Kerry, at least, is not inevitable, but over at Instapundit there’s some discussion as to what the Democratic candidate has been doing when taxes strike home. It appears (and note that word) that, in the past Kerry has declined to participate in a masochistic opportunity offered by the Massachusetts tax code. In Massachusetts, state taxpayers can choose an optional higher tax rate of 5.85% – instead of the normal 5.3%. Personally, if Kerry didn’t pay this extra, I wouldn’t blame the guy one bit, and, yes, he could make some ‘free rider’ arguments to defend his stance. Nevertheless, this could be something worth remembering next time you hear Kerry preaching about ‘the rich’ needing to contribute more.
You first, Senator.
And, while on the topic of tax, what about Mrs. Kerry’s returns? She’s not releasing them, citing her own privacy. That’s understandable. In some ways, we ask politicians to disclose too much of their personal business, let alone their personal lives, and that’s even more true of their families. Hillary Clinton, a ‘co-president’ with an explicit role in policy-making was one thing, but disclosure by a Mrs. Dean (whose general insistence on her right to live her own life was, I thought, entirely praiseworthy) or, possibly, Mrs. Kerry might be a different matter altogether. Then again, the sums of money at Mrs. Kerry’s disposal are, reportedly, so large that they raise issues in their own right.
Over to you, Senator.