Editorial: Tax Returns, School Records Fair Game

Consider this a given: Democrats desperately want more of Mitt Romney’s tax records and Republicans desperately want more of President Barack Obama’s education records so that corporations, unions, nonprofits and really rich guys can start pouring millions of dollars into a blitz of negative campaign advertisements based on whatever kernels of fact or innuendo they may find lurking there.

But that’s not a good reason for the candidates to be less than fully transparent and to continue resisting the calls for such information. Romney has released his 2010 tax return and plans to release his 2011 return when it’s completed. But both candidates should remember that the less-than-stellar businessman and self-admitted average student who preceded Obama was not only elected, but re-elected.

Romney and Obama should produce both their financial and educational histories for public inspection. After all, they are the ones seeking to represent the nation at its highest level of office and this information could be important in helping determine who would be best suited to lead the country at this time.

Certainly some people will take the information and yell, “See, he’s a capitalist” or “See, he’s a socialist.” (And some of the congressmen shouting the loudest for Romney’s records, such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid, emphatically refuse to open their books.)

But a wise public can determine what is important and true and choose to ignore the partisan attacks.

To an unwise public, the truth won’t matter anyway. Just consider there are people who still believe Obama was not born in Hawaii. Or that President George W. Bush blew up the World Trade Center. Or that President Lyndon Johnson was part of a coup that murdered President John F. Kennedy. Or that the Kennedys killed Marilyn Monroe. We could go on.

But also consider this a given: There are important issues that are not getting the attention they deserve as the partisans fight for ammunition.

The candidates should do all they can to return the focus of the campaign to the economy, unemployment, the debt, the deficit, health care, Social Security, defense, foreign affairs, homeland security, energy, the environment and other important issues.

Being more open would do that for thinking people.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.