ABC's Talking Point: Karl Demands to Know How Romney 'Got Away With Paying So Little'
Actual reporting is hard, isn't it? Snarky sound effects are so much more fun. Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Wednesday parroted DNC and White House talking points about Mitt Romney. Karl demanded to know just how Romney "get[s] away with paying so little" capital gains taxes. The segment was punctuated by dollar sign and coin audio clips. [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
Romney's investments were taxed at 15 percent. Karl cited the liberal Tax Policy Center asserting "the average rate for those making more than $1 million is more than 29 percent." Karl didn't identify the organization's left-wing leanings. (It's a joint project of two liberal think tanks.)
After playing a clip of Romney saying he didn't make "very much" from speaking fees, Karl mocked, "How much is not very much? Last year, Romney was paid $374,000 to give nine speeches." Another dollar sign sound clip followed. These attacks echo press releases from the Democratic National Committee.
On the issue of whether Romney will release his tax records, former Democratic operative turned journalist George Stephanopoulos offered the official Obama spin: "...The White House adding to the pressure yesterday. You had press secretary Jay Carney out there pointing out that it was Romney's dad, George Romney back in 1967, who started the tradition of releasing tax returns."
How did ABC cover Barack Obama releasing his tax records? On March 25, 2008, David Wright breezily explained, "Today's Barack Obama's campaign released his back tax returns on the internet and challenged Clinton to do the same. Obama has been enjoying a few days of R&R, with his family in the Virgin Islands. But he's due back on the campaign trail tomorrow."
It takes incredible hypocrisy for journalists to slam Romney's earnings. After all, Stephanopoulos brings in $8 million a year. How does he "get away" with that?
To read a version of this article with a transcript of the segment, go here.
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Comments
Am I missing something here?
Submitted by ThisnThat on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 1:50pm.
Am I missing something here? Is this about Capital Gains taxes? If so, then Romney pays the same gain as o'bama -- 15%. Same as me. And everyone else in the country.
So.....if this is about capital gains, then someone needs to immediately point out that -- again --- o'bama doesn't know anything about our nation and its laws. And keep pounding this message home.
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
And so does
Submitted by ricklail on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:00pm.
John Kerry, Bill and Hillary. Schumkie Shoooomer, Nazi Pelosi and so on and so on.
As mentioned in the first
Submitted by Scott Whitlock on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:05pm.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, yes, this is about capital gains taxes.
— Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
Scott
Submitted by ricklail on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:30pm.
What you need to hit next is how Axelrod went after Romney over Bain and Obama hires Zinits (?) to be chief of his economic advisers who also worked a Bain.
Sheeesh Jon
Submitted by KornKing on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 1:51pm.
I was just about to "demand"to know how you get away with being paid....not so much, but at all
Wow
Submitted by optimist on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 1:54pm.
You should not be allowed to report about capital gains if you don't know the difference between long term and short term capital gains. Long term (asset held for over one year) is 15%, Short term (asset held for less than one year) is taxed using the normal income brackets? Understand now, All Bull Crap? Can I get a job at your network as I clearly know more than the buffoons you have "reporting" for you.
And by the way
Submitted by jpwcpa on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 7:01pm.
If the secretary sold any stocks, mutual funds, etc, it's quite possible that there would have been a zero percent capital gains rate to pay. Anyone in the 10 percent or 15 percent marginal tax bracket who has a long-term gain from the sale of capital assets is subject to a capital gains rate of zero. The fifteen percent rate on long-term capital gains only applies to those in the higher tax brackets.
Why so angry? The media is
Submitted by billb on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:00pm.
Why so angry? The media is doing it's job! The problem is the public. We don't teach critical thinking to our children. They see a difference between Romney and Buffett. Go figure.
I remember when they said the
Submitted by WarEagle66 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 1:56pm.
I remember when they said the same thing about Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, Harry Reid....and the rest of the Demmunists
Rockefeller too
Submitted by WarEagle66 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 1:57pm.
Rockefeller too
$374,000 Is not very much.
Submitted by upcountrywater on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:19pm.
Compared to the $ 35 million, he spent to lose to Mc Rino.
Man O' man that had to hurt.
You Didn't Build That.
Good evening Upcountry
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:24pm.
You can hardly build a Volt for $274,000.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
And at a tenth of that
Submitted by KornKing on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:41pm.
