Phil Mickelson is considering shutting down his career next year because of new tax laws...

[MinM]

@ScottMichaux: Phil Mickelson is considering shutting down his career next year because of new tax laws, according to those who heard postround interview.

https://twitter.com/ScottMichaux/status/293133724781002752

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Poor Phil

Douchebag.

[obamanut2012]

85. He really is, isn't he?

This is just the icing on the cake.

[avebury]

2. And this is a big deal

why?

There will be plenty to take his place.

[Autumn]

3. I hope he does, he and his wife can spend the money they have left and they

can live under a fucking bridge. I hear Alaska has some lovely bridges. Then, presto, no fucking taxes to pay. Stupid dumb ass whiny fucker.

[Hoyt]

4. LMAO - so he's going to quit playing a game that allows him to win millions of dollars

because his taxes might increase 2 or 3%. Are all professional golfers as stupid as your average Tpartier ?

[Jackpine Radical]

32. Well, they DO hang out at country clubs, I spoze.

That can't be good for your development as a human bean.

[indepat]

37. Wildly LMAO over this ludicrous right-wing meme.

We all should remember a 2009 Homeland Security report identifies right-wing extremist groups as the greatest threat to America, its people and government. This right-wing meme to the effect that life in the western world will never be the same should taxes on the most affluent be increased 2% or 3% is ludicrously ridiculous, Phil. Shame on you for playing such an asinine right-wing card.

[Bennyboy]

5. Douche doucherson and the Douchenozzles

is the band he shoudl start with all the rest of the silver spooners.


What a macaroon. If he is not Phil Michelson INC by now and is able to write off most of his income then he is a total idiot.

[RandiFan1290]

6. He plays golf?

What a douche

[unblock]

7. poor baby. can't figure out how to get prize money in the form of capital gains!

wwwwaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!

[Initech]

8. What a douchebag. I know plenty of golfers who would love to trade places.

[Squinch]

9. Who is Phil Mickelson?

OK, I get it from the other posters that he's a golfer, but seriously, why would anyone care? This is a guy who has the option to "shut down his career" because he doesn't want to pay a 4% higher tax rate.

Are we supposed to feel badly for him?

[MADem]

79. He's a golfer that sells an ARTHRITIS DRUG on the tee vee.

Probably the real reason is that the drug ain't cuttin' it and he can't perform to his previous standards...but it sounds cooler to play to a tea party crowd, I guess, and pretend he's leaving because of "taxes."

Greedy ass jerk.

[MinM]

96. Enbrel came from-federally funded research some at Calif public universities...

Wonder how many Million$ he's made off that?

[kestrel91316]

10. How tragic. He'll stay home, and live off his interest, and

he and wifey can eat bonbons all day while playing video games. And he won't even notice a decrease in standard of living. He can quit work (wait - what about being a pro golfer is actually "work"????) and the world won't end.

But I'll shed a tear or three for him because I'm a nice person.

There.

[onenote]

11. IF this is verified, the question that would have to be asked is

if the tax rate makes a difference in whether you play or not, why did you become a professional in the first place since the rates in 1992 (when you turned pro) were higher than they are now? Nearly half of his tour victories occurred before the first round of bush tax cuts was enacted.

[bullwinkle428]

13. + ONE MILLION.

[WCGreen]

18. Excellent....

[okaawhatever]

22. + 960,380 It was a million but I had to pay a reasonable amt of taxes on it nt

[daleanime]

102. ......

[fishwax]

35. lol -- maybe that's why it took him so long to win a major

It just wasn't worth it before the Bush tax cuts

[LiberalFighter]

95. I like that rebuttal

[msanthrope]

12. Who? nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

14. Wassamatta, Phil - lose your balls?

Asshat.

[stultusporcos]

15. It is kinda sort of a free country he can do what he wants for any reason he wants

as long as he follows the law.

who cares.

[WinkyDink]

19. 1. He's a famous golfer. 2. HE announced it. 3. "he can do what he wants" is not true

anywhere.

[stultusporcos]

21. I know who the f he is, again who gives a sh_t if he plays golf or not

plenty of other people will be glad to take his spot.

He is free, white and over 21 he can do what the f he wants as long as he follows the law.

If he wants to sit in his house and masturbate to midget porn for the next 50 years he can and I know I and most likely millions of others will not give a sh_t.

[LaydeeBug]

91. You shouldn't be very proud of perpetuating that RACIST meme, yet

you seem to be. Fail.

