News flash: Donald Trump does not try to pay more federal taxes than he owes.

The extension of the Clinton campaign, The New York Times, giddily — and maybe illegally but certainly without authorization — revealed a portion of Trump’s personal tax return from 1995, which showed him taking a $912 million loss.

If you do not understand taxes, you do not understand that this is a non-event. And Democrats count on voters not understanding these things.

Real estate was in a big downturn in the early ’90s and the FDIC was auctioning buildings. Trump lost money that year, which is not a news story. The story is that he came back and is now worth $3 to $7 billion.

In 2014, The New York Times itself had $1.5 billion in revenue, $92 million in income, and paid no taxes. In fact, the IRS cut the NY Times a check for $3.5 million that year. Liberal billionaires like George Soros and Warren Buffet have both taken roughly $1 billion losses in business and written them off over time.

In the hypocrisy category, guess who else has done this on their taxes? The Clintons.

Trump has been audited for the past 15 years. The real story is that the audits began about when he announced he was a Republican. Thanks to these audits, we know he has paid every dime in taxes that he owes.

Democrats try to conflate a tax loss carry forward, a standard and legal tax accounting practice, with Trump not paying his taxes. It’s the same lie the Democrats told about Mitt Romney not paying taxes. Yes, it’s underhanded and misleading, but this is how Democrats win. You can’t really expect them to win on their own ideas or results.

The real financial question is how the Clintons, life-long “public servants,” have become worth about $100 million — or more. They have not started a business that employs people. The only jobs they’ve created are for prosecutors, subpoena deliverymen and their defense attorneys.

Getting rich off the taxpayer is OK with Democrats as long as they act as if they feel bad about it. The Clinton Foundation is America’s largest personal 401K, a perpetual tax advantage for the Clinton family. There is no estate tax on it and no scrutiny. It collected “pay to play” money for a past president and a then-current Secretary of State who was also an all-but-assured future presidential candidate. The money was all tax deductible to donors, funneled through a non-U.S. bundler who didn’t fully disclose sources.

Democrats, who generally toe the party line without much thought or debate, are nervous.  Moreover, they are about as comfortable with Hillary as their nominee as they would be with Anthony Weiner borrowing their smartphones.

Quick: Think of the biggest issue being debated in this campaign. The national debt? Crime? Our role in wars worldwide? The disaster that is ObamaCare?

No, we are talking about a "he said, she said," angry beauty pageant contestant who might have been called portly more than 20 years ago.

The Trump campaign wrestles with how much to remind folks about the Clintons going after the women who accused Bill of rape, aggressiveness and lying in the 1990s. Maybe they should counter with the line that "Few people understand our complex tax code, but everybody understands sex."

Both candidates are unlikable and tarnished. Neither will make our country proud. Therefore, the biggest issue facing Americans in this election is that one of these two will win.

Trump may be direct, crass and brag about his money like a rap star, but Hillary is just unlikable. Bill Clinton carried on for 30 years with “rodeo queens,” as Hillary called them. He has been impeached and disbarred; he has been accused of rape, lying and philandering.

Yet America still likes him much more than Hillary.

Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart  on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Democrats twist truth about Trump's taxes

The Nov. 8 presidential election is coming soon. Votes will be cast and either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be our next president.

Regardless who is elected, many people in our country will be unhappy.

Many people were unhappy four years ago and have always been at every election.

When this is over, will the Clinton people and the Trump people even be able to speak a civil word to each other?

If you are going to have a peaceful gathering with your family or a large number of friends, you are probably wise to not mention Trump or Clinton. The mere mention of either name brings a rise of rhetoric, debate and unfortunate anger.

Most Americans who have given our issues and candidates much thought have a lot of passion about this election and each candidate.

Social media has created a somewhat safe haven for people to share with candor how they feel about things related to this election. However, open support for either candidate means you can figure approximately 50 percent of your social media friends are ticked off at you and probably do not like you.

When this election is over, we better try working together in this nation. I don't see how we can survive another four years if we continue to fight and bite each other.

Our military needs a united America. Can you imagine fighting on the battlefield representing America while most of whom you represent are fighting each other?

Our inner cities need for all of us to come together. Our children and grandchildren need for us to pull together.

There will not be an America to enjoy if we don't get our act together in this country.

Glenn Mollette is an American syndicated columnist and author.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Let's get our act together, America

The first of the high-stakes debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ended with the big loser being a fair media.

