I haven't written a diary in a while so go easy on me here, but I just really lost it when I heard what Ann Romney said about giving "all you people need to know" about their finances. The arrogance of that statement. The entitlement. Who are "you people?" We are the people who would give your family the PRIVILEGE of living in our house, representing our values and our interests. We are the people who have need of an advocate for the nation, not the naked interests of the Romney's "us" crowd. We are the people who can't loan our children money for fancy schools, who need to be able to buy healthcare at a time of stagnant wages and rising costs. Where profits are shared only with the executives and the shareholders and never the workers who produced them. We are the 40% who make less combined than the Walmart heirs are worth. How dare you act entitled when you want to receive the highest honor in our land. Follow me over the orange frill.
If the standard is to release your tax returns for many years (as it has been for a very long time), then you don't get to change the rules of what the American people want to know about you. You have to answer the press questions that are uncomfortable. If you have had years where you paid no taxes, sheltered your money to the benefit of other nations not your own or shifted all your money to your wife's name to avoid doing your fair share for our nation's welfare then you do NOT DESERVE TO HOLD OUR HIGHEST OFFICE.
NOW, lets talk about your "generosity." 10% is the biblical standard. The biblical MINIMUM. When you give someone the minimum...say the 15% your probably gave the last waiter you were served by for example. You are not generous. When you give only to a church that does very little outreach that is not the flagrant proselytizing that the Mormon church is known for, you are not generous. You are giving with strings attached. You give ONLY to those in the clubs you belong to. The country club, the 1% club, those who will accept your faith practice. That is not generous. Generosity is when you give without expecting something back. When you give even to those who do not deserve it. When you give where you will not gain from the gift. And giving to your church has bought you power and position within that church.
If you want us to give your the gift of our Presidency then you need to give. Not 10% of your tax returns, but as many as we require to feel that you deserve to hold the office you seek. What can I learn from your taxes? I can learn how much you have invested in my country. No American should invest in you until we know that your patriotism is more than a show. So show us your taxes and answer the tough questions. Sarah Palin ducked the tough questions and look where it got her.