[LaydeeBug]

109. Oh, bigot, you're just a SCREAM, aren't you?

[LaydeeBug]

117. I didn't call you a name, I correctly described you in FACT. You shouldn't claim the high road while

you are trudging through a trail of quicksand. YOU lowered the discourse by being a bigot. After all, being WHITE gave you the the freedom to be a bigot. So when you post bigoted things, you will be called a bigot.

Thanks.

bigot.

[hrmjustin]

116. Jury results.

At Tue Jan 22, 2013, 12:15 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Oh, bigot, you're just a SCREAM, aren't you?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2234022

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

calling poster a bigot.
The poster dismissed them so they start name calling. Seriously, we can't let people lower the discourse here like this.


You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Tue Jan 22, 2013, 12:23 AM, and the Jury voted 2-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Laydeebug was right, asshole troll. TeamPooka and stultusporcos are racist right wing trolls.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[LaydeeBug]

118. ....are completely irrelevant to such a bigoted post (but thanks for posting this anyway)

[TeamPooka]

119. so glad I support this place with my money on days like today. Nice

[LaydeeBug]

120. I support DU with my dollars too. And yet it doesn't change a thing. A bigoted statement is still

a bigoted statement.

[TeamPooka]

121. you don't know me and no clue what you are saying. Live with your ignorance. Enjoy it.

[LaydeeBug]

133. It seems YOU are the one without a clue, if you think posting bigotry

reveal something about you. By now, you've had time to think better of it. Instead, you seem to think those pointing out your bigotry have taken a low road.

No, we are pointing out that YOU are though.

And it's bigotry, plain and simple.

[tkmorris]

43. Oh, he's WHITE? Well, there ya go then

I guess he CAN do whatever he wants. Or something.

[LaydeeBug]

110. a bigot's gotta be what a bigot's gotta be...sometimes you can't fix stupid. nt

[GObamaGO]

97. Nice racist post there

[Tuesday Afternoon]

55. ~

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

Defending a right-wing meme. Implying criticizing a right-winger is "infringing on his free speech." RW Troll.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sun Jan 20, 2013, 10:17 PM, and the Jury voted 0-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: this is truly dumb. Why was this alerted?
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Huh?
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Why hide this?
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given

[Salviati]

62. Right, and we're free to call him an asshole entitled moron.

[Scuba]

16. Yeah, who wants to make millions playing golf is some of it is taxed.

Sorry Phil, you must be dumber than Papa John.

[mythology]

25. Yes it's much better to be

able to keep 100% of zero that what he would pay in taxes on his winnings. It's like those idiots who said if taxes went up on those making over $250,000, they would only earn 249,999 to not pay the higher tax rate because they were too stupid to understand the tax system.

[WinkyDink]

17. Another way of saying Phil has too much money.

[GoCubsGo]

58. Nah. Actually, it's probably more likely his way of saying...

..."I'm was planning to retire, anyway. This just gives me a chance to smear Obama, while I'm at it." That's if he really said this. Otherwise, it's some member of his fan club's way of saying it.

[smirkymonkey]

124. Thank YOU!

Winning post.

[subterranean]

20. This is coming from a third-hand source

so I wouldn't put too much stock in it. If he did in fact say that, I would be surprised if he followed through.

[Gman]

23. He quit playing for the love of the game many years ago

he might as well quit.

Furthermore, he's pretty much a jerk. I've got a good story that involved a crap table in Las Vegas and my girlfriend holding the dice for 6 or 7 minutes while Mickelson and his girlfriend had stacks of blacks all over the table making money hand over fist from my girlfriend's roll. She crapped out and passed the dice. No thank you, no hey, here's a black for ya, not even a nod, not even a fuck you for making them several thousand dollars in a few minutes. Him and that bimbo that I think he eventually married.

[1StrongBlackMan]

129. I lost all respect for the man ...

when he, an AZ state golfer, that immediately after getting his first tour victory at the Tucson Open, went around saying that the Tucson Open was a "B" tour event.

[duffyduff]

24. He needs to stop making those ads. They drive me up the wall. n/t

[madinmaryland]

26. Good riddance to that santimonious douchebag.

[Enrique]

27. if that happens, there will be riots in the streets

[Sekhmets Daughter]

28. He barely made the cut at the Humama Challenge...

I suspect his declining game has more to do with it than 3.6% tax hike.

[MinM]

47. A convenient excuse...

to save himself further embarrassment. That's my guess as well.

[alp227]

73. Isn't Humana one of those giant health insurance corporations?

Of course someone like Mickelson would be happy to play in a tournament sponsored by such company.