Hillary Clinton was robotic and scripted. She obfuscated when she had to, knowing NBC’s Lester Holt had her back. The “moderator” interrupted Trump 41 times and Clinton only seven. Each was a baiting, leftist agenda-driven interruption.

Moderator Holt wrongly tried to fact-check Trump several times during his 41 interruptions — and he was mistaken, most notably on the legality of “stop and frisk” and Donald Trump’s opposition to the Iraq War. Hillary voted for the Iraq War, yet no mention was made of her position. Holt spent his time trying to pin down Trump's flippant “Yea, I guess,” comment made on the Howard Stern Show in 2002.

Together with his NBC (home of Brian Williams and MSNBC) handlers, Holt attacked Trump on his taxes, the birther issue, Iraq, his wealth, businesses, racism, temperament, etc.

Only 20 seconds were spent on Hillary’s email scandal and none at all on Benghazi, the Clinton Family Crime Foundation, Hillary attacking Bill Clinton’s many sexual accusers, her lying about coming under sniper fire, her lies about her health and her sudden massive wealth.

The debate was well orchestrated to keep Trump on the defensive; Holt, NBC and Clinton tag-teamed Trump well.

The topics for the first debate were to be “Securing America, Achieving Prosperity, and America’s Direction.” It would have been more accurate to bill the debate as "Cornering Donald Trump."

How does Obama’s birth certificate, Donald’s comments about Rosie O’Donnell, his personal taxes and a 2002 Howard Stern show have anything to do with the supposed “topics?”

Given both candidates’ lack of support and historic unfavorables, the good news is that whoever is elected will have little currency to cut or raise taxes or spend more money than any president since Harry Truman. That made Truman so mad he used the nuclear bomb.

Thirty-four percent of those polled think the debates will be “extremely or quite important.”

I watched some of the debate at a bar, where the sound was off. Trump appeared high energy and looked like he was acting out a “Seinfeld” episode as Kramer. Hillary appeared angry, in her perpetual state of looking thin-lipped, smug and miffed.

Hillary has stuck with the Democrat playbook. Instead of talking about her failed record and discussing ideas, she set about calling her opponent racist, misogynist and any “ist” or “phobic” she can sling. She has called America racist, where “everyone is implicitly biased.”

Hillary went on black radio airwaves to say that she’s the one to reach out to whites to calm the racial divide. If she follows through with her promise, like Democrats have kept their promises to blacks over the years, I expect she will appoint David Duke to head her Department of Justice.

This all plays out as the country realizes the logical result of eight years of President Obama’s one-sided obsession with race. Charlotte is the latest U.S. city stoked to riots and looting.

The latest trend is for kids in big cities like Baltimore, where homicide is up 60 percent (murders in big cities are up 31 percent in the past two years), to defiantly kneel during our National Anthem. It’s a win-win for inner-city kids: they show disrespect for our country, and by kneeling they are less likely to get hit by a gang member’s stray bullet.

If lifelong politician Hillary loses, she has no backup career plan. The Clinton Crime Family Foundation scam has about run its course, her health is questionable, and all the angry ex-wife movie roles have been taken by Jane Fonda. Hillary might have to enroll in Trump University on the quick to become an EMT.

If ratings are not good, when Fox hosts the last debate the topics will be:  Bill Clinton’s bimbos, Melania Trump‘s "early modeling photos," and if Hillary can pass a polygraph.

Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart  on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NBC assists Clinton during presidential debate

The French are coming, the French are coming! On Wednesday, Oct. 12, our visitors from Noirmoutier, France will arrive for their 12-day visit to Crestview to help us celebrate our centennial. 

Crestview Area Sister City Program President Brian Hughes has done a fabulous job of putting together fun, historical and cultural events for our visitors that will showcase our area. 

The spectacular Fall Wine Gala, sponsored by Bob Sikes Airport, will be held from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Oct. 22 at Northwest Florida State College’s Crestview campus. The gala will feature different wines and a large, delicious array of many types of foods catered by A Grand Elegance. Tickets will be $45 per person in advance and $60 at the door, if available.

Some of the planned activities include luncheons provided by various groups in our city, a visit to the Baker Block Museum, a homemade ice cream demonstration, and even a visit to a local farm. There will also be a 6 p.m. Ecumenical Church Service on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at First United Methodist Church, 599 – 8th Ave. This service will be officiated by the Crestview Area Ministerial Association as well as clergy from Noirmoutier and feature choirs from both countries; all may participate.

