Sam Harris: How Rich Is Too Rich? (Barf Alert)

Samharris.org ^ | 8/17/2011 | Sam Harris

[Beave Meister]

I’ve written before about the crisis of inequality in the United States and about the quasi-religious abhorrence of “wealth redistribution” that causes many Americans to oppose tax increases, even on the ultra rich. The conviction that taxation is intrinsically evil has achieved a sadomasochistic fervor in conservative circles—producing the Tea Party, their Republican zombies, and increasingly terrifying failures of governance.

Happily, not all billionaires are content to hoard their money in silence. Earlier this week, Warren Buffett published an op-ed in the New York Times in which he criticized our current approach to raising revenue. As he has lamented many times before, he is taxed at a lower rate than his secretary is. Many conservatives pretend not to find this embarrassing.

Conservatives view taxation as a species of theft—and to raise taxes, on anyone for any reason, is simply to steal more. Conservatives also believe that people become rich by creating value for others. Once rich, they cannot help but create more value by investing their wealth and spawning new jobs in the process. We should not punish our best and brightest for their success, and stealing their money is a form of punishment.

[Beave Meister]

I want these idiots to tell me what is that dollar amount.

[Doogle]

nun yer bidness

[hosepipe]

http://www.ntrc.info/doorbell.html

[HiTech RedNeck]

You would really need a pathological case, such as a person who was literally putting billions in bank notes idle under his mattress, or who bribed politicians with it to do weird things to society, to argue that any level of wealth is inherently wrong... whoops :-)

[freedumb2003]

>>. As he has lamented many times before, he is taxed at a lower rate than his secretary is. <<

There is nothing stopping him from writing a multi-billion dollar check to the USA.

He talks the talk but won’t walk the walk.

Like ALL liberals.

[Misterioso]

Why post an article from a leftist blog and then say “barf alert?”

[libertarian27]

All these wonks can pound sand - and donate freely

http://www.fms.treas.gov/faq/moretopics_gifts.html

Gifts to the United States Government

How do I make a contribution to the U.S. government?

Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the U.S. government may send contributions to a specific account called “Gifts to the United States.” This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the federal government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below.

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D
Hyattsville, MD 20782

Any tax-related questions regarding these contributions should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-1040.

(I’ve made business cards with this passage on the front and back and give them out freely to anyone who says they need to be taxed more - and I bump into quite a few - living in MA)

[jmax]

Have you ever heard obama talk about the saleries of those 'evil' multi-million dollar NBA players? Hmmmm...wonder why?

And, by the way, do you know why Lincoln didn't want to ship the slaves back to Africa? ANSWER: He knew there would one day be an NBA.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Conservatives view taxation as a species of theft—and to raise taxes, on anyone for any reason, is simply to steal more.

Couldn't have said it better myself. :)

[oldbrowser]

The conviction that taxation is intrinsically evil has achieved a sadomasochistic fervor in conservative circles

The problem with taxation is that it disincentivizes both the person that earned the money and the person that receives the money.

When Buffett was asked how come he was not leaving his vast fortune to his children, he said he would not cheat them out of the opportunity to succeed on their own.

Taxation tax receipts have also proved to be an irresistible form of power for corrupt politicians to buy voters or line their pockets.

[Zeppo]

I will go on record as stating unequivocally that I am in favor of having the government confiscate all of Sam Harris’ wealth, earned or not.

See, it’s fun to act like a foolish leftard, isn’t it...

[Nip]

All Warren Buffett would have to do is to instruct is employees - the tax lawyers and tax accountants - that he didn't want them to find any deductions for him. he could also tell them that he wanted all of his earnings to be declared as income, just like his secretary.

If Mr Buffett and all the others of his ilk think they aren't paying enough they all they need to do is to take PERSONAL actions to move themselves into a higher tax bracket something that is very easy to do. In fact, it is so easy most Americans can, and frequently, do so but in the opposite direction.

Bottom line - What are you going to do, PERSONALLY, to make sure you pay “your fair share” mr. Buffett?

[dagogo redux]

I believe Soros is “too rich”:

Now the roving gambler [Soros] he was very bored
He was trying to create the next world war
He found a promoter [Obama] who nearly fell off the floor
He said, I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes, I think it can be very easily done
We’ll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it out on Highway 61

(Apologies to Dylan)

[FreeKeys]

TO RAISE TAXES WOULD BE TO CONDONE (as well as underwrite) THE 'RATS REPREHENSIBLE, UNCONSCIONABLE, TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL OF SPENDING (and remove the focus from what the problem really is: that very level of spending) !!!!

[ItsForTheChildren]

Sam, if you want to live in a social democracy then take your class warfare and move to a social democracy. There are several from which to choose. We don't need another one here.

Now be a good little boy and piss off.

[Oceander]

Thing is, a lot of the “rich” that idiots like this criticize are rich precisely because of liberal policies. Liberal policies generally distort the markets, creating arbitrage opportunities that the well-connected - politically connected, that is - can exploit to their financial benefit. These same people then make sure that the politicians who created the distortions they arbitrage stay in office by contributing a portion of their ill-gotten lucre to the re-election campaigns of those politicians.

This is known more simply as crony capitalism, and it is the sort of frankenstein economics that liberals prefer.

Get rid of the opportunities to arbitrage crony capitalism, and the forces of a truly free market will oblige by making sure that there are fewer illicit concentrations of wealth - in other words, in a free market, undistorted by liberal policies, accumulated wealth really is earned fair and square by s/he who owns it.

But then again, why even bother trying to talk sense, or even basic rationality, to a liberal.

[dfwgator]

The Rich love socialism, socialism won’t affect their wealth, but it will keep out their competition.

[Blood of Tyrants]

You are too rich when you start thinking that the government isn’t taking enough of your money and instead of just giving more to the government, you lobby to raise taxes on everyone.

[newguy357]

Sam Harris is a stupid fag.

[SaxxonWoods]

We have learned the lesson of tax increases.

If they raise taxes by a trillion bucks, they will raise spending by 1.5 trillion bucks.

It’s over, liberals. Every welfare state meets the same end. Do it now while it’s not as painful as it will be later when you are forced into sanity by your lienholders.

What am I talking about? Telling a liberal to not spend is like telling the sun to not rise.