Why does Warren Buffet want higher taxes?

[Kuros]

If he cares so damned much, why doesn't he cut the treasury a check for a few billion today?...Y'know, to be down with the whole "sacrifice" thingy?

What's stopping him?

His money is probably better placed elsewhere, such as directed towards charities he can manage and control.

Warren Buffet is a savvy investor after all. He's not going to piss away his money just so you can score some inane point on a chatboard.

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

 

[Oddball]

bullshit. If there were a real correlation between low taxes on the wealthy and job creation we'd have seen as much during the era of bush tax cuts FOR the wealthy.

Um....Hate to break it to you old bean....The unemployment number during the bush years was give-or-take 5%....Statistically full employment.

Try again.

 

[Oddball]

His money is probably better placed elsewhere, such as directed towards charities he can manage and control.

Warren Buffet is a savvy investor after all. He's not going to piss away his money just so you can score some inane point on a chatboard.

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

If the evil rich were taxed X% more, what's to stop the already inept and incompetent bureaucracy from just pissing that money away, rather than doing anything about the debt?

You are now officially painted into a corner, dude.

 

[Full-Auto]

His money is probably better placed elsewhere, such as directed towards charities he can manage and control.

Warren Buffet is a savvy investor after all. He's not going to piss away his money just so you can score some inane point on a chatboard.

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

No it wouldnt hurt them. But the issue comes down to class warfare. I strongly oppose that notion. Regardless of income everyone should be taxed at the same rate.

 

[Full-Auto]

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

If the evil rich were taxed X% more, what's to stop the already inept and incompetent bureaucracy from just pissing that money away, rather than doing anything about the debt?

You are now officially painted into a corner, dude.

Stop them? They would be encouraged to spend more.

 

[Oddball]

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

If the evil rich were taxed X% more, what's to stop the already inept and incompetent bureaucracy from just pissing that money away, rather than doing anything about the debt?

You are now officially painted into a corner, dude.

Stop them? They would be encouraged to spend more.

That's pretty much the point.

Thanks for helping.

 

[Kuros]

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

If the evil rich were taxed X% more, what's to stop the already inept and incompetent bureaucracy from just pissing that money away, rather than doing anything about the debt?

I agree that its a real danger. The bills still have to be paid and taxes still have to be increased.

In the end, starving the beast hasn't emancipated us from government. Quite the opposite, unfortunately.

 

[Contumacious]

The Left has been making a lot of noise about Buffets call for higher taxes,

The Duplicity of Warren Buffett

please Mr. Buffett, stop draping yourself in the American flag and shamelessly promoting yourself as one of the U.S. government’s top financial benefactors willing to do more to help Uncle Sam carry his fiscal load. Your company has tens-of-billions of dollars which could immediately be loaned to Uncle Sam, who is in desperate need of it, yet no such loans are forthcoming from you. This is nothing short of hypocritical.

The Duplicity of Warren Buffett by Eric Englund

.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Read this. It is a much better explanation by someone who knows something about Buffett as opposed to some political columnist.

Are you disputing the assertion that he actually makes money off of the government policies that he advocates?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Actually, he "disowned" her because she wasn't his granddaughter - she's his step-granddaughter from his son's marriage that ended 20 years ago, and hasn't been part of the family since - and she publicly complained that he didn't give her enough money.

Well, that explains the taxes he thinks he should pay but doesn't because he's too dickless to live by his own ideology

Eh? Warren Buffett made the largest donation to charity in history a few years ago (30 Billion dollars).

What part of his "ideology" does he not live by?

I guess you missed Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Why does Warren Buffet want higher taxes?


Because he's a true patriot who wants America to succeed?

Why doesn't he just send the government a check?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The Left has been making a lot of noise about Buffets call for higher taxes, and some of the less informed people here have been arguing about it for a couple of days in this thread.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/180530-warren-buffett-stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html

Here are a couple of interesting facts for everyone who holds Buffet up as a hero for being willing to pay more in taxes.

Buffett Profits from Taxes He Supports
Buffett regularly lobbies for higher estate taxes. He also has repeatedly bought up family businesses forced to sell because the heirs’ death-tax bill exceeded the business’s liquid assets. He owns life insurance companies that rely on the death tax in order to sell their estate-planning businesses.
Buffett Profits from Government Spending
Buffett made about a billion dollars off of the Wall Street bailout by investing in Goldman Sachs on the assumption Uncle Sam would bail it out. He also is planning investments in ethanol giant ADM and government-contracting leviathan General Dynamics.
If your businesses’ revenue comes from the U.S. Treasury, of course you want more wealth.

Warren Buffett continuing to profit from his investment in the bailout. Why is this okay? | Timothy P. Carney | Beltway Confidential | Washington Examiner

Is it any surprise that a man who makes money off of the government tax policy wants the government to charge higher taxes?

There is one huge difference between Warren and Obama. Warren Defines Rich as incomes over 1,000,000. Not 200,000 Like Obama and the Dems.

Which of course effectively protects most small businesses.

Practical if you ask me.

