Bill Gates (Joins Buffet): I don't pay enough tax

[kpete]

25 January 2012 Last updated at 04:56 ET

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says he does not think he pays enough tax, and says wealthy Americans should contribute more in order to solve the deficit problem.

Speaking on BBC World, Mr Gates said taxing the rich, was "just justice".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16714480

.................

Billionaire Bill Gates Calls For Increasing Taxes On The Rich: ‘That’s Just Justice’

GATES: Well the United States has a huge budget deficit, so taxes are going to have to go up. And I certainly agree that they should go up more on the rich than everyone else. That’s just justice.

BBC HOST: Is that a message you think that works with other people as wealthy as yourself, or is it just a small circle of friends — yourself, Warren Buffet, a few others.

GATES: Well, I hope we can solve that deficit problem with a sense of shared sacrifice — where everybody would feel like they’re doing their part. And right now, I don’t feel like people like myself are paying as much as we should.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/01/25/411283/bill-gates-taxes-justice/

[OhioChick]

1. I'm in shock

[TheWraith]

2. How come?

Gates is deeply interweaved into the technology industry, and the tech industry is primarily Democratic in alliances.

[ChromeFoundry]

8. "Tech industry is primarily Democratic" ???

says who? Is the Democratic Party also for mass offshoring of tech jobs?

Tech Companies are in alliance with whomever will yield them larger profits. Period.

[TheWraith]

14. Reality says so.

Tech companies are overwhelmingly allied with Democratic politicians, and the large majority of contributions from tech workers and tech affiliated PACs go to Democrats.

[usrname]

43. The employees of tech companies

Are generally college educated. Highly educated people are generally more liberal than lowly educated people. Anecdotally, from my FB friends, there's a very high correlation between left-vs-right and education level.

[ChromeFoundry]

54. Not sure where you are getting your statistics

Basing political affiliations on polls from the last presidential election does not seem to align with your uncited claims.

[strong]Tech Workers Favor McCain, Obama[/strong]
"Twenty-nine percent of survey respondents said they supported Obama"
"Twenty-nine percent of survey respondents said they supported McCain"
"13 percent said they supported Senator Hillary Clinton"
"11 percent said they supported Mike Huckabee"
"9 percent of respondents said they supported Ron Paul"

"Beyond the support for McCain and Obama, IT workers tend to describe themselves as more conservative than the general U.S. population, but they feel less affiliation with one of the two major political parties, according to the survey. Thirty-nine percent of respondents called themselves conservative, 36 percent called themselves moderate and 24 percent called themselves liberal.

But 40 percent of respondents called themselves "other" when the main choices were Democrat or Republican. Thirty-five percent said they were Republican, and 26 percent said they were Democrats."

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/143730/tech_workers_favor_mccain_obama.html

Note: I don't believe that this poll was conducted under rigid scientific methodologies to produce accurate results. But neither is posting your own generalized, non-scientific, claims. Basing these numbers off of political contribution amounts is a bogus metric as well because it could be argued that the more someone gives to a political candidate actually shows a lower score of intellect.

As for taking the political pulse of people you "friended" on Facebook. I would think that most people generally converse with people that they have like-minded interests, so that factoid isn't very meaningful.

[grantcart]

45. Really? Gates father started an iniative in WA state to increase tax on the wealthy

Bill supported it

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2012959755_microsoft_co-founder_bill_gate.html

[PavePusher]

3. Lead the way Bill, write a check to the IRS.

I won't hold my breath.

[tridim]

9. The IRS would just send it back.

There is a myth around Gates. The reality is that he gives back, more than anyone on Earth.

Now he wants to help solve the deficit problem and that is somehow bad IYO?

[PavePusher]

11. You misunderstand me. Most people do, on this issue.

They would not send it back. Anybody can send any amount of money they want to the IRS at any time. There is a mechanism in place for this.

My point is that all the people calling for higher taxes... have not taken advantage of this process, at the very least to prove their intent. In other words, "put their money where their mouth is". I don't think his statement is a bad idea at all. They can, in fact, start at any time.

And yes, I know the Gates' give massive amounts to worthy causes. Totally beside the point of discussion here.

[CJCRANE]

18. A couple of people paying more won't make much difference. It's like insurance...

it works better if everyone chips in. Otherwise it's a drop in the ocean.

[PavePusher]

20. The point, it went right by you....

1. Every little bit helps.

2. The Moral Hysteria being whipped up would be of much greater substance if these folks were contributing voluntarily. But they're not. Hmmmm, I wonder why that is....

[Hugabear]

23. "Moral hysteria" - that's pretty rich

Asking the rich to pay their fair share is now "moral hysteria"?

Sometimes the things I see here on DU absolutely amaze me.

[PavePusher]

24. Now you're being intentionally disingenuous. I'm don't play that game. Have fun. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

53. No, it's not being disingenuous. I want you to explain 'moral hysteria' too

Why do you think agreeing with Gates that the tax rates for the rich should go up is 'moral hysteria'? It's just a policy position - a mainstream, liberal policy. I am amazed at seeing anyone on DU call it 'hysteria'.

