Should Mitt Romney release more than 2 years of tax returns?

Democrats and even many Republicans agree that Mr. Romney should release his tax returns for the last ten years. The fact that he refuses to do so should raise important questions in the minds of the American people, those who oppose him and his supporters as well. Why would he not do so? There are at least three possibilities that occur to this writer.

 1. Is Mitt Romney just plain stubborn? Having once decided that tax returns for the past two years are sufficient, is he refusing to be pushed further by the media and increasing public pressure?

If so, the fact raises troubling concerns about the character of the man who seeks the presidency. Citizens hope that their future commander-in-chief will be attentive to the concerns of the people and  anxious to put to rest any uncertainties they might have. His obstinacy in this matter would indicate disregard for his fellow citizens.

Also, in these days of international conflicts, the president needs to be a master of negotiation. Why does Senator Romney not offer to release the tax returns from the last five years, if that will satisfy the questioners?

2. Is he afraid that his ever-increasing wealth and opulent lifestyle will alienate voters, many of whom have struggled just to make ends meet during the recent economic downturn?  His tax return for 2010 shows that his income was $21.6 million. He promises to release the 2011 figure before the election.

According to Forbes Magazine, Mitt Romney owns $18 million in real estate. With his wife,  he owns 3 homes and 2 Cadillacs. His net worth is about $250 million dollars. He also has an undetermined number of offshore investments.  Perhaps he fears that voters will judge that he may have difficulty relating to the average American. In this instance, the voters may well have a legitimate concern.

3. Prior to be elected governor of  Massachusetts, Mitt Romney headed a company named Bain Capital. In 1999, Romney claims to have taken a leave from the company to run the Salt Lake City Olympics.

He says that during this time, he had neither knowledge of nor control over the decisions Bain made. However, from 1999 to 2002, Mitt Romney was listed on the Securities and Exchange Commission documents as Bain Capital’s “sole stockholder, chairman of the board, chief executive officer and president.” In addition, he received a $100,000 annual salary from the company.

During those years, Bain Capital ran companies that laid off workers, outsourced numerous jobs and invested in a business called Stericycle, whose services included the disposal of aborted fetuses. All of these activities would be embarrassments to Candidate Romney who did not wish to alienate pro-life supporters and American workers, many of whom were unemployed because of outsourcing.

For these reasons alone, Senator Romney should release his tax returns for at least the last ten years. His father released tax forms for the previous twelve years during his bid for the presidency in 1968.

 Even if they reveal that he is as stubborn as a mule, outlandishly wealthy, and had approved Bain Capital decisions that were unwise in view of his present situation, it would be better to reveal them now and deal with the consequences. If these facts come to light just before the November election, they may result in a disastrous ending to a hard-fought campaign.