Obama files 2008 Tax Returns
Its quite entertaining to witness traditionally non-news events like tax filing, soar to headline news status across the globe. This will be the case for the days to come because the 2008 tax filing deadline has passed and the President and First Lady have filed their returns and they are available for the world to see.
You may click here to view a copy of the Obamas’ 2008 Tax Return. Now ask yourself this question. When have you ever heard so many mainstream assessments (often critical) about a so called minority being elitist or rich or arrogant? The simple answer, never.
The tirades you hear are usually from the mouths of a right wing underachiever who has a problem with someone different than themselves ascending to heights greater than their own. The majority of the Obama family income last year came from the President’s entrepreneurial efforts as an author. For far too many U.S. citizens, it is hard as hell for them to witness someone different from themselves shatter all of their stereotypes and assumptions.
Where was all of the talk about elitism and possible corruption when George W. Bush sold the Texas Rangers and got creative with the tax law? In the same spotlight that was shined on President Obama, let’s look at President Bush’s 1998 tax return the year prior to his Presidential bid. We won’t even delve into the improprieties of Dick Cheney and his relationship with Haliburton (at least not right now).
It amazes me every time I hear someone refer to how out of touch Obama is because he’s rich. Excuse me, but Bush made more than $18 million in 1998 and while I admittedly was not into politics as I am now, I do not recall any uproar about his success. My instinct tells me that 1998 was not the only year in which Bush reported in excess of $1 million in income. So much for fair and balanced.
The Obamas paid more than $800,000 in taxes on roughly $2.6 million in income. The Bush’s paid $3.7 million in taxes in 1998 on $18.4 million in income. Pull your calculators out and calculate the actual taxes paid as a percentage of income. While interpretations of the truth may vary, there is something to the old adage that numbers don’t lie.