[colorado_ufo]

25. We need them ALL to pay -

the 1% - especially people like "not one dollar more" Romney.

[Sera_Bellum]

27. Agreed. n/t

[valerief]

51. Yes, all the people with all the money--the millionaires--should chip in. It would make a big

difference.

Poor people chipping in wouldn't make a dent.

[Kellerfeller]

55. Well, it would make a small dent.

remember, 100 million people paying $50 ($4/month) is still $5 Billion.

[valerief]

58. The rich people can contribute way more because they have way more to spare.

100K * 100K = 10,000,000,000. That's ten billion and 100K is pocket change to the richies.

[Kellerfeller]

59. Which is only twice as much as my example

As someone said earlier, every bit helps.

[valerief]

60. Yes, but I used a small number of rich people with a small (to them) amount they can contribute.

Imagine multiplying that by ten or twenty or a hundred when you average it out.

[Kellerfeller]

61. Fair enough

There are about 1.4 million people in the top 1%, so that is a reasonable point.

[Hugabear]

22. I think YOU are missing the point of the discussion here

The whole reason people like Gates and Buffett are speaking up is to bring attention to the issue. It's one thing for politicians in Washington to say the rich need to pay their fair share. We've got plenty of right-wing gasbags going around saying that the rich are paying too much, that we should cut their taxes even MORE.

So what's wrong when the ultra-wealthy speak out in support of tax reform that places more of the burden where it should rightfully be? Is it wrong when someone like Buffett points out the inequality of him having a lower tax rate than his secretary? Sure, he could just quietly write a check to the IRS for what he thinks should be his fair share. But by speaking out, they cut into the right-wing argument that the ultra-rich are paying too much in taxes.

[PavePusher]

47. You are ascribing statements to me that I did not make.

I never said it was wrong of them to speak out on ANY issue. I stated that their words would carry more weight if they were to pre-emptively practice what they are preaching.

[provis99]

44. you've learned your republican talking points well...

[PavePusher]

48. The FACT that they could, if they so desired, send additional funds to the IRS...

is a "republican talking point(s)"?

You're going to have to explain that stretch.

[provis99]

49. You almost exactly quoted Mitch McConnell talking about Warren Buffett.

and this was all over the news two weeks ago. So don't claim that you didn't get the idea from Republicans.
http://swampland.time.com/2012/01/11/warren-buffett-to-mitch-mcconnell-put-up-or-shut-up/?iid=tsmodule

[PavePusher]

50. No, I didn't. I learned about that process some years ago. Sorry to burst your bubble.

And agreeing with a Republican on a single issue hardly makes me one. Please use more caution in your conflations.

[pnwmom]

29. He'll help a lot more by helping to get the whole system changed than he would by writing one check.

We don't need just Bill Gates's check, we need them from all the 1% ers.

It's the Rethug's argument that these checks should be optional, not ours. If a handful of wealthy people wrote a few checks it would accomplish little other than to convince more Rethugs that this is all that needs to be done.

[think]

4. Thank you Bill Gates for being a voice of reason

[Mopar151]

5. It's only good business!

As in, not paying your fair share of taxes adds directly to the defecit, which costs more in the long run.

[ChromeFoundry]

6. Good for him!

Now if we could get the banks, oil companies, health insurance, pharmaceutical and other companies receiving windfall profits... yeah, right.. never mind.

[Sera_Bellum]

7. Nothing stops

Mr. Gates from paying more. He would stand taller to me if he would just pay more and then release the documents for proof.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. I don't think it works like that.

If he just sent a bunch of money to IRS, it would show as an overpayment and they would refund it.

[PavePusher]

15. No, there is a mechanism set up to do this. It's been mentioned on D.U. before....

when Stephen King said much the same thing.

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=pfwl&tok=NL94E2jWcV8cZJGJxHfLNg&cp=27&gs_id=4&xhr=t&q=Gifts+to+the+United+States+government&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&site=&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=Gifts+to+the+United+States+&aq=0&aqi=g3g-v1&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=c289d355965876a1&biw=1280&bih=869

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/03/stephen_king_rips_the_tea_part.html

https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=Stephen+King%2C+taxes%2C+democratic+underground&pbx=1&oq=Stephen+King%2C+taxes%2C+democratic+underground&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=7549l13835l0l14179l24l22l0l0l0l0l344l5863l0.3.12.7l22l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=c289d355965876a1&biw=1280&bih=869

The D.U. links don't seem to work any more (DU2).

[Sera_Bellum]

16. I was mostly being sarcastic.

He probably uses all the tax loopholes similar to Romney. A start would be not using them and then he could pay more. His words are noble.

[CJCRANE]

19. Maybe he does but it would be a drop in the ocean anyway.

That's why legislation is needed.

[HuckleB]

12. It's easy to say that when you know no one is going to make you pay more taxes.

[AlbertCat]

13. It's easy to say that when you know no one is going to make you pay more taxes.

Perhaps. Besides, he doesn't know that.

