Let’s assume that Trump is a Russian mob stooge.

The White House then outlined the contents of the tax return, which revealed that Trump paid $38 million in taxes on a reported income of $150 million dollars.

Yea. I’m not sure what the big reveal was here. He paid about 25% of his income in taxes. Low? yes! Scandalously low? I don’t think so. It seems to be in line with level of taxes paid by other “rich assholes” even if it took the AMT to get him there. Like you I worry about how this will be perceived. All in all, I…

I’m hesitant to call this a win. Now Trump has ammo that the media is out to get him given the return is fairly innocuous. No one will care about the “should have released it himself” angle and it’ll all play as Maddow trying to make a mountain from a molehill. And just when she’s been doing record well with viewers…

Liberals keep dreaming of this magic bullet, this shocking revelation that will spur protective governmental action that’s going to somehow make it all better. They still think Trump is an aberration instead of the natural result of our system and the way both parties have developed over the last several decades, and…

It also helps fuel the narrative of “the corrupt media looking for a ratings grab” because... well, why the fuck else would you hype up something so ultimately trivial by talking for 20 minutes about the importance of knowing the information THAT YOU DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE AT ALL

Exactly this. I just keep thinking, “Now his supporters get to say that he pays his taxes.” I feel like it did way more harm than good.

I hope the short-term ratings boost was worth it, Rachel =\

I’d tell you what I’d be moving up from the store brand mustard.

Irresponsible journalism. Maddow dithered for 20 minutes about nothing, and then the big reveal was 2 pages with no sources of income. Trump should absolutely release his full returns, but don’t pretend like what she had was anything worthwhile.
 

NO

I like how you he equates CEO optimism with an across the board boost in morale. “Guys, I can’t wait to go to my abusive minimum wage retail job where I am forced to shove credit cards down people’s throats because our CEO is looking forward to scoring a new yacht for his island.”

It has nothing to do with that. He knows how to manipulate the painfully stupid...and it works...I mean he did get them to elect him president...largely doing this exact same thing.

In one month he brought the unemployment rate down from 40% (!) to 4.7%. God let him celebrate.

God I can’t wait to get out of Kansas.

So, we’re all making donations in this fool’s name now, right?

That’s a ton of possible mutations/defects I didn’t know about in humans.

it’s definitely frustrating. especially when every other white suspect is “mentally ill” or “disturbed” but black suspects are immediately guilty

i know. but it makes me so damned mad that victims are placed on trial for their own murders.