Turnabout is Not Fair Play???

Turnabout is not fair play?

I have read, with some delight I must admit, the reaction Mitt Romney had to Senator Reid's accusation that he has allegedly not paid taxes for ten years. Senator Reid uses a "Bain employee" as his source, claiming that Romney has used the tax code to not pay any federal tax for a ten year period.

And Romney, predictably reacted and announced that Reid "put up or shut up". And of course, the only one who can really "put up" in this controversy, is Romney himself!

My mind shifted to the "Birther madness" we have had to endure for the last four years.

For years, conservatives, both wackos and mainstream, have claimed that the President was not born, or not born in Hawaii at any rate. Even today, after the President's birth certificate has been released countless times, along with the newspaper announcement of his birth in Hawaii newspapers, a nut case sheriff in Arizona claims to have dispatched agents to Hawaii to investigate the "case".

The President, after years of this nonsense, actually released his birth certificate, and still the conservative movement does not "believe" it. They demand proof, they demand the original document, they demand the microfilm for heaven's sakes, they demand what they know the President cannot provide, proof positive according to their standards of proof (that will not allow any proof to satisfy their paranoia).

Now, let's compare that to Mr. Romney, who is squealing like a stuck pig, that he is being treated unfairly, and that Mr. Reid and other democrats, who want his income tax records released for the past ten years, are fear and hate mongers.

What? After three years of a birth "controversy" that has absolutely NO basis in fact, now conservatives are screaming about a reasonable request about a Presidential candidate's tax paying history. This comes as that same candidate has proposed even more tax cuts for the wealthy, including himself.

On the one hand, the President's very citizenship is questioned and that is "fair game". But, when Romney's tax status and payments are questioned, which bears a direct relationship to his campaign promises, conservatives say it is unfair?

What standard of fairness do these guys play under? Specious, bull shit "controversies" are alright when a democrat is being attacked, but legitimate concerns about tax policy and how it has affected a presidential candidate, is out of bounds.

Oh, yes, I forgot, many Senators and Congress persons, have refused to divulge their tax records beyond what is required by law. But the presidency is another, higher standard, especially when tax cuts that benefit the rich, are considered by Romney as the best way to attack our economic woes. Romney's tax status bears a direct relationship to his tax proposals.

There are concerns that Romney stands to personally benefit by the policies he proposes. The President did not benefit at all by producing his birth certificate.

In fact, he lowered himself to a baseless, paranoid standard by giving into the crazies.

Romney is not being asked to "give into the crazies" but is being fairly asked to let the voting public know if he will personally benefit by economic policies he is proposing.

Only by divulging his tax records, will the public know if there is a conflict of interest here. Only by divulging his tax records will we know how Romney has benefited, or will , by the complex tax code changes he proposes.

By refusing to heed calls for this information, Romney continues to fuel suspicions that he is not being forthright in his approach to the American people.

The President, with great reluctance, published his birth certificate to quell a racist and morally corrupt trumped up charge on citizenship.

It is interesting that Romney is staunchly resisting showing more that a year or two of his tax records, when his tax paying background is reflective of his economic principles and values.

What we have then, is a classic double standard. The President is treated with distain and suspicion, even after his birth status is proven beyond doubt, but Romney can withhold documentation forever, that bears directly on his policy recommendations.

What is Romney hiding?