I like that the meme of "greed is good" that the Repugs spewed forth in the form of Reagan is being challenged. That not only conspicuous consumption is looking tacky these days but that just hoarding wealth is becoming a non-virtue.

Now if we could just get "Tax the churches"... or at least "Tax the busineses owned by the churches" to catch on, then we all might could get a tax break. (Then you can give your money to whichever church you want if you think they need it)

[HuckleB]

33. I like challenging the GOPers greed as much as the next guy.

But until I see leadership from these gazillionaires, I'll call their speechifying for what it is: Pointless.

[PavePusher]

37. Pre-xactly. n/t

[Ron Obvious]

17. Bill Gates is a far better man than Steve Jobs

Last edited Thu Jan 26, 2012, 03:33 PM - Edit history (1)

A statement like this is fully in keeping with Bill Gates as well as his father who lobbied for a state income tax in Washington State for those earning more than 250K pa.

Why Bill Gates is detested in left-wing circles, and a corporate profiteering sociopath like Steve Jobs, who never contributed a penny to society except under duress, is loved speaks volumes about the age in which we live.

In the interest of full disclosure: former Microsoft employee here.

[grantcart]

46. I agree. As a Buddhist I found Steve Jobs lack of philanthropy bizzare.

[Spoonman]

26. Realize this

If the gubmint (IRS) confiscated EVERY penny (net worth) of top 400 richest people in the country (I'm not talking about just taxing what they will make each year, I'm saying take every penny the have right now) it would only total roughly 1.5 trillion dollars.

We are 15 trillion dollars in debt.

$2 trillion is earned per year by those with incomes greater than $100,000 per year

Our budget deficit is 1.3 trillion for 2012

An average tax rate on all incomes $100,000 and up of 65% we would generate 1.3 trillion dollars

$150K is by no means rich, it just means you have two incomes.

You say BS?

Everyone knows teachers are underpaid, but we never think of them as rich do we?

A family with two school teachers earns $110,700 per year based on the 2010 national average of $55,350.

If you were screaming "hell yes tax those over $100k", then you must really dislike the salaries teachers are paid!

Only an idiot would believe that the only solution is higher taxes.

49 percent of Americans pay no federal income taxes at all.

Yes, we have to raise taxes (ON EVERYONE!!!!!!)

AND - We have to cut spending TOO!

[PavePusher]

28. Bingo.

The cat-fight starts over.... where to cut.

[CJCRANE]

30. Um...wrong number...the higher rate proposed is for those earning over $250K not $100K.

ETA: Plus there are other proposals where the higher rate could be for those earning over $1M, so the whole talking point about teachers etc. is misleading.

[JJ]

31. The disgrace is

that 49% are so underpaid, not that the IRS doesn't take some of what little they have.

[Spoonman]

35. Try again, and try this read

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/30/pf/taxes/who_pays_taxes/index.htm

"Nearly 22% of those making between $50,000 and $75,000 end up with no federal income tax liability or negative liability as do 9% of households with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000."

By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: October 3, 2009: 2:58 PM ET

[Kellerfeller]

56. +100000 (nt)

[slay]

32. While I am often not a fan of Bill Gates - I'm glad he's come out and said this

and it's true! the rich need to be paying much, MUCH more in taxes.

[deacon]

34. A famous household name throwing his support in is a very good thing. n/t

[Glassunion]

36. Go here...

http://givingpledge.org

So far Bill & Melinda have personally donated $28 Billion.

Some names on the list may surprise some of us.

[PavePusher]

38. I'll take that list with a grain of salt....

as there is no statement of personal wealth, personal earnings, charitable donations and taxes paid.

[Glassunion]

39. Understood

The commitment if I understand is simply to contribute at least 1/2 their wealth in their lifetime or at death.

I did read somewhere that Mark Zuckerberg did just contribute 500 million, but I have no idea what kind of percentage that is.

[24601]

40. I'm no software wiz but can use Turbo Tax. Take the standard deduction, Bill. Then you can

give billions to your foundation and still owe a shitload of tax. Problem solved.

Edited because the original post hid one of the words

[DaveJ]

41. The hate for Bill Gates makes me feel uncomfortable

I just don't get it. I had to look up "Why do people hate Bill Gates" and most every reason is some characteristic that also applies to me... nerdiness, social awkwardness, lame sense of humor.... Man, people really are different. I'm nothing like Steve Jobs (was) who estranged his first daughter and belittled everyone, yet people overlook that think he's some kind of superhero.

Anyway, Thank you Mr. Gates.

[AdHocSolver]

42. If Gates wants to help, he should bring back the jobs Microsoft outsourced...

to low wage countries, and work to overhaul the tax code to remove corporate tax loopholes that allow corporations to make billions in profits and pay little or no taxes.

Unemployed Americans don't pay income taxes, and corporations avoid taxes by offshoring jobs.

These two actions alone would increase government revenue by a far greater amount than merely increasing taxes on the rich.

[awoke_in_2003]

52. it took 42 posts...

but someone finally put the hammer on the nail head.

[glinda]

57. If Gates want to help he should unhook his self from Big Pharma and Monsanto.