"Patriotic Millionaires": Raise our taxes, please!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength, a group of dozens of the wealthiest Americans that formed last year during the fight over whether to extend the Bush tax cuts, is now jumping into the budget battle just as President Obama is expected to call for an end to the Bush cuts on the rich.

"For the fiscal health of our nation and the well-being of our fellow citizens, we ask that you increase taxes on incomes over $1,000,000," the group writes in a new letter to Obama, Harry Reid, and John Boehner. "We make this request as loyal citizens who now or in the past earned incomes of $1,000,000 per year or more."

Last year, Obama signed a bill to extend the Bush tax cuts after originally proposing that the two highest tax rates return to 36% and 39.6%, up from the Bush tax cut levels of 33% and 35%.

One of the signatories of the new letter, film and television producer Linda Gottlieb, explained her participation to me this morning: "For me to be sitting and hoarding my money is insane," said Gottlieb, whose producer credits include Dirty Dancing and who now teaches at NYU's Tisch school. "We all give to charity, but that's not the same as creating a more equitable society."

Gottlieb said she has been upset by the experience of her grandchildren, who attend a New York City public school where arts education has been cut and parents have had to organize an auction to try to fill the gaps. She added that raising taxes on the wealthiest people would be an important way of reducing the deficit.

"For rich people to moan and groan -- nobody likes to pay increased taxes -- but it's not going to change your life in any important way," she said. "What it can do is help your country."

The millionaires who comprise the group are in the process of reaching out to more of their wealthy peers and may take a trip to Washington at some point down the road, according to Erica Payne of the Agenda Project, the New York-based progressive group that is behind Patriotic Millionaires.

Meanwhile, Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that any tax increases are a "nonstarter." So expect a big fight on this ahead.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/13/millionaires_demand_higher_taxes

[AmyWrites 593]

That's so bizarrely selfless.

If I was very rich again I'd have the same attitude...although I'd probably just donate most of it to charity.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yeah, I don't get that, and I think the Republican leaders are missing the point. Tax the hell out of the rich. All the rich. Including CEO's that are large contributers to both parties. Tax them as individuals. You could argue against corporate earnings being taxed, as that will just end up being a through charge to consumers, a hidden VAT more or less. But any compensation given to individuals, including benefits, should all be taxed, and over a certain amount, taxed heavily. No loopholes. No tax credits.

[Danno 1,228]

Now thats a twist.

Typically "Patriotic" acts involve one giving of his own time or service to country.... here we have a group who could very easily donate however much $$$ they want to Big Gov but instead they want to force others to do it too.

If this were just a "policy position"... on the need for higher taxes that would be altogether different but no, what we have here is a :patriotic frame placed around their political maneuvering.

Here let me do the same thing.

I am starting a PATRIOTIC MILITARY MOVEMENT"....and to show the selfless devotion .... and unwavering service to my country, I want all young men to have to serve in the military, just as I have done.

[Danno 1,228]

That's so bizarrely selfless.

If I was very rich again I'd have the same attitude...although I'd probably just donate most of it to charity.

Speaking of... you'd no doubt get more bang for your buck... unless your goal were to get your money into the unproductive hands of bureaucrats.

[Zero Sum 305]

Now thats a twist.

Typically "Patriotic" acts involve one giving of his own time or service to country.... here we have a group who could very easily donate however much $$$ they want to Big Gov but instead they want to force others to do it too.

If this were just a "policy position"... on the need for higher taxes that would be altogether different but no, what we have here is a :patriotic frame placed around their political maneuvering.

Here let me do the same thing.

I am starting a PATRIOTIC MILITARY MOVEMENT"....and to show the selfless devotion .... and unwavering service to my country, I want all young men to have to serve in the military, just as I have done.

As for the forcing the ultra rich to pay more- ask yourself this: "Will they still be ultra-rich after paying some more in taxes?"

If the answer is NO, then there is something fundamentally wrong about the approach to taxing the rich at higher rates.

If the answer is YES, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking people at the top brackets to contribute to the common good as the common good has contributed to their staggering affluence.

[Danno 1,228]

As for the forcing the ultra rich to pay more- ask yourself this: "Will they still be ultra-rich after paying some more in taxes?"

If the answer is NO, then there is something fundamentally wrong about the approach to taxing the rich at higher rates.

If the answer is YES, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking people at the top brackets to contribute to the common good as the common good has contributed to their staggering affluence.

While your point is silly in my view, were it not, it has nothing at all to do with the attempt to wrap a tax increase up in patriotic garb.

As to your unrelated point.

As for the forcing the ultra rich to pay more- ask yourself this: "Will they still be ultra-rich after paying some more in taxes?"

Criminals often use this same logic.

Wal-mart is a billion dollar company, this one item taken from them is meaningless.

[Zero Sum 305]

While your point is silly in my view, were it not, it has nothing at all to do with the attempt to wrap a tax increase up in patriotic garb.

As to your unrelated point.

As for the forcing the ultra rich to pay more- ask yourself this: "Will they still be ultra-rich after paying some more in taxes?"

Criminals often use this same logic.

Wal-mart is a billion dollar company, this one item taken from them is meaningless.

Interesting warping of what I 'pointed' out. The devil is in the details... want a prosperous society where a rising tide lifts all boats- or are life preservers and those on them not worthy of rising? Bringing crime into the argument of course, is rational to those that argue that taxation is an evil and criminal enterprise- while at the same time defending the [at times] criminal behavior that results in massive wealth inequalities to begin with.

How you deem my statement 'unrelated' is of course a matter for you and your logic to contend with... and that to this point has proven to be quite lacking in fortitude.

I will credit you on the other hand, for matching patriotism with financial contributions by statute. I also find that a silly (and dangerous) road to take.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Danno - your logic is false. Paying taxes is not forced upon anyone, just like you aren't forced to obey the speed limit. Progressive taxes have been part of this country for more than a 100 years. Wealth is not created in a vacuum. The idea that one can obtain wealth completely out of their own doing and independent from any reliance on others or an economy that helps make it possible is pie-in-the-sky thinking.

Edited April 13, 2011 by 8TBVBN