Additionally, our French visitors will meet with CHS Principal Dexter Day to review plans for bringing students in 2018, enhancing Crestview High host students' cultural experience. If you are interested in hosting one or more French students, plan now for 2018. Your family will be enriched!

The Crestview Area Sister City program has a visit planned to Noirmoutier in September 2017. Anyone in the community is welcome to travel to France next fall. All that is required is membership in the program and travel fare, which consists of airfare and train fare, as well as some spending money. 

For more information, contact Pam Coffield at coffieldpam@gmail.com.

We know that our Crestview community will make our French guests feel welcome. You will enjoy these warm and friendly people — and may make some new friends in the process.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Noirmoutrins are coming to Crestview

Hillary Clinton condescendingly called half of Trump supporters “deplorables” and looked at them with contempt.

Trump then proposed allowing working families to deduct the cost of childcare, one of the biggest entitlements proposed in years.

One would think that after seemingly four years of primaries, the Dems and the GOP would by now have at least nominated someone from their own parties.

Hillary’s carefully controlled, personal doctor’s press release said in measured terms that she is OK and should be well enough in a week to return to lying to the American people, deleting emails and smashing her cell phones like Gallagher at his Branson, Missouri show.

Then Trump goes on the “Dr. Oz” show, the Mayo Clinic of daytime TV, to reveal his healthiness. To date, Trump had released a one-page letter from his doctor, who looks like he got his medical degree at a Grateful Dead concert, saying Trump is the most magnificent physical specimen since Fabio.

I’m not sure when it happened, but now politicians just lie to us without consequences.

President Obama sold Obamacare on lies: “If you like your healthcare, you can keep your healthcare. Period. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Period.” Then he said Obamacare would “reduce the average family’s health care costs $2,500 a year.”

All premeditated lies.

Hillary and Obama lied and said the Benghazi attacks were because of a YouTube video. They even had they filmmaker arrested. Scary.

The IRS targets Obama’s political opponents and then its officials take the Fifth; they do not answer subpoenas, and they smirk at justice.

After Hillary lied about her emails, members of her State Department tech crew took the Fifth; one didn’t even show up after being subpoenaed by Congress.

Hillary lied, too. This “birther” thing Hillary is blaming Trump for? It turns out that, in the 2008 presidential race, the Clinton camp (a camp I’d advise not sending your kids to) started the rumor.

Hillary learned from her experience serving on the Watergate committee (from which she was fired) what to do with damaging evidence. If Nixon had destroyed the tapes, he would have gone down in history as a great president.

Nixon’s men engaged in political shenanigans that would be child’s play today. No one died, unlike Benghazi. No national secrets were compromised by using a personal server to send classified documents. What Nixon did would be called “opposition research” today.

Nixon’s famous line was, “I am not a crook.” By Hillary Clinton‘s standards, he was not.

Maybe they get away with such lies and indignities today because the press no longer investigates Democrats. The media are advocacy media; they never turn on one of their own. The mainstream media treated Trump well, urging him on and promoting him in the GOP primary against the other 16 candidates because they thought he’d be easier for Hillary to defeat. Now they run negative story after insulting story about him since there is a chance he could win.

With the death of fair journalism, politicians can now do what they like without consequences. Since they have lost all journalistic respectability, the new leftist media game is so-called “fact checking.” They dubiously check facts that fit their narrative.

Hillary’s longtime staff, either paid for with your tax dollars at the State Department or by the Clinton Crime Family Foundation (or both simultaneously), protect her. Hillary surrounds herself with sharp-elbowed Democrat thugs who look like they could be in a women’s prison gang. They yell “Chauvinism!” when allegations are brought, but never address the facts.

They spin everything to fit their narrative. They want to tax us on carbons, so they blame every rainstorm, heat wave and fire on global warming. The fires in California probably could be more accurately blamed on Hillary fundraising there, with blazes sparked by her pants being on fire.

You never know what to believe from politicians today. Obama finds race issues in everything. You cannot sort laundry without Obama calling you a racist.

But now his liberal minions at Cal State University (LA) are going to provide separate dorm rooms for black students. Obama came into office as if he were the next Martin Luther King. It seems he will go out as Jesse Helms.

Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or tweet@RonaldHart.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Watergate lessons now serve Clinton well