Original Blogger tags: McCain
Apparently John McCain receives $58,358 pension that is completely tax-exempt. The reason it is tax-exempt is that he is considered to be 100% disabled. He avoided about $18,000 in taxes in 2007 because of this exemption.
His reported income was over $400,000 for 2007.
McCain suffered terrible physical abuse in the service of his country. Far be it from me to cast aspersions about his disability. I’ll let him do that himself, as he runs around the country claiming that he is fit enough to be president — fit enough, he says, to hike across the Grand Canyon. Fit enough that he was again qualified for flight and commanded a Navy squadron. Qualified by the same organization that, ummm, declared him 100% disabled.
Does that make him a welfare cheat? Is he really entitled to it? I’m just asking. Even if he is entitled to it, is it ethical of him to continue to accept it?
Was the intent of the law to exempt wealthy Senators from paying taxes? How do you think other disabled vets — who may or may not be collecting disability benefits from the government — feel about this?
I know if I had avoided paying $18,000 in taxes in 2007 that I legally should have paid, someone at the IRS would be getting paid to make my life miserable. If I was collecting disability benefits but could hike across the Grand Canyon, someone would eventually call me on it and try to get that money back. I’d be guilty of fraud.
Is anyone who wants to be president actually honest and ethical enough to be president?