Millionaires to Obama: Tax us

[thoughtone]

source: Yahoo News

Anti-tax activists everywhere have been loudly arguing for an extension of George W. Bush-era [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]tax [COLOR=#366388 !important]cuts[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] for the wealthiest Americans in the United States. Now a group of millionaires is arguing the opposite.

More than 40 of the nation's millionaires have joined Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength to ask President Obama to discontinue the tax breaks established for them during the [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]Bush [COLOR=#366388 !important]administration[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], as Salon reports.

"For the fiscal health of our nation and the well-being of our fellow citizens, we ask that you allow tax cuts on incomes over $1,000,000 to expire at the end of this year as scheduled," their website states. "We make this request as loyal citizens who now or in the past earned an income of $1,000,000 per year or more."

The group includes many big-time Democratic donors such as Gail Furman, trial lawyer Guy Saperstein and Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's ice cream (pictured). The list remains open to millionaires who want to sign on.

[Related: Lottery winners give away millions]


Republicans in Congress argue that a failure to extend [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]tax [COLOR=#366388 !important]cuts [/COLOR][COLOR=#366388 !important]for [/COLOR][COLOR=#366388 !important]individuals[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] making over $250,000 would be detrimental to the economy. "It's a massive tax increase," Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann said this week on ABC's "Good Morning America." "And it's on the people who are the [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]job [COLOR=#366388 !important]creators[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]."

Most Democrats in Congress are opposed to extending cuts for the wealthiest Americans--but they're treading carefully about how to proceed with the issue.

The president has repeatedly stated his support for extending Bush-era cuts for the middle class, but Democrats are divided over whether to vote only on middle-class cuts or to include a vote on cuts for those making $250,000. It doesn't appear that the [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]Senate[/COLOR][/COLOR] can muster the votes to pass a measure that would extend only middle-class cuts.

"I think there's a reality here, which is that while it might be best to continue the [COLOR=#366388 !important][COLOR=#366388 !important]middle-class [COLOR=#366388 !important]tax [/COLOR][COLOR=#366388 !important]cuts[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and raise taxes on higher-income people, the votes are not there to do that," Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) told the Washington Post.

[Related: 40 billionaires pledge to donate half their wealth]

Democrats already chose to delay the tax cut issue until after the Nov. 2 election. And on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other leaders indicated the party will postpone action on tax-cut extensions until after the Thanksgiving break.

Republicans continue to call for immediate action, saying they fear business owners will be less likely to hire workers and spend money as they remain uncertain about future tax liabilities.

 

[thoughtone]

Damn this is a dangerous thread!

 

[Fuckallyall]

THen why don't don't those patriotic millionaires just donate some of thier millions to reduce the deficit. Problem solved.

 

[Gunner]

http://virginia.watchdog.org/493/donations-to-virginia-government-remain-low-2/


Donations to Virginia government remain low By Paige Winfield Cunningham On March 15, 2010
Print This Post
Virginia coffers hold $1,500 of taxpayer generosity this year.

As disputes rage in Richmond over proposed fees to balance the troubled state budget, some citizens want to send even more than they have to into a fund that collects voluntary giving to the state.

But not many.

Contributions to the “Tax Me More Fund” have hovered between $1,000 and $1,700 most years ever since lawmakers created it in 2002, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation. Exceptions include the fund’s first year, when taxpayers contributed $6,602, and a low point in 2006 when $19.36 was donated.

Republican Del. M. Kirkland Cox, of Colonial Heights, first proposed the fund to make a point about raising taxes on others without being willing to pay more themselves. If he intended to test the generosity of legislators, he seems to have made his point.

Only two state legislators are among the five donors who have allowed their names to be made public. Del. Rob Bell, R-Charlottesville, and former state Sen. D. Nick Rerras contributed to the fund, although how much they gave is not public.

Since its inception, the fund has collected $12,887.04, with the largest single donation being $5,000. Except for 2003, no more than two donations have been made to the fund each year.

Cox said the history of the fund has sent the message he intended.

