POTUS Form 1040s (reality based review)

 In less than a three hour period this morning I saw at least three diaries (here, here,
here) calling for Sen. Clinton to disclose her tax returns.  While I have no problem with such a request (other than the unnecessary duplicate diaries forcing more worthy diaries off the diary list), I just thought I'd point out that some of the information "demanded" isn't the type that will be found in any tax return, regardless of how forthcoming a candidate may be.  Even when a 1040 is released, it is a summary of many different items, the detail of which may not be disclosed (nor is it required to be) within the tax return.

Let me say upfront that I am not a Hillary supporter (for the primary.)  What I do support, especially as the highly analytical type I am, is facts and reality, not hyperbole or wolfpack mentality.  It gets us nowhere to sound like shrill idiots pounding on the wrong door.  Demand facts, but demand them from the sources that can actually provide those facts.
 Following is my review of some select president Form 1040s released in the past, in order to see what is or is not revealed.

Let's take a look at (de facto President) Cheney's 2002 return.  Gross income includes salary, interest and dividend income, capital gains (both dividend and sale of stock), book royalties, Lynne's "consulting" income, and (holy crap) $1.57 million in non-taxable pension (wouldn't you like to have a job where you could get that perk.)  
 As for expenses- wow, generous guy, giving more than $120k to charity (no doubt conservative ones.)  Hmm, but where oh where is "Statement 5", the one that's supposed to explain $147k in Miscellaneous deductible items on Schedule A?

 How about Dubyah's 2002 return.  Gross income includes salary, interest and dividend income - most of which is from flow-through entities, the majority from The Lone Star Trust.  

The Lone Star Trust [oil & gas] currently owns 50% of another company, "LSTF, LLC", described on Bush’s 2003 financial disclosure forms as a limited-liability company organized "for the purpose of the production of trees for commercial sales."

http://www.factcheck.org/...
 GW is recognizing more than $110k in capital losses (ouch!) including carryover from prior years, although the current year allowable is limited to $3k annual.  (Note-I can't get the 2001 return to load in order to look at the original source of the loss carryover to 2002.  However, Bush only provided a "partial" return for that year, so that information may not be public anyway.)
 Once again, the return provided here is (conveniently) missing the supporting statements that would have more detail behind some of the income and deductions.  
 And how nice, the Northern Trust has apparently prepared and signed (under Power of Attorney) the tax return for the Bushes so that Dubyah and Laura didn't have to bother their beautiful minds with such details.

 The Clintons' 1999 return appears to be relatively straight forward.  Gross income includes Bill's POTUS salary, Hillary's book royalties, interest and dividend income, and capital gain.  
 The only item that lacks full disclosure here is the capital gain; it's coming from a K-1 from Pell Rudman Trust Company.  In order to get a better understanding of the original source of the capital gain, you'd need to review the information return for that flow-through entity.  Or possibly you'd need to even drill down further, if that entity recognized gain from other entities in which it had ownership.
 Out of curiosity, I pulled up the Clintons' 1992 return to compare to 1999.  The principal unusual items that year are $32k income from a  1099MISC (presumably book Royalties or Non-employee compensation) less a Keogh/SEP-IRA deduction of $6.5 k.  No problem with that deduction, except no SE tax was paid on the self-employment income(oops.)  You can't take a Keogh/SEP-IRA deduction without having self-employment income, and the Keogh/SEP-IRA deduction just happens to be 20% (the maximum rate) of the gross income.  Oh well, maybe someone corrected (and paid) it in later years.

 Anyone wanting to examine other POTUS tax returns can find some of them here.

 Go ahead and demand tax returns.  Just be aware that they may not yield all the information you desire.