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PNWest says All Elected Officials Should be Legally REQUIRED to release their tax forms

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
PNWest, the most impartial and most bipartisan poster of all time says that it should be a legal requirement for any person running for any elective office at the state or national level be required to release their latest 10 years of tax returns, all tax returns filed when they are in office and their tax returns for the ten years after they leave office.

A Senator or congressman of the USA receives a salary of $174,000. For example - $45,582,260 was spent by Ted Cruz in last year's Texas Senate race. Why should anyone spend $45 million to get a job that pays $174,000 unless there was more in it for themsleves? Beto O'Rourke spent even more, $79,091,894 trying to get the same job. That does not make sense. These massive amounts of money do nothing but create an environment where corruption flourishes. Forcing the release of these politicians tax returns would make it easier to see if/when and how political payoffs were being made.

This should not be a partisan effort. Both parties are corrupt and we as Americans should fix it.
 

sear

Mayor
PNWest says All Elected Officials Should be Legally REQUIRED to release their tax forms

Any exceptions?
If so, why?
Is there a reason those planning to vote for Mayor of Peoria shouldn't know their Republican candidate has a hunting cabin in Montana?
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
PNWest says All Elected Officials Should be Legally REQUIRED to release their tax forms

Any exceptions?
If so, why?
Is there a reason those planning to vote for Mayor of Peoria shouldn't know their Republican candidate has a hunting cabin in Montana?

I deliberately left out local and county officials. This was generous on my part and possibly a mistake. I know quite a few of our local officials (some even with an (R) after their names) and I see how they live. They aren't taking enough bribes to increase their lifestyle. To be fair if you went to someplace with large cities and counties you probably ought to extend that law to them too.
 

sear

Mayor
I noticed your use of the term "elected" rather than "public".
That alone has me wondering.

How about the chief of police?
Perhaps particularly if s/he is subject of a corruption / bribery investigation, shouldn't the public know if such charges are plausible?
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
I noticed your use of the term "elected" rather than "public".
That alone has me wondering.

How about the chief of police?
Perhaps particularly if s/he is subject of a corruption / bribery investigation, shouldn't the public know if such charges are plausible?

No - there has to be limits. A sheriff maybe as that is an elected position. Chief of Police is an employee of the municipality. I don't think that working as an employee, even one as susceptible to corruption as a Police Chief hits a high enough bar. Heck - a regular street patrolman or health inspector can be bribed. We'll never stop all corruption. We can stop the most egregious example though.
 
Let's also include unelected officials like federal judges. They have given themselves final say on every issue and need some oversight more than anyone.
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
Let's also include unelected officials like federal judges. They have given themselves final say on every issue and need some oversight more than anyone.
Federal judges get a lifetime appointment. Although not elected because of this life long tenure I would agree that my proposed law be amended to include all judges, state and federal that have life time appointments.
 

Jen

Senator
PNWest, the most impartial and most bipartisan poster of all time says that it should be a legal requirement for any person running for any elective office at the state or national level be required to release their latest 10 years of tax returns, all tax returns filed when they are in office and their tax returns for the ten years after they leave office.

A Senator or congressman of the USA receives a salary of $174,000. For example - $45,582,260 was spent by Ted Cruz in last year's Texas Senate race. Why should anyone spend $45 million to get a job that pays $174,000 unless there was more in it for themsleves? Beto O'Rourke spent even more, $79,091,894 trying to get the same job. That does not make sense. These massive amounts of money do nothing but create an environment where corruption flourishes. Forcing the release of these politicians tax returns would make it easier to see if/when and how political payoffs were being made.

This should not be a partisan effort. Both parties are corrupt and we as Americans should fix it.
I am not at all interested in anyone's tax forms.
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
I am not at all interested in anyone's tax forms.
From the content of your posts taht I have read this does not surprise me in the slightest. Most conservative like you do not care at all about corruption unless it involves someone with an (R) after their names. As the most impartial and bipartisan poster here or anywhere else, PNWest always stands up for what is best for WE THE PEOPLE.
 

sear

Mayor
"No - there has to be limits. A sheriff maybe as that is an elected position. Chief of Police is an employee of the municipality. I don't think that working as an employee, even one as susceptible to corruption as a Police Chief hits a high enough bar." PW #5
So municipal employees are public enough to earn their living on our $dime, but private enough to not even provide disclosure?

The chief of police is a unique position, often working hand in hand with the mayor, an elected position.

True, we must draw the line somewhere. I'm not sure anyone really wants to know if the dog catcher has any student loans outstanding.

BUT !!

Ought we not err on the side of transparency?
And if a public-minded / service minded citizen finds the disclosure rules to onerous, they can keep their job at QuickyMart, and volunteer at the soup kitchen, and donate to the Red Cross.

As you know it remains in contest PW.
But it seems to me in this 3rd millennium, government has advantage of citizens like never before.

In the context of Drug War, and FISA court, in the 18th century our government was our benign servant. In the 21st century our government is our punitive master.
In the Wizard of Oz, "the wizard" could still work the gas jets, when Toto pulled back the curtain.
I'm open to persuasive argument to the contrary. And I can't say for certain where the line must be drawn.
But I have not yet found a persuasive argument for 3rd millennium government opacity.

Why should those that wish to serve not serve openly & honestly?
 