“The Tax Me More fund was a great chance for tax increase proponents to put their money where their mouth is,” Cox said. “The fact that only 1,500 dollars was contributed [this year] speaks volumes.”

At least seven other states have set up similar options for taxpayers who don’t think their bill is already high enough, according to Sandra Fabry, executive director of the Center for Fiscal Accountability—an arm of the anti-tax group Americans for Tax Reform.

Like Virginia, most states ask citizens to mail in checks which are then deposited in the state’s general fund.

But in Massachusetts, taxpayers are asked on their tax return to choose between paying 5.3 percent or 5.85 percent in income taxes. The choice was approved in 2000 as part of a voter-approved income tax reduction, according to ATR.

The voluntary giving accounts started cropping up about 10 years ago. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee challenged tax proponents in 2001 to contribute to his state’s general fund, while around the same time Massachusetts, Kansas, New Hampshire and Virginia were setting up their own donation funds.

Still, most people don’t know such funds exist, Fabry said. And believers in limited government who think officials need to streamline operations don’t crop up among the pool of donors, she said. She said that for these citizens, the usually low balances of “Tax Me More” funds simply show that so-called tax supporters won’t crack open their own wallets.

“It is certainly a tool to highlight the hypocrisy of those who support higher tax increases because most of the time those who say we should have tax increases don’t want to pay themselves,” Fabry said.

But hypocrisy is not the target of all lawmakers who suggest “Tax Me More” funds. This year, legislators in Maine are considering a bill allowing citizens to donate to state social services. Sponsor Terry Hayes, a Democratic representative, has said she wants to find a compromise between finding more funding and not raising taxes on those who can’t afford it.

The federal government has accepted donations into its general fund since the 1960s, according to McKayla Braden, spokesperson for the Bureau of Public Debt.

While donations for most years reach $2.5 or $3 million, $21 million was donated in 1994, she said. The largest individual gift totaled $3.5 million, given in 1992.

The large donations often come from wills, Braden said. Once or twice a year, she receives an envelope of quarters from a child who’s been learning about the national debt in school. She said she’s always surprised to see money orders mailed in by those who are obviously short on finances.

“I think people really felt like maybe they were very lucky in life,” Braden said. “We’ve gotten some from people you know couldn’t afford to send it.”

Prompted by the request of a citizen who asked to donate electronically, the bureau made it possible to donate online for the first time in January, Braden said. She always expects to receive the most donations between November and January, when people are in the gift-giving mood.

“When people are thinking about their taxes and giving gifts, that’s when we often get people giving $15,000 or $20,000,” she said. “We could get two or three a week like that, and that’s really nice.”

 

[Gunner]

http://www.bostonherald.com/


Hey moonbats of Massachusetts - why won't you pay more taxes?

You're always lecturing the rest of us how taxes are an investment in the future, the price we pay for civilization, etc., etc. But when given the option of personally paying your fair share, hey, come back here, you pony-tailed trust-fund recipient you.

Put your hands up and step away from the Prius - slowly. What about the children?

As the deadline for filing 2009 state income taxes nears, once again the Beautiful People of Massachusetts are proving that while they enjoy talking the talk, walking the walk is another thing altogether.

We have a two-tier income tax in this state, you know. You have the option of paying either at the standard rate of 5.3 percent, or at the old, higher 5.85 percent rate.

As of Wednesday, here are this years numbers, according to the state DOR:

Of 1,840,000 state tax filers, exactly 931 have opted to pay taxes at the higher rate. That works out to one-twentieth of one percent. Think of it this way: In 2000, only 60 percent of the Massachusetts electorate voted to cut the income tax, but a decade later 99.95 percent of the population has decided to take advantage of the tax cut a lot of them claimed they didn't want or need.

The moonbat motto is: Do as I say, not as I do. Consider the charitable deductions (or lack thereof) of the most sanctimonious liberal politicians: Obama, Biden, Kerry. They throw around quarters - their own, anyway - like they were manhole covers. But they would gladly give you the shirt off somebody else's back.

