I am an immigrant from México. Since I immigrated, I have paid my taxes. I am not even a U.S. citizen, but I pay my taxes. Donald Trump apparently hasn’t paid federal income taxes in years. The two times he made a payment in the last fifteen years he paid $750 a year, for two years. I have paid substantially more. And I am what many would consider middle class.
When Donald Trump launched his presidential campaign, he did so by proclaiming people like me, are “rapists,” and that my country only sends the “worst” people. Not only have I paid taxes, but I have also employed American citizens and have paid the associated payroll taxes to keep the Americans working.
But Trump says that México only sends the “worst” people.
He says this while scheming tax avoidance schemes where the net result is that he has paid around $1,500 in federal income taxes over the last two years.
I am a pilot, yet I don’t own an airplane. As a matter of fact, I haven’t flown in years because of the expense associated with renting an airplane. Yet, Trump, who jet sets and finds ways to deduct his airplane for tax avoidance purposes, has paid substantially less taxes than I have.
Some Trump supporters will argue that Trump is a smart man for not paying his taxes. “Smart cookie,” they will proclaim.
Think about that for a moment. Some Americans are arguing that Trump gaming the tax system is a good thing. In other words, forget the much-proclaimed essence of fairness that Americans like to say about America, and see how some Americans think scheming tax avoidance is fair and a good thing.
Trump is not a “smart cookie” nor is he a savvy businessman.
What Trump is, is a liar and a cheat.
Me, I’m just an immigrant. An immigrant that pays his taxes.
