Yes, Dear Readers, it's only the 8th of of the month, and already we have a clear winner for the August 2012 Ass Clown of the Month Award!
This one was an easy choice ... for making outrageous, baseless accusations in an already supercharged partisan political environment, the Ass Clown of the Month Award for August goes to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV)* ...
As you know by now, Senator Reid has accused presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney of paying no taxes for ten years. This, naturally, has enraged the already-easy-to-enrage GOP - particularly because Senator Reid refuses either to offer evidence in support of the accusation or to name his source.
This is despicable behavior, even by the already very low standards of civility and decency in the current political climate. I don't care much for Mr Romney as a presidential candidate, and I have no respect at all any more for the senior Senator from Nevada (not that I had all that much to begin with).
I have no doubt that Mr Romney pays far less in taxes as a percentage of his income than you and I do. That's just how it is ... the tax code is structured and loopholed to favor those who are able to take advantage of tax shelters, most of which favor those who are already wealthy. It's perfectly legal, and when you can afford Platinum Plus RepresentationTM in Congress, you can always be sure the tax laws will be in your favor. But let's be honest: every one of us takes advantage of whatever wiggle room the law allows in order to pay the absolute minimum legal amount of tax. We just can't do it as well as the Mitt Romneys (and, to be fair, the Harry Reids and most of the other Members of Congress).
There's a big difference between criticizing someone for using every available dodge to minimize his tax burden and accusing him of not paying taxes at all. This was a low blow, unworthy of the sort of person we'd like to think was representing us in the Halls of Power.
And so, Senator Reid, my hat is off to you: the August 2012 recipient of the Ass Clown of the Month Award. You've earned it.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
* Bob, Ken, et al - please note that I'm seriously criticizing a Democrat. I believe in giving discredit where it's due.
It's sad when a democrat has to stoop to the level of the republicans. There is no need to do that. The republicans provide more than enough garbage that the dems don't need to make anything up.
ReplyDeleteA worthy choice! Sen Harry Reid is a true ass clown in all respects! The man is shameless. The Obama people threw him under the bus on this one.
ReplyDeleteDo you suppose this was just some sort of ploy to try to get Mr. Romney to finally reveal his tax returns? I'm guessing there's plenty of ammunition in there without baseless accusations.
ReplyDeleteA logical choice for Ass Clown!
ReplyDeleteNo one should be surprised that Romney has $$$. Why bother with this charade about revealing tax returns?
Excellent choice. And the president has distanced himself from this issue, as he should.
ReplyDeleteBut what if Romney really didn't pay taxes for 10 years--does that still make Reid an ass clown?
ReplyDeleteHarry Reid was born an ass clown, and he worked on it all his life.
ReplyDeleteMike - I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteAngelique - You are a fine judge of character.
Gilahi - a very Machiavellian question. I think that may have been part of it.
Duck - Yep!
Ken - Yep!
Leslie - Absolutely! This just gives him more justification for the award.
Kathy - Practice makes perfect...
It required an extraordinary effort to make Ass Clown of the Month, but Sen. Harry Reid was up to it.
ReplyDeleteYou da man, Harry!