Romney finally released his tax returns yesterday. In an effort to prove that he’s more transparent than Romney, Gingrich released his contract with Freddie Mac. The release of documents by the two presidential campaigns proved several things: Only the rich need apply to the GOP; the rich don’t pay into Medicare; and the GOP doesn’t respect actual work.

We all knew that Romney is wealthy. The problem is that he doesn’t seem comfortable discussing his wealth, or hanging out with ordinary voters. He prefers discussing things like that in “quiet rooms.” He only released his tax returns after people like Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey told him it was the right thing to do. Before releasing them he said that he paid close to 15% of his income in taxes. The actual returns show that he paid 13.9% of his almost $22 million in income in 2010 and expects to pay 15.4% in 2011. Even more interesting is the fact that Romney doesn’t have to do a thing to get that $22 million. His assets are all in a “blind trust” where the trustee makes all decisions. Since he doesn’t have to work, he can do things like take six years out of his life indulging in his hobby of running for political office. The good news is that he probably can’t be bought.

Gingrich, on the other hand, actually had to work to get his millions in income. I’m not saying that he had to put on a hard hat and run a jack hammer in a coal mine, breathing in coal dust all the live long day. But he did have to exercise his dial finger, probably building quite the callus, calling all of the friends and acquaintances he accumulated as Speaker. No doubt the experience prepared him for a presidential run, since it was hard work urging the recipients of his calls to make sure that Freddie Mac continued to be viewed favorably in congress. The man who actually “worked” for a living paid 32% of his income into the U.S. Treasury. He avoided paying even more by using a tax loophole. He avoided paying into Medicare by setting himself up as a Sub S Corporation.

Gingrich claiming that he didn’t work as a lobbyist is a bunch of pious baloney.  Lobbying is the act of influencing legislators to vote in favor of an issue. Gingrich reported to the head lobbyist at Freddie Mac. He didn’t get that callus on his finger because he was discussing history with a bunch of guys on K-Street or in the capital. He got that callus because he was connected to people who could make decisions impacting the regulation and funding of Freddie Mac. That’s a lobbyist.

Homework

Romney Tax Returns

Gingrich Consulting Contract

Gingrich Tax Returns

Gingrich Tax Rate

I was awakened in the middle of the night with the sound of my dog barking his head off. That isn’t all that unusual because when he needs to get out he stands at the door and barks. What was unusual was him rushing through his doggie door, yelling at the top of his lungs. Lately Jackson has been demanding that the human door be opened for him. I have been teasing him about losing his mind, and becoming forgetful in his old age. I thought he had forgotten all about that doggie door.

It turns out there was a cat in the garage, and Jackson was more than a little irritated about having his space invaded. I don’t think Jackson has ever gotten close to a scared cat, one of which he quickly cornered. The tabby behaved exactly as a one would expect a cornered cat to behave. A cornered cat is dangerous. As soon as I was able to get my hands on Jackson, I removed him from the site, and opened the garage door to let the frightened invader back out into the night where he belonged.

Jackson got the worst of it. His ear was wet with cat slobber. His mouth was bleeding from a cat scratch, and he was favoring one paw. And he was mad at me for breaking up the fight.

Since I’m a political junkie, I was reminded of the fight between Romney and Gingrich. Even though dogs and dog lovers everywhere would ban Romney from their company, in my mind’s eye, he became the dog—a pampered dog who has spent his entire life sleeping on silk pillows and prancing at elite dog shows. Gingrich became the scrappy cat, cornered and fighting for his life, using every sharp tool at his disposal.

I hadn’t planned on watching the billionth GOP debate tonight, but I just may change my mind. Yesterday Gingrich made the round of morning talk shows, having licked his fur back into place after his most recent alley fight with a newscaster. He even wore the colors of a tabby, with a yellow silk tie neatly in place, disguising the ruffled fur of a seasoned fighter. The fangs were hidden, and the sharp claws had been placed in neutral position. It won’t take much to corner Newt, and the fur will fly again. He is feeling cocky because he won the most recent scrap. But it is Romney who has the owner with the means to send the invader back out into the night. Romney might have a few cat scratches, but the elitists aren’t interested in sharing their pampered space with a stinky old alley cat.