dagblog - Comments for "Maddow--Great Teaser or She’s Got Tax Returns"

Jack Shafer in saying he is

artappraiser — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 05:24:13 +0000

In reply to Rachel's got some 'splaining

Jack Shafer in saying he is okay with what she did, basically speaks quite well for me on her major downsides:

[....] So why am I fine with Maddow’s tax-story grandstanding? Oh, I could do without the maddening community theater dramatics she brings to every show—the eye-rolling, the sarcasm, the faux earnestness, the annoyingly conversational style that assumes that you’re a passenger on her news bus. But there’s a long sensationalist tradition in American journalism of using a 400-ton metal stamping machine to extract every drop of juice out of an important scoop, then grinding the remaining pulp and feeding those tailings to the audience.

Unlike your standard bad sensational news story, Maddow’s puffed-up piece contained no mention of sex, no bloody murder, no crime and no violated social norm. She took a timely story of great importance—do we have evidence that Trump is a tax cheat?—and answered it. Well, answered it repeatedly in the negative, but I don’t hold the repetition against her, either. If Trump appears to have been on the level when it comes to his 2005 taxes, that’s good to know, even if you don’t like him.

I’m even fine with all of Maddow and Johnston’s heavy conjecture about how Trump’s 2005 tax return might fit into the Russia puzzle, or should I say question, of whether he’s captive of Russian oligarchs. As the late Timesman Tom Wicker once wrote, and I can’t stop repeating, a little speculation can help unstick a political story from the mire and move it to realms where new proof can be gathered, and the story advanced. [....]

I especially don't cotton to the "passenger on her news bus" thing, because it's just like Limbaugh: lecture, lecture, lecture with mega drama added....she is much more palatable when she has guests to interview. It's the drama queen thing I guess bothers me the most, as Lawrence O'Donnell lecturing on his show doesn't turn me off in the least.

Watching rerun of Rachel's

artappraiser — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 04:39:13 +0000

In reply to Maddow--Great Teaser or She’s Got Tax Returns

Watching rerun of Rachel's show tonight and she is not doing a mea culpa but is attempting to defend by explaining why this is still interesting.

Both reasons she has given so far solve the mystery for me of why such a high personal income claim with high payment of taxes when it is likely that through planning and accounting, he didn't need to claim so much personal income

it is the first joint return with Melania and she is not yet been granted citizenship, and she will need to use this tax return in the final process, which was successful
he was involved in a lawsuit challenging a guy who was claiming he was no longer a billionaire if he ever was one, with a lot of facts to back that up. Trump used this tax return in that case and his reputation as a billionaire is crucial to him, his "brand" that allows him to do what he does

My weakness!

Bruce Levine — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 23:22:38 +0000

In reply to Bruce... those shiny objects.

My weakness!

Bruce... those shiny objects.

oldenGoldenDecoy — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 21:29:25 +0000

In reply to Absolutely agree with you OGD

Bruce... oh those shiny objects...

~OGD~

Lots of splainin' IMO.

Bruce Levine — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 14:11:10 +0000

In reply to Rachel's got some 'splaining

Lots of splainin' IMO.

Maddow is awful, as Daily

PeraclesPlease — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:55:57 +0000

In reply to Rachel's got some 'splaining

Maddow is awful, as Daily Howler points out over and over. She's a child in a grownup seat, never managing to take the news she's pimping seriously, always going for the gags. Perfect foil for Trump.

Rachel's got some 'splaining

artappraiser — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:59:54 +0000

In reply to Maddow--Great Teaser or She’s Got Tax Returns

Rachel's got some 'splaining to do to her colleagues

The mental opportunity cost of taking Trump's bait by Mike Allen @ Axios.com, March 15

Trump probably leaked this

rmrd0000 — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:55:28 +0000

In reply to Maddow--Great Teaser or She’s Got Tax Returns

Trump probably leaked this nonsense to divert from Russian ties, a disastrous health care bill, emoluments clause violations, racist Steve King who walks in lockstep with Steve Bannon, and Obama microwaves, etc.

Edit to add:

And the Kushner deal.

Sorry I didn't see this last

Bruce Levine — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 11:51:19 +0000

In reply to And it's just his 1040?

Sorry I didn't see this last night AA, and you're absolutely correct that the form without the schedules is not worth much, not to mention the distinction you point out between one's personal taxes and its relationship to one or more corporations. In Trump's case (and I'm no expert), I understand he and his kids have myriad what in NY are called LLCs, or "limited liability corporation (or company)." That obviously makes his stand-alone personal return even less useful.

Absolutely agree with you OGD

Bruce Levine — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 11:50:48 +0000

In reply to One... BIG....

Absolutely agree with you OGD, a distraction at most.