In recent days, many conservative and Republican leaders have called on Mitt Romney to release his tax returns. In a recent post on Live Leak, a member asks, "Romney's tax returns might show he's not even American? No?"

George William Curtis said, "A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, river and woods, but is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle".

With that in context, it has to be understood that being an American citizen and being a patriot for America are two separate status's. When it comes to politicians it is more important to ask, "Is this man/woman a patriot for America, or a patriot for his/her own agenda"? That, my friends, is the real question.

Let me throw a couple things out there, just for shits and giggles...

Because Romney's father was born in Mexico, does that make his father Mexican?
Romney lived in France for a number of years, does that make him French?
(Before all the 'birthers' jump in here and say the obvious thing that's on their mind, let me add this... If Obama's birth certificate was faked, why didn't the establishment clearly prove it before he became a Senator in Illinois?)
Romney was involved in an accident in which a passenger of his car was killed. Does that make Romney a murderer? Was he drinking? Or, could he have been initially found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and his father, a prominent US politician paid the French off?

There are so many things in Romneys past that us "libs" could start a conspiracy theory about, but choose not to.

If the 'left' (collectively) voiced our concerns about Romney, the same way many of the 'right' have voiced their concerns over Obama, there would be many more 'conspiracy posts' about Romney on this site, equal to or greater than what's being posted about Obama. Just sayin... But, unlike many conservatives, a good portion of liberal America doesn't think this way.

Fundamentally, this is one of the differences between both sides. Typically, liberals don't question someone's patriotism, their birth record, their past. What concerns us is "how well will this politician do as a representative of me and my beliefs"?

Just to make it clear, I am not writing this to question Romney's patriotism, his ethics, or his underwear. I will question this man's motives and how well he represents my issues.

I'm not here to push any of Romney's past into question, how well he speaks french, whether or not he was drinking when that accident occurred.

I'm not going to ask about his birth certificate, nor am I going to ask to show me his tax returns. Why? Because I figure if he wants to gain the trust of the American people, and if he believes in transparency, he would release them.

But, I feel if he is going to succeed in winning the prize of the Presidency, it would be in his best interest, for transparency sake, to release them. Do I care what his returns show? Not really. He needs to release them out of principle at this point.

Do I like him as a person, I'm sure I would.
Do I agree with his policies? No.
(Do I totally agree with anyones policies? No.)
Do I question his patriotism? Sure... Why? Because it is MY RIGHT to question his motives to become President.

So, is Romney really an American? Of course he is...

This is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.... (I hope everyone has a great weekend! Stay safe!)

ILP