Donald Trump's Tax.

[Atheist]

What do ABers make of this? If he really paid only $750 as a year's tax, does that set a good example to US citizens?

[royfromaus]

If he's done it legally...so what?

[Atheist]

Sorry, I forgot the link.
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54323383

[ummmm]

No it doesn't set a good example.

It might be legal but it's morally wrong.

[Buenchico]

The full report is here:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/27/us/donald-trump-taxes.html
It's a very long read but well worth it if you value investigative journalism at its very best.


>>> If he's done it legally...so what?

There's a great deal in that report, Roy, which suggest that he's done it in ways that are far from legal!

[Atheist]

I think Mr Trump's AB fans must be busy reading it up before they reply. Roy is one of those people who think that legal means honest, truthful and decent. I don't know what US citizens who voted for him would think if they are not well off and are paying higher taxes than him.

[ToraToraTora]

well if it's legal then no problem.

[gingejbee]

well if it's illegal, then big problem.

[ToraToraTora]

every citizen has the right to avoid tax legally, if there is any evasion here please point it out.

[royfromaus]

Roy is one of those people who think that legal means honest, truthful and decent.
__________________________
Atheist is one of those people that talks out of their *** (rear)

[Atheist]

TTT, and any moral or social responsibility angle here?

[jim360]

Given how determined Trump has been to keep this secret, it's more or less obvious that he's been hiding *something* -- and, before anyone suggests that no, he's just protecting private interests: he should have abandoned that right when he became President, the ultimate servant of the people. The people (in the US at least, although by extension everywhere) have an implicit right to know who their leader is, how they made their wealth, etc etc. This is why the convention about releasing tax returns came about, and why it was always abhorrent that Trump broke that convention (and then lied about why he was breaking it).

[gingejbee]

I'm not employed by the IRS, so it's not my job to point anything out....

[david small]

If I had avoided tax. I would be a wealthy man and wouldn’t have to............fill in as desired.

[Mozz71]

It's legal for Lewis Hamilton to live abroad to avoid tax too, but I've seen him slated on here for doing so.

[ToraToraTora]

19:54, not where tax is concerned. If the nation does not want tax avoided make the laws as appropriate. if anyone wants to pay more tax I am sure their donations will be welcome.

[ummmm]

Living in a different country is completely different to what Trump has/is been doing.

[Atheist]

Roy, so you think that Trump being legal trumps honesty, truthfulness and decency?

[ToraToraTora]

Hamilton does not avoid tax he avoids the insidious ridiculously silly direct tax. when the world wakes up, this sort of thing will be irrelevant.

[Atheist]

TTT, by direct tax, do you mean income tax, or some kind of tax based on accumulated wealth? (I don't mean as alternatives, just is that the sor of tax you mean?)

[Old_Geezer]

If it's legal it's still a problem. Folk should shoulder their fair share of funding the nation. Of this is true then it implies the system used is so flawed that a knowledgeable person, or someone who knows one, can drive a coach & horses through intended tax collection and make a mockery of the whole thing. Since politicians make the rules, it doesn't look good to find a politician knowing and using the loopholes.