[Earth_First]

29. Big Fucking Deal, Phil.

McKilroy, Johnson and the younger tour players have been spanking your rankings for 2 years now...

Goodbye, Phillip.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

30. Poor excuse for his recent performances

he is not the golfer he used to be, so retire already.

[DollarBillHines]

31. Maybe he'll pull a Schilling

I read that poor Curt is down to selling "The Sock".

[pkdu]

33. According to CBS he says he's paying 63% taxes....so he wants to leave California , maybe even US

http://www.cbssports.com/golf/blog/eye-on-golf/21589838/phil-mickelson-says-changes-coming-because-of-taxes

He is lying , or has worst accountant in the country.

Douchebag of the highest order.

[dionysus]

44. say it aint so Doughboy...

dang

[dsc]

53. He is counting money he puts aside for retirement

which is treated at a more advantageous tax rate than what we set aside for ours.

[erpowers]

108. Multiple Deductions

As far as I know he can deduct his state income taxes from his federal income taxes. In addition, he could get a number of deductions from things like charitable giving. I think he also has two minor children so he could claim them as dependents. Maybe because of his wealth he would not get that much money back, but I am fairly certain people can claim there minor children as dependents.

Mitt Romney paid a tax rate of 14% and that was after he refused to use some deductions in order to get his tax rate over 10% percent. If he had taken all of his deductions he would have had a tax rate of 9%. I realize that Mitt Romney is somewhat different from Phil Mickelson in that Romney lives off of his investments. However, it seems Phil Mickelson's tax rate could be reduced if he wanted it to be reduced.

[rurallib]

132. Bye, Phil

taxes are low in Somalia

[fishwax]

34. bwahaha!

[Thinkingabout]

36. I got it now, those working and earning much less should quit and fulfill Romney's 47%

We will let the other bunch take care of us, no one to do their chores they pay us to do and they can pay the revenue needed to take care of us. Buffett will nit be able to say his secretary pays a higher percentage than he does, we will be paying 0%.

[brewens]

38. If you understand what it takes to reach that level in his profession, you'd see where he was coming

from. Usually it starts by being a country club brat. Dad has big bucks and buys a family pass. You have all the time you could possibly want to hang out at the golf course, take private lessons from a pro, practice and play thousands of rounds. The kind of thing a really talented average Joe golfer could never do. A guy like that would kill to get a chance to be a club pro and work at a public golf course. I know because I'm pretty good but only get a chance to play a couple rounds a month during the summer. Refining the short game was out of the question. I never got a chance to practice that much. Now I'm too old.

Then it's high school golf and probably college golf. I should be researching Phil's history but I have a feeling I don't need to.

[onenote]

39. I know that Mickelson's dad was an airline pilot and that he went to college on a golf scholarship

but I don't much else about his circumstances.

[bullwinkle428]

40. Methinks the rheumatoid arthritis he was diagnosed with a couple of years ago

is affecting his health and golf game WAY more than he's willing to let on, so this "bombshell" makes for a convenient way for him to transition from the end of his "athletic" career to the beginning of his political career. I do believe his ego is large enough for him to feel he's capable of winning elections as a proud Repuke.

He really painted himself into a corner when he signed that huge deal with the pharmaceutical company that makes the medication he uses as a treatment for arthritis, as he had to know that any acknowledgement of the symptoms affecting his game would paint him as a snake-oil salesman.

[Chan790]

57. I suspect you're right.

What they're not emphasizing in those Enbrel commercials is RA and related psoriasis are degenerative auto-immune diseases and Enbrel doesn't cure anything, it slows the progression to the point that that underlying inflammation can be managed sufficiently for everyday activity. The damage already done doesn't magically go away, though sometimes the dermatological involvement will.

For a professional athlete, in the medium-and-long-term, it's still a career death-sentence; probably even worse than for a non-athlete because all that activity is still going to result in more joint-damage faster anyways.

He can say "taxes" but having the same disease and being some years younger, I won't be surprised if he's in rough shape by age 55.

[bullwinkle428]

67. Damn. I'm sorry you're having to go through this yourself. The prognosis sounds

awfully sobering, for someone like me who was totally unfamiliar with long-term effects of the affliction.

[Chan790]

75. TY, mine's not severe though.

His is. Before his diagnosis, it was apparently progressed enough to impact his performance.

