the Democrats.  The Trump spin will be that someone is likely illegally leaking Donald Trump's tax returns without his consent.  Oh - and he made millions and paid his taxes, so so what?

[ApatheticAustrian]

the average joe is watching maddow? would be quite a change, even while she has the highest ratings ever.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

Sadly true as a NYer who follows this stuff an knows the context of his financial history pre an post 2005 their were interestingbthings brought up but yeah Joe six pack isn't gonna get this

[Devout Centrist]

Net effect = 0.

[DrScholl]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

By 2020, the glorified "Average Joe" won't be enough to get Trump re-elected. Of course, he could cancel the election and get away with it. Who knows?

[JA]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

By 2020, the glorified "Average Joe" won't be enough to get Trump re-elected. Of course, he could cancel the election and get away with it. Who knows?

[DrScholl]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

By 2020, the glorified "Average Joe" won't be enough to get Trump re-elected. Of course, he could cancel the election and get away with it. Who knows?

If you are going to attempt to use a meme, it should be clear what your point is. Make your point directly.

[krazen1211]

We have a great President.

[tallguy23]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

This. Now can we get back to the healthcare repeal? That's the real scandal.

[ApatheticAustrian]

hannity takes the bait.

[The_Doctor]

Well, back to playing Overwatch.

No, this 2005 return is helpful. It showed us that most of his income ($150 million) came from the sale of two properties in Manhattan and San Fran, according to Patrick LaForge, on Twitter - to Hong Kong investors. Which means only one thing, the later returns will show a much more heavy reliance on foreign investors especially since he started leasing Trump Tower deals around the world post-2005.

And?  Selling or leasing high-value properties to Hong Kong investors is neither unusual nor illegal.  Plus, you really don't need tax returns to "prove" "reliance on foreign investors", whatever that means - which again, even if true, wouldn't be unusual or illegal.  Property sales, in particular, are usually a matter of public record.  Deeds get publicly recorded.  Anyone who knows how can look them up.

This will backfire on Maddow and the Democrats.  The Trump spin will be that someone is likely illegally leaking Donald Trump's tax returns without his consent.  Oh - and he made millions and paid his taxes, so so what?

Oh nothing wrong about this. This is all legal. So far. I definitely wouldn't call this news. I said clearly that the later returns will potentially show more foreign investors and probably more interesting stuff. This isn't illegal remotely or interesting. I think this just shows he was beginning to getting into foreign deals, and that's what I want to see especially from 2008 to 2016.

Probably will hurt the Democrats, in the short run, as Trumpy's base gets wound up. I think there's definitely some sort of smoking gun but Trump's base (you among them, it appears) won't accept that until there's concrete proof and will continue to idolize the God-Emperor.   

In the long run, Trumpy's got a lot of things to hide.

[ApatheticAustrian]

This. Now can we get back to the healthcare repeal? That's the real scandal.

don't think the healthcare mess is going away cause we are still interested in trump's taxes.

microwave-gate aka wire-tapping also isn't creating enough smoke to let trump push this thing through congress.

[JA]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

By 2020, the glorified "Average Joe" won't be enough to get Trump re-elected. Of course, he could cancel the election and get away with it. Who knows?

If you are going to attempt to use a meme, it should be clear what your point is. Make your point directly.

1. You apparently think there's a remotely realistic chance that not only could Trump cancel the election in 2020, but that he'd "get away with it." That's laughably absurd.

2. You went out of your way to describe the "Average Joe" as "glorified," thereby casting them in a negative light. This is the antithesis of the type of attitude Democrats need if we have any desire to win future elections by comfortable margins and implement real progressive reforms.

For those two reasons - particularly the first - I used that meme as my response. Your post was simply ridiculous.

[progressive85]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

Your average Joe is looking at Internet porn right now, not watching Rachel Maddow.

And the man that they had on was very spot-on when he said that Trump probably has gotten money from communists, Russian oligarchs, the mob, and drug kingpins... and if he would just release all of his tax returns, he could put all of that suspicion to rest..but he's hiding something and he's done it while antagonizing the press... not smart.

