Transparency

I Like This Idea

Written by SK Ashby

There's no chance in hell our congressional Republican overlords will ever mandate this level of financial disclosure, but lawmakers in states still controlled by Democrats can take matters into their own hands.

Democrats in several states have introduced legislation to restrict ballot access for candidates who don't release their tax returns.

A pair of Maryland Democrats on Tuesday announced they would introduce a bill mandating the release of five years of tax returns, mirroring similar proposals in New York, Massachusetts, California and Maine.

If approved, the proposals could keep Trump from appearing on some ballots in 2020 if he continues breaking with the decades-long tradition of financial transparency and decides to seek a second term.

Congress will never vote for a similar bill and despot-elect Trump obviously wouldn't sign it even if they did, but state lawmakers have a legitimate chance to succeed where Congress fails us.

With that said, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Congress responds by passing legislation prohibiting states from requiring full financial disclosure.

As you know, arguments in favor of "states' rights" only apply to black Democratic presidents.