I may be making it sound worse than it is for most people. I just get to feel cranky and old when my joints don't work the way they did at 19 and I'm 33 but my legs feel like I'm 45 if the weather's bad and I'm being too sedentary. Activity helps but too much activity causes more inflammation. I walk a lot or bike and they help...I'd be in pain the next day if I had to run 2 miles.

In all, among my fairly-minor health issues...it's barely worth mentioning compared with my asthma and hearing/balance issues.

[Honeycombe8]

41. I wonder who Phil Mickelson is. nt

[DemoTex]

45. Stupid is as stupid does ..

Makes beaucoup money chasing a little white ball around perfectly manicured lawns (in near-perfect weather), wearing jackass pants, and yet this spoiled little brat ain't happy.

[Pilotguy]

46. Poor Phil...

Taxes are cutting into his fuel budget for his Gulfstream V.

[RB TexLa]

48. Phil is making himself look like a fucking fool. You played in all those European matches are

we to believe that you were too stupid to know you were going to pay much higher taxes on those winnings then the top US tax rate next year?

[The Wielding Truth]

70. This must be BS. He certainly would pay less here. It makes no sense.

[GeorgeGist]

49. If true. Good riddance.

[1983law]

50. Worth nearly 50M

Forbes has him at No. 48.

http://www.forbes.com/profile/phil-mickelson/

Is he claiming that he keeps basically 38 cents of every dollar "earned"?

[Zoeisright]

51. Who the fuck cares?

He's a has been anyway.

[Lint Head]

52. Po itty bitty wich person. I so sowy.

Cry me a river Phil.

[ZRT2209]

54. I guess he has a sense of entitlement

[RedCappedBandit]

56. Who? What?

[kentauros]

103. I know! (or rather, I don't know 'who' or 'what')

After seeing a few posts that's he's some "famous" golfer, it still goes to show you just how "important" some entertainers are to the rest of us

[daleo]

59. He sounds lazy

Probably won't walk the course or carry his own clubs either.

[Lil Missy]

60. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. n/t

[DearHeart]

61. Poor man! Will he still have his gig with Big Pharma? Pfizer & Amgen??

This man made $43 million in endorsements last year, he made over $67 million in his golfing career and is worth an estimated $180 million dollars. Most people are even pulling in $43,000 per year! When I had a job, I wasn't even making half of the $43,000, I cannot feel sorry for him!

http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/phil-mickelson-plans-drastic-changes-due-to-tax-situation-012013

[spanone]

63. LINK DON'T WORK

Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!

[alp227]

74. see reply #72 nt/

[Whovian]

64. Says the guy who makes a living walking around manicured pastures hitting a ball with a club.

OMFG.

[Grey]

65. My first thought was "Who the Hell is Phil Mickelson?"

[BeyondGeography]

66. Haha...what a farcking baby

[sad-cafe]

68. poor baby

how many people can just decide not to work for a protest?

[TheBlackAdder]

69. Yeah... It's not that he SUCKS the past two years, worse than Tiger, because of arthritis.

One PGA win in 2011 and one win in 2012.

Love his sponsors... KPMG, ExxonMobile, Barclays.

[Dreamer Tatum]

71. Can someone explain the bullshit replies in this thread, please?

A pro golfer is rumored to be quitting. SO THE FUCK WHAT? So far the replies seem to indicate that he is
somehow compelled to keep playing (um, why? He's a fucking American and can do what the fuck he wants),
or he 'sucks' (um, actually, he's one of the top 10-20 players in the history of the game, thanks), or he's
inferior to Tiger (really? How much state income tax does Tiger pay? Yeah - zero.), or he's 'fat' (he's almost
certainly in better shape than 90% of DU).

Were you guys depending on him for entertainment and/or tax revenues? Get a fucking life.

[CBGLuthier]

76. is is pathetic is it not.

Hell he may not have even said this but let the pile on begin. Some asshole suggests some other guy may have said something and five hundred members of DU have an orgasm of hate over it.

this place really sucks any more.

[Skinner]

80. Allow me to explain.

Phil Mikelson is going to pay a few percent more in taxes than what he is paying now, and he claims he will stop playing golf because of it. So -- if we are to believe it -- Mr. Mikelson would stop earning entirely because somehow making zero dollars is better than making millions and handing a slightly larger fraction back to the government in taxes.

Yes, this is America and he can do whatever the fuck he wants. But choosing to earn zero dollars rather than millions of dollars is the definition of dumb.

I don't follow sports, and I don't care if this guy plays golf or not. But if he does quit golf because of this modest tax increase he's a fool. He deserves to be ridiculed for it.