[DrScholl]

Your average Joe looked at what Rachel presented tonight and went: "Huh guess Trump pays taxes and makes millions...good businessman."

I swear to god Trump will win reelection based solely on the complete and utter incompetence of liberals.

By 2020, the glorified "Average Joe" won't be enough to get Trump re-elected. Of course, he could cancel the election and get away with it. Who knows?

If you are going to attempt to use a meme, it should be clear what your point is. Make your point directly.

1. You apparently think there's a remotely realistic chance that not only could Trump cancel the election in 2020, but that he'd "get away with it." That's laughably absurd.

2. You went out of your way to describe the "Average Joe" as "glorified," thereby casting them in a negative light. This is the antithesis of the type of attitude Democrats need if we have any desire to win future elections by comfortable margins and implement real progressive reforms.

For those two reasons - particularly the first - I used that meme as my response. Your post was simply ridiculous.

1. Trump is not a normal President and he doesn't really like rules, so there is no telling what he might attempt.

2. Yes, I said glorified, is there a problem? No citizen of any demographic is any better than any other and we need to stop acting like that. Everyone is equal.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Also I high doubt this has any impact beyond Wednesday so this "it will hurt democrats" is laughable

[ApatheticAustrian]

i am always impressed how the users of a site like Atlas, arguably the most politics- affine kind of "non-professionals" at all, is always looking at every little step like this would be the DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLAWLESS VICTORY AND TOTAL DESTRUCTION.

[cinyc]

Probably will hurt the Democrats, in the short run, as Trumpy's base gets wound up. I think there's definitely some sort of smoking gun but Trump's base (you among them, it appears) won't accept that until there's concrete proof and will continue to idolize the God-Emperor.   

In the long run, Trumpy's got a lot of things to hide.

Some smoking gun where?  Tax returns don't show as much as you or the grandstanding Democrats like Chuck Schumer think they do - particularly when candidates who release returns generally don't release all the schedules and attachments, but just the first few pages.  And the fact that Trump did everything he could to minimize his tax bill is already known.  It's not going to change anyone's mind at this point.

Again, you don't need tax returns to learn about Trump's real estate dealings.  Some of it is a matter of public record.  Some of it has been reported on by the media in the past.  Heck, Trump probably details some of it in his books.  It might not be as easy to figure out than if he just released his complete returns, but with some work, it can be learned without them.

[ApatheticAustrian]

what would be your proposal then, cinyc, why trump goes out of his way to create a castle of complex lies to prevent his tax records from going public, if they are - in fact - without new knowledge?

[The Dowager Mod]

what would be your proposal then, cinyc, why trump goes out of his way to create a castle of complex lies to prevent his tax records from going public, if they are - in fact - without new knowledge?

This.
If he has nothing to hide just release them, Like every other president since Nixon.

[cinyc]

what would be your proposal then, cinyc, why trump goes out of his way to create a castle of complex lies to prevent his tax records from going public, if they are - in fact - without new knowledge?

Some are under audit, which means he and the IRS disagree on a tax position he took.  Complex tax issues usually aren't litigated in the court of public opinion.  And Trump has said he doesn't want to release his returns until the audit is done, if at all.  How is that a "castle of complex lies"? 

"Castles of complex lies" aren't necessary to keep tax records from going public.  It is solely up to the taxpayer to release them.  The IRS releasing them to most people is a crime.

[cinyc]

what would be your proposal then, cinyc, why trump goes out of his way to create a castle of complex lies to prevent his tax records from going public, if they are - in fact - without new knowledge?

Some are under audit, which means he and the IRS disagree on a tax position he took.  Complex tax issues usually aren't litigated in the court of public opinion.  And Trump has said he doesn't want to release his returns until the audit is done, if at all.  How is that a "castle of complex lies"?  

"Castles of complex lies" aren't necessary to keep tax records from going public.  It is solely up to the taxpayer to release them.  The IRS releasing them to most people is a crime.

This lie has been debunked so many times...either way you can release tax returns under audit, Nixon did it

I doubt Trump is lying that some of his tax returns are under audit.  And just because you can release tax returns under audit doesn't mean that you must.