海角大神

No doubt about it, Mitt Romney has walked into a buzz saw of bad publicity over his income taxes.

First he hems and haws about revealing his returns, before agreeing to release them in April 鈥� knowing all along, certainly, that he would have to. Then he lets drop that he pays an effective rate of 15 percent, because his income derives mostly from investments rather than a salary. That鈥檚 well below the 25 percent President Obama paid and the 23.4 percent Texas Gov. Rick Perry paid in 2010 -鈥� and, of course, well below what middle-class working stiffs pay. 聽

And how about those speaking fees? Mr. Romney also casually mentioned that he makes money giving speeches, 鈥渂ut not very much.鈥� Turns out Romney鈥檚 definition of not very much is $374,327.62, the amount he made from speeches between February 2010 and February 2011, according to his financial disclosure forms.

Romney鈥檚 opponents for the Republican presidential nomination have roughed up the former Massachusetts governor as best they could over the tax issue 鈥� as has Team Obama, which expects to face Romney in November. 聽

But here鈥檚 why, in the end, the whole tax kerfuffle probably won鈥檛 matter, both in the Republican nomination fight and, if Romney gets the nod, against President Obama.

Voters already know that Romney is very wealthy, with a stated net worth of between $190 million and $250 million. That information is already baked into their assessment of him, both as a potential president and in that elusive measure of 鈥渓ikability.鈥� Now that they know his (low) tax rate, chances are Republican voters aren鈥檛 suddenly going to decide that he鈥檒l have a harder time beating Mr. Obama than the other GOP candidates in the field. 聽

Knowing Romney鈥檚 tax rate doesn鈥檛 change the fact that he is best equipped to take on Obama in terms of money-raising and organization. It also doesn鈥檛 much change the calculus going into November. At heart, Obama鈥檚 reelection chances rest on how Americans are feeling about the economy, not on the tax advantages his wealthy opponent has, if it鈥檚 Romney.

The fact that Romney pays only a 15 percent tax rate may breed some resentment, but assuming that he is playing by the rules, it鈥檚 not his fault that the IRS treats investment income more favorably than paid work. In fact, if some of the other GOP candidates had their way, and eliminated taxes on capital gains, Romney would be paying even less in taxes. 聽

Romney was never going to score well on the proverbial measure of 鈥渟omeone you鈥檇 want to share a beer with鈥� 鈥� or a root beer, in the case of the teetotaling Romney. Knowing his tax rate doesn鈥檛 make him seem any less relatable than he already was.

Americans have a complicated relationship with the wealthy. They may envy them, but many also admire them and want to be like them. That鈥檚 why Obama鈥檚 arguments about raising taxes on millionaires and billionaires aren鈥檛 as universally popular as one might expect.

Still, the Democrats are going to ride Romney鈥檚 new nickname 鈥� Mr. 15% 鈥� as long as they can. And because Romney鈥檚 wealth is a result of his years at Bain Capital 鈥� which involved not only helping build successful companies but also entailed closing businesses and firing people 鈥� there鈥檚 a nice one-two punch for attack ads and stump speeches.

Furthermore, as The New York Times reported last month, Romney continued to reap income from Bain deals through February 2009, nearly 10 years after he left the company. If Romney鈥檚 advisers can teach him one thing, it鈥檚 going to be to watch the 鈥渞ich guy鈥� rhetoric 鈥� references to multiple homes, lawn-care services, and making 鈥渘ot much鈥� income from speeches.

The White House has already begun punching over Romney鈥檚 taxes. At his briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Jay Carney revealed a bit of opposition research on the history of presidential candidates and their tax returns.

鈥淚 think it was a tradition that was initiated by then-presidential candidate George Romney back in 1968, who released 12 years of tax records in 鈥�68, as I understand it,鈥� Mr. Carney said.

Former Michigan Gov. George Romney, of course, was Mitt Romney鈥檚 father.