Political posterizing.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Apples aren't really oranges, C.E.S.

The records Obama refuses to release are at least as important as the additional tax returns that Obama wants Romney to release.

Bullshit.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Ayaan]

Am I wrong in thinking that it is customary for presidential candidates to release a few years of tax returns and only tax returns?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Am I wrong in thinking that it is customary for presidential candidates to release a few years of tax returns and only tax returns?

The Republican's are desperate enough to be demanding Obama post his used Kleenex.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Svartalf]

C.E.S., Yamamoto Isoruku's educational records are sealed. I know, I've seen them.

Still sealed? don't they open the war archives after years? (so they should've been available for about yrs)

[Coito ergo sum]

It's beyond reasonable doubt, says the guy who thinks it's beyond reasonable doubt that vaccines cause autism....

[Coito ergo sum]

Am I wrong in thinking that it is customary for presidential candidates to release a few years of tax returns and only tax returns?

The Republican's are desperate enough to be demanding Obama post his used Kleenex.

No, just the same records other Presidents have released -- college transcripts, passports, etc. It is not customary that Presidents ONLY release a few years of tax returns. Presidents have released differing numbers of years tax returns, some more, others fewer. Romney has released two. I have no problems with calling for the release of more. But, I do have a problem with the hypocrisy of not demanding the same transparency from Obama.

There are times, however, when even ill-intended or even conspiracy leaning egotists have a point. Such is the case of those, including many disappointed or disbelieving birthers, who have shifted their focus to demanding the release of President Obama's college and law school transcripts. Mitt Romney, who initially hesitated on releasing his tax returns, has apparently released his transcripts. Hopefully, his vice president will as well. Such transcripts, like tax returns and medical records, and some criminal records, are private by law unless voluntarily waived. American voters, however, notwithstanding the motives of some advocates, have an overriding interest in transparency for objective, even old, information about the formative adult years of those seeking the highest office in the nation. I would add that it would serve the public interest if in addition, Supreme Court nominees as well as congressional and other candidates did the same. Why is it that so many positions of far less import, in both the public and private sector, with far smaller constituencies often call for the presentation of a transcript, but not the most sensitive job in the world?

President Obama, with degrees from Columbia and Harvard, has an extraordinary record of academic achievement. He should establish a clear standard for himself, as well as for future candidates and contemporary students, that one's scholastic efforts mean something, not just for getting a credential, but for being a descriptive part of the narrative of who they are for years to come. With all the sometimes dubious information swirling around about the candidates, their college and grad school grades are something the public should be trusted with. There are few areas where educators like myself, the Daily Kos and the Wall Street Journal agree -- releasing these transcripts is one of them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-lev ... 72388.html

[Ian]

Besides... cut education??? Fuck NO!!! I'd rather add a few thousand onto my taxes anyday. Education = investment, not waste.

But somehow Ryan's budget doesn't see one dollar of bloat in the Defense Dept.

A "few thousand?" You'd rather add "a few thousand?" If you would just put that few thousand into a Section 529 college savings account, you can use that few thousand dollars a year to save up for your kids' college. Let's say that "few" thousand is $4,000 - times, say 15 years of savings -- that's $60,000 plus interest -- and you save that pre-tax. Sounds like a nice deal. Why would you trade that for an extra few hundred dollars in a Pell Grant...maybe?

I made the "few thousand" remark just to emphasize how important it is. I already do have 529s for my kids, and all together I'm puting around $5400 a year into them. $5400 isn't exactly pocket money considering I also have a mortgage, two cars, two IRAs, food and other bills to worry about. I hope to put in more over the years, but by the time they're ready for college they still might not be enough. Grants, loans and scholarships will come in quite handy.

My point is that, of all things, Uncle Sam should not ever, EVER cut anything whatsoever with respect to education budgets.

[Coito ergo sum]

Apples aren't really oranges, C.E.S.

The records Obama refuses to release are at least as important as the additional tax returns that Obama wants Romney to release.

Bullshit.

What do you expect to learn from his tax returns? That he is rich? Has offshore and Swiss accounts? Don't we already know that?

[Coito ergo sum]

Besides... cut education??? Fuck NO!!! I'd rather add a few thousand onto my taxes anyday. Education = investment, not waste.

But somehow Ryan's budget doesn't see one dollar of bloat in the Defense Dept.

A "few thousand?" You'd rather add "a few thousand?" If you would just put that few thousand into a Section 529 college savings account, you can use that few thousand dollars a year to save up for your kids' college. Let's say that "few" thousand is $4,000 - times, say 15 years of savings -- that's $60,000 plus interest -- and you save that pre-tax. Sounds like a nice deal. Why would you trade that for an extra few hundred dollars in a Pell Grant...maybe?

I made the "few thousand" remark just to emphasize how important it is. I already do have 529s for my kids, and all together I'm puting around $5400 a year into them. $5400 isn't exactly pocket money considering I also have a mortgage, two cars, two IRAs, food and other bills to worry about. I hope to put in more over the years, but by the time they're ready for college they still might not be enough. Grants, loans and scholarships will come in quite handy.

It'll likely be enough, depending on what school you want them to attend. The idea that everyone needs $100,000 to go college is bullshit. Not everyone is going to Columbia, or needs to go to Columbia, or should go to Columbia. Do you live in Maryland? University of Maryland costs $8639 per year for tuition and fees for an in-state resident. Sounds like saving $5400 a year will be more than enough, if they are small children now.

Consider Frostburg State which is only about $5500 per year ($2750 per semester). I mean, shit, dude -- when I went to college in 1985, etc., that is how much MY college cost -- 25 years ago -- I paid for it myself by going to school full time (taking 18 credits, by the way), and working alternately as a fry cook, bartender, roofer/laborer, UPS truck loader at 4am to 8am and then going to class, etc.

To suggest that affordable college is not available is wrong. It is. In every state. And, I can find you cheaper alternatives than Frostburg too. Here in Florida, Florida State University is around $2000 a semester for in-state tuition.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Ian]

[ Moreover, this talk of the "Ryan Budget" is like saddling Obama with all of Biden's proposals and budgets while in Congress, or in the years leading up to the 2008 election. Nobody did that then. Why is it suddenly a scandal if Romney doesn't agree with every position Ryan holds? It's the Romney campaign, not the Ryan campaign.

Well, if Joe Biden had been the head of the Budget Committee, and the 2009 budget he had been in charge of proposing had been endorsed by Obama and every other Democrat, I think it would've been a heavily-discussed issue in 2008.

Maybe it should just be called the Republican Budget, but calling it the Ryan Budget is a good reminder of where that thing came from. Yes, it's Romney's campaign, but that's the budget he endorsed. It's a perfectly valid talking point.

[Gawdzilla Sama]