True, at least he has a better sense of who can actually afford higher taxes.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Well, that explains the taxes he thinks he should pay but doesn't because he's too dickless to live by his own ideology

Eh? Warren Buffett made the largest donation to charity in history a few years ago (30 Billion dollars).

What part of his "ideology" does he not live by?

I guess you missed Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.

He gave it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation....

FORTUNE Magazine: Warren Buffett gives away his fortune - Jun. 25, 2006

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I'll agree with that, as long as we can also agree that the "outrage" about teachers making 100K is equally stupid.

I have nothing against paying teachers what they are worth. My problem with the Current Union System is that it protects the bad Teachers.

I can agree with that too - I'm met plenty of bad teachers. But I've met more good teachers than bad.

My problem with with the current anti-teacher rhetoric that's been coming out of the right wing in the last 6 months. 100K isn't a ridiculous amount of money to pay a teacher - if anything, we should pay them more.

I'm firmly in the camp that teaching (for the right reasons) is one of the most honorable professions in the world.

I challenge you to point out anyone who is down on teachers. The rhetoric you are talking about is against unions, not teachers.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

bullshit. If there were a real correlation between low taxes on the wealthy and job creation we'd have seen as much during the era of bush tax cuts FOR the wealthy.

We did, you just missed it.

By the way, the Bush tax cuts went to everyone who pays federal income taxes, not just the wealthy.

 

[Article 15]

bullshit. If there were a real correlation between low taxes on the wealthy and job creation we'd have seen as much during the era of bush tax cuts FOR the wealthy.

Um....Hate to break it to you old bean....The unemployment number during the bush years was give-or-take 5%....Statistically full employment.

Try again.

When Bush left office the unemployment rate was 7.8% and skyrocketing upward as the country was bleeding hundreds of thousands of jobs a month.

Try again.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

His money is probably better placed elsewhere, such as directed towards charities he can manage and control.

Warren Buffet is a savvy investor after all. He's not going to piss away his money just so you can score some inane point on a chatboard.

Then you agree giving money to the government is pissing it away.

Yes. Individuals often can and do spend their money better than the government. Particular individuals such as Warren Buffet are especially superior in managing their money. This is why we tax individuals on some, but not all, of their income.

Still, the government has bills. It has incurred debts. And they must be paid. Taxing the rich 5% more would not kill them. It would be asking them to share in the sacrifice all Americans will have to make going forward. That's Buffet's core message. He's right.

I see that you define rich as anyone making over $150,000. What are you going to do when that doesn't cover the bills?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

bullshit. If there were a real correlation between low taxes on the wealthy and job creation we'd have seen as much during the era of bush tax cuts FOR the wealthy.

Um....Hate to break it to you old bean....The unemployment number during the bush years was give-or-take 5%....Statistically full employment.

Try again.

When Bush left office the unemployment rate was 7.8% and skyrocketing upward as the country was bleeding hundreds of thousands of jobs a month.

Try again.

Luckily the huge Obama stimulus only wasted $800 billion and kept unemployment from rising above 8%.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I have nothing against paying teachers what they are worth. My problem with the Current Union System is that it protects the bad Teachers.

I can agree with that too - I'm met plenty of bad teachers. But I've met more good teachers than bad.

My problem with with the current anti-teacher rhetoric that's been coming out of the right wing in the last 6 months. 100K isn't a ridiculous amount of money to pay a teacher - if anything, we should pay them more.

I'm firmly in the camp that teaching (for the right reasons) is one of the most honorable professions in the world.

I challenge you to point out anyone who is down on teachers. The rhetoric you are talking about is against unions, not teachers.

Here's one:
http://www.usmessageboard.com/3418990-post3.html

The majority of complaints were with the unions - which I agree with to some extent (I'm on the fence about teacher's unions).

But there was an anti-intellectual undercurrent as well - "Those who can't do, teach", "teachers are lazy", etc.

I'm not going to waste my time searching the forums, but you know as well as I do that people made those arguments.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Eh? Warren Buffett made the largest donation to charity in history a few years ago (30 Billion dollars).

What part of his "ideology" does he not live by?

I guess you missed Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.

He gave it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation....

FORTUNE Magazine: Warren Buffett gives away his fortune - Jun. 25, 2006

Perhaps you have trouble reading your own links.

This news was indeed stunning. Buffett, 75, has for decades said his wealth would go to philanthropy but has just as steadily indicated the handoff would be made at his death. Now he was revising the timetable.
"I know what I want to do," he said, "and it makes sense to get going." On that spring day his plan was uncertain in some of its details; today it is essentially complete. And it is typical Buffett: rational, original, breaking the mold of how extremely rich people donate money.
Buffett has pledged to gradually give 85% of his Berkshire stock to five foundations. A dominant five-sixths of the shares will go to the world's largest philanthropic organization, the $30 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, whose principals are close friends of Buffett's (a connection that began in 1991, when a mutual friend introduced Buffett and Bill Gates).

He has actually only given about $7.5 billion to the Gates Foundation. Most of the foundation's budget came from the pockets of Bill Gates, not Buffet. He is great at talking, but falls short when it comes to actually living up to his "principles."