I am not a Bernie Sanders supporter, but....

[Politicub]

78. Tax returns are a critical part of how candidates are perceived.

I am just learning this. I had the impression that Sanders had taken a vow of poverty or something based on his rhetoric and choice of cheap suits and questionable haircuts.

Now I know the carpet doesn’t match the drapes. And that’s okay. It makes more sense that he’s wealthy since he has a strong brand. He’s a successful author and celebrated speaker, and his brand multiplies his earnings potential.

I don’t begrudge him for that. If anything, I question myself and my belief that he wasn’t as well-off as he is. It has taken hard evidence, by way of his tax returns, to change my perspective.

Now I understand why releasing tax returns is so important. All artifacts of candidates are at least somewhat important. This is because we can compare what they say about themselves, what the media says about them, and the degree at which their opponents twist the truth about them.