In Massachusetts, these 931 volunteers had to come up with an additional $54,500, enough to pay Billy Bulger's pension for just over three months. So the average volunteer moonbat who decided to pay the extra .55 percent this year had a 2009 income of about $12,000.

As pitiful as those numbers are, they're better than they were at this time last year, when 1.831 million taxpayers had filed, and only 731 ponied up. But those 731 chipped in $70,232, which means last year's moonbats had an average income of $19,000.

Of course these Birkenstock-clad carpetbaggers from New York have their excuses for not paying the higher taxes they're so adamant about wanting to impose on the rest of us. After all, they do a lot of public service . . . sending those no-nonsense letters to the editor of the boring broadsheet they no longer pay to read, putting the blast on greedy Republicans. Plus nowadays they write their own blogs denouncing the troop buildup in Afghanistan and how high gasoline prices are bankrupting the country and it's all Bush's . . . er, never mind.

I forgot to ask Gov. Deval Patrick Thursday if he's volunteering to pay more taxes this year, so I e-mailed the question to his office Friday. No response, which I guess means he stands with that 99.95 percent of his constituents.

 

[thoughtone]

Are you millionaires?

 

[Gunner]

Are you millionaires?

No just replying to your topic. To simply point out that when given an option those who advocate for higher taxes are all talk. I'm pretty sure you take all deductions afforded to you.

 

[thoughtone]

No just replying to your topic. To simply point out that when given an option those who advocate for higher taxes are all talk. I'm pretty sure you take all deductions afforded to you.

What does taking legal deductions have to do with raising taxes om the top 2%. You right wingers are masters at changing the subject.

 

[thoughtone]

Warren Buffett: I 'Should Be Paying A Lot More In Taxes'


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[Fuckallyall]

What does taking legal deductions have to do with raising taxes om the top 2%. You right wingers are masters at changing the subject.

That's the pot calling the kettle black. You seem to lack the capacity mentally to answer a question straight. You just go straight to the "rightwingforxrepublicandon'tcareaboutpoorpeopleracistsoyoumuntbeevilandthatanswerseverything" line. We did pose a legitmate response,with facts to back it up. And what do you do, run right back to the your usual "I'm doing nothing to be criticized about" line and accuse others of changing the subject. Typical. I don't care about what BUffet says about anything other than investing. If he want's to, how about kicking those billions he gave to helping others overseas to saving the country he loves.

 

[thoughtone]

That's the pot calling the kettle black. You seem to lack the capacity mentally to answer a question straight. You just go straight to the "rightwingforxrepublicandon'tcareaboutpoorpeopleracistsoyoumuntbeevilandthatanswerseverything" line. We did pose a legitmate response,with facts to back it up. And what do you do, run right back to the your usual "I'm doing nothing to be criticized about" line and accuse others of changing the subject. Typical. I don't care about what BUffet says about anything other than investing. If he want's to, how about kicking those billions he gave to helping others overseas to saving the country he loves.

That's a legitimate response? Since when are taxes voluntary?

 

[Gunner]

That's the pot calling the kettle black. You seem to lack the capacity mentally to answer a question straight. You just go straight to the "rightwingforxrepublicandon'tcareaboutpoorpeopleracistsoyoumuntbeevilandthatanswerseverything" line. We did pose a legitmate response,with facts to back it up. And what do you do, run right back to the your usual "I'm doing nothing to be criticized about" line and accuse others of changing the subject. Typical. I don't care about what BUffet says about anything other than investing. If he want's to, how about kicking those billions he gave to helping others overseas to saving the country he loves.

rightwingforxrepublicandon'tcareaboutpoorpeoplerac istsoyoumuntbeevilandthatanswerseverything

"Classic"

 

[nittie]

I'm sure most wealthy people would pay more taxes if they believed it would help the economy and the country. Thats a no brainer but more taxes won't fix it. When you got people like those councilmen in California paying themselves six figure salaries or billions missing from the Iraq war plus bailouts, it would just be throwing good money after bad.

