Back In My Day

Or, America needs to see the tax returns of ALL public servants, regardless of their wealth.

That's a sure way to discourage the best and brightest from wanting to enter public service.

I don't really see why anyone would want to do it anyway, given how they're treated... by both sides.

No, it's should be a basic requirement for accountability, trust, and transparency. It would discourage tax dodgers from entering public service.

Lots of people are getting away with tax evasion.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/policy-and-politics/2019/4/16/18311366/tax-day-cheating-prosecutions-jail

We're just going to have to disagree. What seem so obvious to me, that we assault our public servants by violating their privacy, which does nothing more than to discourage a large chunk of good people who might otherwise go into public service, seems to be totally lost on you.

It's the job of the IRS to catch tax cheats. Publicizing someone's tax returns won't do that.

Tell me where, in the constitution, or even a law, where it says that. Can’t? That’s what I thought.

Tell me in the constitution where America needs to see the tax returns of public servants who became millionaires while being public servants, like what you said. There isn't a section in the constitution for that either, but that's not the point. My point is that they the American public *should* see the tax return of all public servants, regardless of their wealth. I just used your phrasing and made my own statement.

I never said that anyone should be required to release tax returns. Ever. There’s no need to point out that you used my phrasing without using commas. I can see that.

There is a need. As a public servant, it is your duty to be transparent and serve the people. Releasing tax returns should be an extremely basic and simple task that should be required of all public servants. If a public servant is hesitant of releasing their tax returns, that usually hints that they aren't trustworthy and that something's up.

Again, that isn’t required by anything. It’s a simple task, yes, but I wouldn’t want everyone to know how much I’m making. That’s none of their business. I do tend to trust politicians who release tax returns more, but that should be an option, as it is.

I believe it should be required, because as a public servant, you have to be held to a higher standard of transparency and accountability as compared to the rest of the population, since you are serving them directly.

I can see that I guess, but there’s a line between personal and work matters, and I believe that this crosses it.

I think being transparency, and accountability outweighs personal information as a public servant. If you don't want your personal info leaked, then don't run for office. But yeah, agree to disagree.

although it's a repost, it's a great point.