Tom Perkins' big idea: The rich should get more votes

[IDemo]

Tom Perkins suggested Thursday that only taxpayers should have the right to vote -- and that wealthy Americans who pay more in taxes should get more votes.

The venture capitalist offered the unorthodox proposal when asked to name one idea that would "change the world" at a speaking engagement in San Francisco moderated by Fortune's Adam Lashinsky.

"The Tom Perkins system is: You don't get to vote unless you pay a dollar of taxes," Perkins said.

"But what I really think is, it should be like a corporation. You pay a million dollars in taxes, you get a million votes. How's that?"

http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/14/investing/tom-perkins-vote/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[alp227]

1. Already happened

CITIZENS UNITED.

[pacalo]

9. +1.

[Enthusiast]

13. +2

Great toon too.

[Live and Learn]

17. +3 Actually, it has been happening

for a long time, CU just means it will continue unabated.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

2. Or the poor get 3/5ths of a vote.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. We could just let the rich vote for us and they get to add

3/5 of the total of all their employees. I guess we're about to find out if Sean Hannity reads DU.

[SamKnause]

3. I have a counter proposal.

If you are worth more than a million dollars you do not get to vote, or participate in the political arena at all.(No ads or PACs)

This includes corporations.

It does not include unions; one exception The Fraternal Order of Police.

[Demeter]

14. I think your idea has merit.

But wealth would be driven even more underground to get the right to franchise.

Better to just stick with one person/one vote. It's simple enough to explain to an idiot...like Perkins.

[roguevalley]

4. i have a better idea and I volunteer to implement it. Let's just kick him in the balls

[renate]

5. wow. that's... shameless

I guess he just came out and said what the plutocrats are all thinking.

It's amazing that these people feel comfortable saying this stuff out loud. They probably know we can hear them, but they just don't care. (And, to be fair--ever since Citizens United, why should they care?)

[blkmusclmachine]

11. They begrudge your 1 vote, which counts for next to nothing if you're a DEM in TX or GOP in CALIF.

Disgusting!

[TexasTowelie]

7. I have an idea.

Why don't we have the IRS confiscate every penny from this asshole (and those like him) and let them learn what life is like when they doesn't have the privileges associated with wealth? If Perkins is willing to go along with this idea, then we can discuss how many votes he will get, but not without presenting him another tax bill to be paid in full before he gets to vote.

I doubt that Perkins deserves any votes to begin with since he probably hid his assets to avoid any tax liability.

[eShirl]

8. Doesn't realize he's steadily making a case for the socialists' arguements, does he?

[socialist_n_TN]

20. Why yes, yes he is........

But that's all right. We've all known they THINK like this, but most of them are not so stupid to actually say it out right. But we can't really blame them too much. The entire system is set up to encourage this type of mentality.

Capitalism is, at it's core, incompatible with democracy.

[bravenak]

10. I'll roshambo him for the votes.

I go first.

[Brigid]

12. Hello,Mr. Perkins?

Alexander Hamilton called. He wants you to quit stealing his ideas.

[Sancho]

15. All the more reason to raise taxes....

so that Perkins has the same vote as the rest of us....

[The Wizard]

18. Go back to the tax rates of the 50s

You must pay for the amount of government you want to own.
Anyone thinking government should be run like a business should think about the 2008 economic meltdown caused by unfettered free market wholesale looting of the economy by Wall Street shysters.

[dickthegrouch]

19. You must pay for the amount of government you want to own.

I love this

Wizard, you're a genius.

[erpowers]

16. Old Man In Need of Attention

After reading the story about Tom Perkins' latest quote, I think he is an old man in need of attention. When asked about his comment, he said he was trying to be outrageous and that the comment would make people more angry than his Nazi comment. His comments are about getting his name in the news. He realizes that if he makes extremely obnoxious comments he will get a great deal of attention.