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I don't think Trump ever claimed to have done anything fraudulent (whether he did or not is another matter). I'm not trying to get into a political debate or ar

I don't think Trump ever claimed to have done anything fraudulent (whether he did or not is another matter). I'm not trying to get into a political debate or argue over Trump's flaws or merits, but there's a big difference between using legal loopholes that are available to you and deliberately not reporting things to pay fewer taxes.

lightbyte 9y ago
>but there's a big difference between using legal loopholes that are available to you and deliberately not reporting things to pay fewer taxes. Legally that's true, but I think the average person upset about this sees zero difference at all. Myself included, in my opinion using legal loopholes to get out of tax is morally just as bad, if not worse than deliberately not reporting things to pay fewer taxes.
- cryptical 9y ago
  "Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands." -Judge Learned Hand, Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810 (2d Cir. 1934), aff'd, 293 U.S. 465 (1935)
exelius 9y ago
Especially with taxes, the area between “creative” and “fraudulent” is very murky. I also doubt Trump himself has a distinction between the two based on every single account of the man I have heard. And he’s been busted a few times in the past for doing verrrrry similar shady things; but there are different rules when you’re rich and you can just pay a fine and send a lawyer to jail instead (not a political comment; this works for the rich on both sides).

lightbyte 9y ago

>but there's a big difference between using legal loopholes that are available to you and deliberately not reporting things to pay fewer taxes. Legally that's true, but I think the average person upset about this sees zero difference at all. Myself included, in my opinion using legal loopholes to get out of tax is morally just as bad, if not worse than deliberately not reporting things to pay fewer taxes.

cryptical 9y ago
"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands." -Judge Learned Hand, Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810 (2d Cir. 1934), aff'd, 293 U.S. 465 (1935)

exelius 9y ago

Especially with taxes, the area between “creative” and “fraudulent” is very murky. I also doubt Trump himself has a distinction between the two based on every single account of the man I have heard. And he’s been busted a few times in the past for doing verrrrry similar shady things; but there are different rules when you’re rich and you can just pay a fine and send a lawyer to jail instead (not a political comment; this works for the rich on both sides).