Posted on 11/21/2010 3:57:53 PM PST by FTJM
In an exclusive interview on "This Week," Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, told Christiane Amanpour that the rich should be paying more taxes and that the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy should be left to expire at the end of December.
"If anything, taxes for the lower and middle class and maybe even the upper middle class should even probably be cut further," Buffett said. "But I think that people at the high end -- people like myself -- should be paying a lot more in taxes. We have it better than we've ever had it."
The full Buffett interview will air on a special Thanksgiving edition of "This Week" focused on The Giving Pledge, a major philanthropic effort spearheaded by Buffet, and Bill and Melinda Gates.
The billionaire brushed aside Republican arguments that letting tax cuts expire for the wealthy would hurt economic growth.
"They say you have to keep those tax cuts, even on the very wealthy, because that is what energizes business and capitalism," anchor Amanpour said.
"The rich are always going to say that, you know, just give us more money and we'll go out and spend more and then it will all trickle down to the rest of you. But that has not worked the last 10 years, and I hope the American public is catching on," Buffett explained.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
DING DING DING!!! We have a winner
People like Buffet , Gates, Soros love to scream for higher taxes while keeping the bulk of their money offshore or in tax free investments. The dirty little secret is they don't want young upstarts getting as rich and powerful as them. They have a real royalist attitude. "I got mine screw all you."
Warren Buffett can also fund any private charity he wishes. I don’t know what government program he thinks he needs to be taxed more for, but he can probably duplicate most social spending programs with his own, personally funded, private charity. For example, let’s say he thinks government needs to take of welfare moms. With his money, he could easily set up a charity to hand out welfare checks.
I should note that given the amount of excess government spending these days, Warren Buffett’s wealth, $47 billion, is a mere drop in the bucket. His entire life’s work doesn’t amount to much compared to the trillions currently spent.
To be fair, Mr. Buffett apparently thinks his workers are taxed too much. According to one article, he paid only 19% tax on his income while his workers averaged 33%.
We can shut up these guys real quick, by assessing anyone who has over a billion Dollars in world wide assests 10% of thier undepreciated personal net worth.
Let’s put forth a Wealth Tax on Personal Worth, then watch Gates etc scream!
>>>According to one article, he paid only 19% tax on his income while his workers averaged 33%.
He can make up the difference whenever the hell he wants to... I think it would be cool as heck to see some CNBC presenter tell him that... and that would be the last time we’d see the presenter on CNBC.
Buffet can voluntarily pay higher taxes if he likes. Why is government force required for these altruists?
Buffet is engaging in deliberate deception. At the very top of income earners, much income is derived from capital gains, dividends, and municipal bond interest. Buffet is in this group with reasonable tax rates because their financial position can withstand market swings. However, most below this mighty threshold are subject to marginal rates on earned income including unlimited Medicare taxes. Obamacare has new taxes for almost everyone in the upper group including Buffet. He has already been granted his wish.
Marginal tax rates on earned income are too high now. The rates should not be increased. Tax welfare should be substantially reduced to make the tax freeloaders contribute.
Het Warren, whip out your checkbook and give the government how many ever millions you feel slighted on paying.
When he closes his “family foundation”, I might believe him, until then, not so much.
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Allen Greenberg, the Executive Director of the foundaton, was married from 1983 to 1995, to the Buffetts’ daughter, Susie, who is Chair. The Buffett Foundation was set up in 1964 but had no director until Greenberg took the job in 1987.
By 2008, the Foundation had nearly $4 billion in assets.
Buffett Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, preferring instead to seek out worthy recipients on its own.
Of the $17.6 million that the Buffett Foundation donated in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1999, nearly $3.8 million went to Planned Parenthood, among its top contributors. It also involves itself directly at the clinic level. Buffett money has enabled dozens of Planned Parenthood clinics to add abortion to their services, for example $178,000 to the University of Michigan clinic.
International Projects Assistance Services (IPAS), based in Carrboro, N.C., manufactures a handheld suction pump used in developing countries to initiate abortions. The Buffett Foundation has backed IPAS for years. Its 1999 contribution of $2.5 million is part of a five-year, $20 million commitment that will enable IPAS to double its capacity.
Giving away such a large part of his company holding could prove problematic in that much of the business of Berkshire Hathaway consists of stock-issuing insurance companies, such as GEICO and General Re. In the past, many state insurance regulators have had serious concerns about allowing for-profit insurance companies as opposed to mutual insurance companies to be ultimately controlled by non-profit entities.
In a famous case regarding this, the MacArthur Foundation was forced to divest itself of Bankers Life and Accident.
Did ditzy interviewer point out to Buffet that confiscating his entire net worth would run the government for about half a day?
I thought not.
Well, Warren, you know where your checkbook is. Put your money where your mouth is and scratch off a few billion in a special donation to the US Government--for unrestricted use.
I await breathlessly to hear the good news of your philanthropic integrity.
Suggest we tell our Congressman to pass the Buffet-Gates tax since both gazillionaires are so eager to have their taxes raised, let’s do it - just for those two. I’d say a 90% tax rate would be appropriate and maybe they’ll get some tongue from Obama after the check clears. And toss in a 65% task for all the Hollyweirdos who also think they aren’t taxed enough.
Warren Buffet is a senile old bastard.....I’m sure he’s got trusts set up so that his kids or grandkids never pay any taxes and live the life of ease........
Would that be sorta like the Clinton Foundation, Library and Massage Parlor?
I fully agree! He, George Soros, and Bill Gates should pay a lot more! And leave the tax rate hikes on the do not resusitate list forever. The other 310 Million Americans pay too much taxes already (excepting the 47% who pay No Federal income tax).
Why do the rich almost always become isolated Liberal sh*theads?
Buffett is a hypocritical, deceptive guy that ALWAYS talks his book.
or so the IRS tells us anyway, so feel free to pay as much as you like you senile old fool you...
or so you need a law to tell you what to do???
Meyer: “Read my lips, Warren - you are entitled to pay more than the required amount if you feel like it is necessary. But, you are not entitled to require others to pay more also.”
“The Republican House needs to pass a new law that allows billionaire leftists to opt into a new 90% tax rate.”
Yes and since he is a Obama supporter tack a few extra percent on!
Would someone please tell these wealthy folks that they are free to write the government a check anytime they like. Make your check out to the US Treasury and in the memo field you can put “to be used toward national debt”.
Now shut up and write, no one is stopping you.
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