FAIRNESS & ACCURACY IN REPORTING
Mitt Romney might need some help defending his considerable wealth or controversial career in private equity. But he doesn’t need the kind of help Bill O’Reilly is offering.
Mitt Romney’s declaration that he pays about a 15 percent tax rate on his income has generated plenty of chatter, in part because it confirms that much of the Republican candidate’s yearly income is taxed at a rate appropriate for capital gains and dividend income–much lower than if Romney were actually working for a living.
But enter into the picture Fox host Bill O’Reilly, who apparently thought he should rescue Romney by making an argument that even the candidate himself isn’t making–that Romney is being taxed twice. On a segment last night (1/18/12) with two progressive guests (an exceedingly rare sight on Fox), O’Reilly explained things to Heather McGhee of the think tank Demos:
O’REILLY: But Mr. Arkush, do you see my point here about Mitt Romney? He paid his fair share, 35 percent on the money he made when he was in the work force. He got out of the work force and he’s living on his investments and paying another 15 percent on top of the 35. One percent, and I’m in that 1 percent, pay 37 percent of the income, and you’re going to sit there and tell me I’m not paying my fair share? Come on.
ARKUSH: Well, I actually think you’re mistaken about Mitt Romney. One of the things that’s going on here is he’s actually exploiting a tax loophole in paying only 15 percent. He didn’t pay 35 percent on his original income. He got to treat ordinary income, which most people would pay a regular tax rate on, as capital gains.
It was at this point that O’Reilly interrupted:
Did he do anything illegal? Did he do anything illegal, Mr. Arkush?
Of course, that’s entirely missing the point, which is that a perfectly legal tax loophole allows Romney to earn millions of dollars and pay little in income taxes. If Romney were really being taxed twice, as O’Reilly seems to think is the case, you’d think he might make that argument himself.
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