[Dreamer Tatum]

83. Removed

Last edited Mon Jan 21, 2013, 11:46 AM - Edit history (1)

[obamanut2012]

88. That isn't at all what Skinner said

[Skinner]

94. It was a nice try, though.

Too bad he removed it.

[Last Stand]

100. And if he were to exercise his right to make a bad math decsion,

he doesn't have to do so publicly. And if he chooses to do so in public, then he is politicizing and editorializing on taxes, not just making a career move. He was making a statement about paying taxes.

In turn, we have a right to continue the discourse he started and make our own statements. What did he (or anybody) expect would happen?

[obamanut2012]

87. It's important because he is spouting a RW meme

Poor baby will have to pay a couple more percent points in taxes, so he is getting all huffy and pouty and taking his 1% ball (or rather, club) home and refusing to pay that mean old Obama more money on his millions.

Boo hoo, Phil.

Just retire with grace, instead of blaming the Dems because you have arthritis and aren't 35 any more.

[alp227]

72. Tweet has been deleted/updated,

with link to this San Diego Union Tribune article "Mickelson expects to make 'drastic' changes because of political, economic climate"

San Diego professional golfer Phil Mickelson said after the final round of the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge on Sunday that he will have to make “drastic changes” in his life because of the federal and state taxes he is paying, and he confirmed that his decision to not buy an interest in the Padres was directly related to his financial situation.

"I'll probably talk more in depth next week (at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines). I'm not going to jump the gun,” Mickelson said. “There are going to be some drastic changes. I happen to be in the (tax) zone that is targeted both federally and by the state, and it doesn’t work for me right now.”

Mickelson, 42, was responding to a question about why, in a conference call last Monday, he referred to “what’s gone on the last couple of months, politically,” when talking about the semi-retirement of fellow tour pro Steve Stricker.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

77. Oh, well, we'll still have Charles Barkley

[global1]

78. All The Rich Should Shut Down Their Careers....

to make room for other people to move up.

[MinM]

81. Forbes

Golfer Phil Mickelson May Call It Quits Due To Climbing Tax Rates

Word is, Phil Mickelson is mad as hell about rising tax rates, and he’s not going to take it anymore. What follows is a brief portion of an interview Mickelson gave earlier today after carding a final-round 66 at the Palmer Course at PGA West in La Quinta – which I assure you, is not associated with the La Quinta next door to your local Denny’s – in which the golfer hinted that he is considering drastic career changes because of a combined tax rate nearing “62, 63 percent:”

Q. When you’re asked about Stricker’s semi-retirement, with the political situation the last couple months, blah, blah, blah, what did you mean by that? Do you find it an unsettling time in a way?

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it’s been an interesting offseason. And I’m going to have to make some drastic changes. I’m not going to jump the gun and do it right away, but I will be making some drastic changes.

Q. Meaning leaving from California?

PHIL MICKELSON: I’m not sure.

Q. Moving to Canada? ...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2013/01/21/golfer-phil-mickelson-may-call-it-quits-due-to-climbing-tax-rates/

[JoePhilly]

82. LOL ... ok, if that's the excuse he wants to go with ...

and it helps him sleep better, that's great.

[AngryAmish]

84. You pay state taxes in the state you earn the taxes in

The 63% or whatever it is in Cali is only for endorsements, et al. Most PGA pros live in Florida with no state taxes...but you have to live in Florida.

Maybe he moves, maybe he retires. The PGA retirement plan is the best in sports and probably the best in the country - essentially an unlimited IRA.

Prediction: Phil lost a lot of money on investments and is looking to sue somebody. No inside info just a hunch. My buddy has some PGA guys in his hedge fund, I'll ask him what is up.

[jeff47]

105. No. States have different laws

I went to college in CA, then moved to NC for my first "real" job when I graduated.

My CA taxes that year went like this:
What percent of the year did you live in CA?
Multiply your total income by that percentage, and that's your income for CA tax purposes.

Since it was my first "real" job, it was rather annoying - I made a lot more money in NC than during the 2nd semester of my senior year in CA, yet CA taxed me as if I was making the same amount all year long.

So yes, your state can tax you on income you received in another state. The two states where I personally know they do this are CA and NY.

[AngryAmish]

107. I'll be darned

I had no idea. So if I live and work in TX for three months to make my income from the year, then live in Cali for the 75% of the time I owe taxes on 75% of my income in Cali? That is fucked up beyond belief.

[XRubicon]

86. He must have read the back cover of

Atlas Shrugged. He thinks he will deny us his talent and then we'll all be sorry.