 

[geist]

i've said this before, it's not the rich that are crying about taxing the rich. It's the people that "want to be rich" that are crying about it. It's just like the people that back republicans, but don't even have a job.

 

[thoughtone]

I'm sure most wealthy people would pay more taxes if they believed it would help the economy and the country. Thats a no brainer but more taxes won't fix it. When you got people like those councilmen in California paying themselves six figure salaries or billions missing from the Iraq war plus bailouts, it would just be throwing good money after bad.

I'm sure most wealthy people would pay more taxes if they believed it would help the economy and the country.

The majority of wealthy people could give two fucks about the country. If they cared so much, in the midst of record corporate profits, why do they still fight to out source jobs from the US and headquarter corporations in Caribbean Island tax havens. The majority of wealthy care about money. Bernie Madoff, Blackwater, Goldman Sachs...greed!

 

[Lamarr]

The majority of wealthy care about money. Bernie Madoff, Blackwater, Goldman Sachs...greed!

still tryin to blame current conditions on "greed" or "the free market"

The lust for profit is always counter-balanced by the risk of loss; the problem is when the govt interferes in the market to diminish the risk of loss, (implementing regulation to keep new competitors from entering the market) thereby creating & empowering the "Too Big To Fails"

I'm surprised by Buffett's comments but if he feels that passionate about the issue, he should write a check to the Treasury and STFU!

 

[thoughtone]

still tryin to blame current conditions on "greed" or "the free market"

The lust for profit is always counter-balanced by the risk of loss; the problem is when the govt interferes in the market to diminish the risk of loss, (implementing regulation to keep new competitors from entering the market) thereby creating & empowering the "Too Big To Fails"

The government is always left to clean up after "greed" or "the free market" fuck things up (the roaring 20s, the Great Depression). Try posting historical fact instead of rhetoric. If there were no government, we would have feudalism again.

I'm surprised by Buffett's comments

I expect you would. He's worth about $40 billion and you wish you were. Take the advice of those you want to be!

At least their is one billionaire that cares about his country.

 

[Lamarr]

I expect you would. He's worth about $40 billion and you wish you were. Take the advice of those you want to be!

with all due respect, you don't know what the f*ck I wish for!

First off, I want to be a good son to my parents.
Second, I want to be strong for my family due to circumstances.
Third, contribute to the betterment of my community.
All of which are more valuable than money, playboy! come again

At least their is one billionaire that cares about his country.

with all his dough, he could extended unemployment benefits himself, He should cut a check & STFU

 

[thoughtone]

with all due respect, you don't know what the f*ck I wish for!

First off, I want to be a good son to my parents.
Second, I want to be strong for my family due to circumstances.
Third, contribute to the betterment of my community.
All of which are more valuable than money, playboy! come again

So with your values, why do you support people who don't support your values?

with all his dough, he could extended unemployment benefits himself, He should cut a check & STFU

For a few days, and then what?

 

[nittie]

The majority of wealthy people could give two fucks about the country. If they cared so much, in the midst of record corporate profits, why do they still fight to out source jobs from the US and headquarter corporations in Caribbean Island tax havens. The majority of wealthy care about money. Bernie Madoff, Blackwater, Goldman Sachs...greed!

The majority of millionaires are not corporate America. They are small businessmen or working people who saved and invested. They would pay more if they thought it would improve things because this is their home.

 

[thoughtone]

The majority of millionaires are not corporate America. They are small businessmen or working people who saved and invested. They would pay more if they thought it would improve things because this is their home.

If you're a millionaire your not too small of a businessman!

 

[QueEx]

If you're a millionaire your not too small of a businessman!

That would depend upon how one defines, "small businessman".

 

[thoughtone]

That would depend upon how one defines, "small businessman".

No doubt, but if your revenue allows you to net enough to be a millionaire, even in NYC, your no small businessperson.

 

[Fuckallyall]

No doubt, but if your revenue allows you to net enough to be a millionaire, even in NYC, your no small businessperson.

What do you base this statement on ?

 

[thoughtone]

What do you base this statement on ?

Me, growing up in the area!