Jen

Senator
From the content of your posts taht I have read this does not surprise me in the slightest. Most conservative like you do not care at all about corruption unless it involves someone with an (R) after their names. As the most impartial and bipartisan poster here or anywhere else, PNWest always stands up for what is best for WE THE PEOPLE.
I care about real corruption. And I don't care about the R and D...... like you.
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
So municipal employees are public enough to earn their living on our $dime, but private enough to not even provide disclosure?

The chief of police is a unique position, often working hand in hand with the mayor, an elected position.

True, we must draw the line somewhere. I'm not sure anyone really wants to know if the dog catcher has any student loans outstanding.

BUT !!

Ought we not err on the side of transparency?
And if a public-minded / service minded citizen finds the disclosure rules to onerous, they can keep their job at QuickyMart, and volunteer at the soup kitchen, and donate to the Red Cross.

As you know it remains in contest PW.
But it seems to me in this 3rd millennium, government has advantage of citizens like never before.

In the context of Drug War, and FISA court, in the 18th century our government was our benign servant. In the 21st century our government is our punitive master.
In the Wizard of Oz, "the wizard" could still work the gas jets, when Toto pulled back the curtain.
I'm open to persuasive argument to the contrary. And I can't say for certain where the line must be drawn.
But I have not yet found a persuasive argument for 3rd millennium government opacity.

Why should those that wish to serve not serve openly & honestly?
Here is the problem with that. Someone posted that right now the Border Patrol just can't find enough people to come to work for them for the $47K that they offer. In a capitalistic society like ours people will do what they think serves their interests best. Historically some choose to work for the government because although the pay was lower than in private industry the benefits were typically higher. Others chosoe the money. Right now benefits are being drastically cut. Going to work for the government at any level these days most people do not think that the benefits are that much better. So why take the job. Adding additional burden of requiring them to release their tax info would only add to the burden. This would make it even harder to attract good people. Whether you believe in big government or small we all ought to agree that we want the best people we can get. That's why I'd draw the line at those elected officials who are happy to spend more than the job pays to get it and also anyone with a life-long paycheck. Those are the ones, in my opinion, who ought to be releasing their tax returns.
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
I care about real corruption. And I don't care about the R and D...... like you.
No you don't Jen - I've never heard you say a negative thing about a republican. You are a partisan hack.
 

Jen

Senator
No you don't Jen - I've never heard you say a negative thing about a republican. You are a partisan hack.
Obviously you have no desire to discuss anything with me so I'll go back to moving around your posts. Hey, I gave it a shot.;)
 

PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
Obviously you have no desire to discuss anything with me so I'll go back to moving around your posts. Hey, I gave it a shot.;)
At least we agree on that. I find you to add zero value to any discussion. Bye Bye Leticia....
 

sear

Mayor
PW #12
Fair enough.
I'd count that a well-reasoned argument, even if horridly formatted. Please work on that dude. Block text is a needless challenge to read.

I've never seen a one-sided coin.
The flip-side of that coin is:
Those that have anything to hide aren't worthy of our trust in the first place.

And if under disclosure protocol government reaches a critical lack of workers, we've still got options.

AI is hurtling forward.
Robots are evolving orders of magnitude faster than humans.
Some robots can already out-perform humans. Telephone switchboards used to employ an army of young women. Today it's a box that makes whirring sounds on the floor. The box is quicker, less error prone (when was the most recent time you heard: "Wrong number."?)

Robots are already taking over such tedious jobs as Warehouseman, and such potentially dangerous jobs as automobile driver.

Why not save the People a $fist full of $cash and station robots on our borders?
Such robots will soon run faster, think faster, and perform better, cheaper.
And they don't take vacations, sick days, or maternity leave.

Dood.
We appreciate your cognitive style, your constructive approach posting here.
But you have to learn to plan 3 steps ahead.

It's not merely that our world is changing. Earth has always been changing.

It's that change in human techno-society is evolving exponentially faster than any other band of human history.
Our great-grandfather probably lived much like his great-grandfather lived.
But your great grandson will (god willing) live in a society you wouldn't recognize.

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PNWest

America's BEST American: Impartial and Bipartisan
Dood.
We appreciate your cognitive style, your constructive approach posting here.
But you have to learn to plan 3 steps ahead.

It's not merely that our world is changing. Earth has always been changing.

It's that change in human techno-society is evolving exponentially faster than any other band of human history.
Our great-grandfather probably lived much like his great-grandfather lived.
But your great grandson will (god willing) live in a society you wouldn't recognize.
Plan 3 steps ahead here? Have you read the posts of the conservatives that frequent this place? Let's just say that a wise performer gears his performance to his audience. With a few exceptions this place is frequented by the typical low IQ conservatives you see elsewhere on the internet. Fortunately the liberal and middle of the roaders are of normal intelligence.

As the greatest poster the young internet has yet produced I owe it to all of the people here to write posts that they at least have a chance to understand.

As to the technology changing - hell I'm all for it and had my part in bringing that change. Fortunately I try to keep up with it but am starting to see the 'old man' syndrome. I do not constantly use my smartphone like almost all younger people seem to do.
 

Fins

Fray Terror
yeah! More warm and fuzzy legislation that does nothing but make everyone feel good. Just what do you think this is going to reveal? All it shows is what income someone makes personally. All it takes is a little creative book keeping to incorporate everything, make most things business expenses, and it can look like they are only earning a paupers salary.
 
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