[sendero]

89. Wow...

... someone that makes millions tapping a tiny ball into a hole is whining about taxes. Maybe he can join the Gerard Depardieu entitled bastards club and they can all move to Bumfuck, Crapistan and commiserate.

[HappyMe]

90. I really don't care.

Golf has to be the most boring, tedious sport around.

This guy obviously doesn't care about his public image. He could have just said that he was retiring and left it at that. But no, he makes a crybaby statement like that.

[AngryAmish]

93. Is there any data about people moving into and out of California?

Is there any data that high earners are leaving? Or just rumor an anecdote?

[jeff47]

106. They aren't leaving

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/new-economy/2012/1101/High-taxes-don-t-drive-the-rich-out-of-California

[SidDithers]

99. Hey Phil. Who was the first lefty to win a Major?...

Answer: not you.

Douche.

Sid

[11 Bravo]

115. Answer: Bob Charles - The Open Championship.

Shit, now I've revealed that I'm (shudder) a golf fan. Even worse, I'll also cop to the fact that I am an avid golfer and play every chance I get.

At DU that pretty much makes me persona non grata.

[SidDithers]

125. I'll consider myself in good company...

Sid

[Blue4Texas]

101. I will make less money to pay less taxes is ...

[erpowers]

104. Quitting Because He Is A Bad Golfer

If he is really quitting golf he is doing so not because of tax increases, but because he is a bad golfer.

[duffyduff]

111. I had never even heard of the guy until he got on that ad talking about his arthritis

He isn't Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, or Tiger Woods.

[erpowers]

134. No He Was Not

The sports media wanted him to be Arnold Palmer to Tiger Wood's Jack Nicklaus, but he never lived up to that role. At the very beginning of Tiger Wood's golfing career a number of sports media people looked for an Arnold Palmer like rival for Woods. I do not know why, but Phil Mickelson was the main person who they wanted/pushed as his rival. Mickelson did win a few major tournaments, but he was never really a rival to Tiger Woods like Arnold Palmer was to Jack Nicklaus. In addition, as you probably already know Phil Mickelson never won anywhere as many major tournaments as Tiger Woods. I am not sure Phil Mickelson won anywhere near the number of golf tournaments Tiger Woods won.

[buzzroller]

112. Most golfers

would be thrilled to make $60,000 or less/per year to play golf on the best courses in the world.
Most of his income is from endorsements not golf per se, so he will continue to earn big bucks for years.
I suspect his arthritis is affecting his game and he wants to quit and he is just making a political statement on the way out.

[hatrack]

114. Boo-hoo. An overpaid (though certainly skilled) athlete might have to pay more taxes

A guy who has made more playing golf for four days than most people will earn in their lifetimes.

Tough shit. Oh, and fuck you, Phil, you whiny-titty baby.

[madville]

123. The article I read said he was considering leaving California due to taxes

He claims he's paying around 60% in taxes with everything combined. With California at 13% on his income bracket he was saying some changes were on the horizon.

I live on the FL/GA state line (FL side), I much prefer working in Florida because I don't have to pay any state income tax, when I worked in Georgia it came out to around 5% a year for state income tax. I'm no millionaire though but I understand the line of thinking, for me it was about a $2,000 a year difference.

[Buzz Clik]

126. His logic and math skills have eroded more quickly than his game.

He will pay no taxes, but he will earn nothing, too.

Genius.

[Octafish]

127. Tax Dodger or Tax Cheat

Either way, Phil's hero, GE Pruneface, made it patriotic for the well-off to hide their trickle-down gained loot off shore.

[Botany]

128. He makes 30 million per year just in endorsements .... above what he wins in golf matches.

Annual earnings according to Forbes:
2012 Earnings: $48 Million
2011 Earnings: $47 Million
2010 Earnings: $46 Million
2009 Earnings: $40 Million
2008 Earnings: $45 Million
2007 Earnings: $42 Million
2006 Earnings: $47 Million
2005 Earnings: $26.8 Million
2004 Earnings: $20 Million

[jmowreader]

130. And such an important career he has!

He hits a little white ball with a stick.

He appears in ads telling other golfers they should use the same balls and sticks he does.

And he pitches an arthritis drug.

What will we EVER do if he decides to stop doing those things because the people of the United States need four more percent of his money than they're already getting?

[BootinUp]

131. I knew there was a reason I never cared for Phil M. nt

[n2doc]

135. He's done a pretty good job of it so far n/t