Why would you want to?
Good morning, cocodrie, Yea unsafe at any voltage.
Submitted by upcountrywater on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 4:35pm.
h/t ↣ Cool Arrow.
You Didn't Build That.
I don't believe Karl is ignorant, but I believe he thinks his...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:50pm.
audience is.
Most people know Mitt Romney pays around 15 per cent on his income because most of his income comes from investments which is taxed at the capital gains rate.
I wish the capital gains rate was even lower in order to encourage even more investment in our free enterprise system. Zero would be nice.
I would be very happy if the total amount of money Romney gave to his church and to his charities was greater than the money he paid in taxes because I know that most of that money would not be wasted.
I suppose the reason these leftist commentators do what they do is because they realize their audience doesn't know any better and they are probably right.
I watch Fox News because Fox News does not insult its audience.
Re-Elect Obama!
Submitted by Kingfish17 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:43pm.
This story on ABC is a great example of free air time for the re-elect Obama campaign. It would be next to impossible to sue ABC for slander, but the IRS should be going after ABC for tax evasion. I'm sure they expense the costs of this segment, and all the other favorable segments, that they run as free air time for Obama. I don't think that political contributions get treated as tax exemptions, (or as other legitimate expenses), on a corporations income statement.
"You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas...on the taxpayer’s dime." Barack Obama
The Federal Elections
Submitted by ricklail on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 3:16pm.
The Federal Elections Commission should go after all the networks for all of these in kind donations of free air time for Obama.
ABC did not even do its homework.
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:44pm.
As others pointed out, different sources of income are taxed at different rates. Of course, I don't think Jonathan Karl is quite intelligent enough to pick up on that point or even push his editors or writers to get their crap together before he starts with his political diatribe on air.
Liberal definition: RICH = BAD
Submitted by Restore America... on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:46pm.
http://restoreamericangreatness.blogspot.com/2012/01/romney-vs-gingrich-...
How do those secretaries get away with it!!!
Submitted by kevtheweb on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 3:01pm.
This tax talk is starting to become more than absurd. Especially when they keep trying to compare apples and oranges and the popular "millionaires" vs. secretary. And on the other end of this, no one pays their max % in taxes due to the system. That is why everyone keeps talking about reducing and flattening the taxes. For some reason, this idea doesnt get much air time with the MSM.
PS how do those secretaries get away with it!!
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2012/01/18/morning-joe-cla...
Taxes
Submitted by Jersey Girl on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 3:42pm.
At least he didn't claim his used underwear as a taxable donation.
Mrs. Obama's underwear donations
Submitted by jpwcpa on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 7:07pm.
Perhaps there's no truth to the rumor that Lt. Worf will be donating some of her underwear to the OWS crowd, to be used the next time an encampment finds itself running short on tents.
Call them out
Submitted by ferv888 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 4:07pm.
I hereby pledge to call them out when I see them at our primary, at the airport, at the hotel, wherever they might be, I am sick and tired of them getting away with this crap. Whenever we see them passing the DNC message in making a report, call them out. In this case when you see Karl, teach him the difference is between capital gains and income taxes are, call them out for this kind of crap. Witness Chris Christie this morning on MJ referenced in a blog here on NB, when he called Eugene Robinson an ignoramous for what he said about Christie's weight, damn it call them out.
Ask Karl if he used the long form for doing his taxes in 2010, that is what is called taking every legal deduction, getting a 15% tax on capital gains is the law.
FERV888
Romney is not employed
Submitted by AFVet on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 4:14pm.
Is it just me or does the fact the Mitt Romney is not employed and does not earn a salary complete elude Jon Karl. Romney pays 15% on capital gains on his investments, as does everyone else, it is not a salary from a job. Karl should be asking people if they would like fries with their orders, not on TV making an ass out of himself.
if you have income from your job-you pay
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 10:03pm.
almost 30%-then when you invest it-and you do well-you pay 15% for that.
Double taxation, almost 50%
is everyone that ignorant.
Thats how Warren Buffett tells everyone he only pays 15%
he has paid 30+% before the 15%
if you have income from your job-you pay
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 10:03pm.
almost 30%-then when you invest it-and you do well-you pay 15% for that.
Double taxation, almost 50%
is everyone that ignorant.
Thats how Warren Buffett tells everyone he only pays 15%
he has paid 30+% before the 15%