Yeah, that'll work: Republicans Champion ‘Voluntary Taxes’

[Scuba]

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/25/republicans-champion-voluntary-taxes/

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives took a break last week from doing nothing to pass a bill to facilitate voluntary taxation. Almost simultaneously, Mitt Romney released his final tax return for 2011, showing that he voluntarily overpaid his taxes by taking less of a deduction for his charitable contributions than he was permitted.

The legislation was H.R. 6410, “The Buffett Rule Act of 2012.” Those not acquainted with the misleading titles often given to Congressional bills might at first glance think this one has something to do with raising taxes on the ultrawealthy.

Of course, Republicans would never actually raise taxes on the ultrawealthy; they think, or at least assert publicly, that the deficit results from too many poor people not paying taxes. But it would be very helpful to them to have a fig leaf that looks as if they had found a way of getting the rich to pay more. That is by encouraging them to voluntarily pay more, as Mr. Romney did.

Named for the billionaire Warren Buffett, what came to be known as the “Buffett rule” is a proposal by Democrats that all those with incomes of $1 million or more pay at least 30 percent of their income in federal income taxes.

[HughBeaumont]

1. The "Taxation is Theft at Gunpoint" Libertarians preach this "Voluntary Tax" crap a lot.

"Where is it written that I have no right to be a selfish wealth-hoarding prick?? When did that fall out of fashion??"

Something about being part of a non-aggression, non-intrusion agenda, I think? Or "Legislating Compassion" is the same as "Redistribution". Either way, benevolence towards the wealthy and letting them off the hook for billions upon billions hasn't yielded much in the way of workers receiving long-overdue productivity gains.

[closeupready]

2. Of course, the logic failure there is that there is no coercion

if one lives in a free world where one can leave the US and renounce one's citizenship, and thus, be relieved of paying those taxes. Gunpoint deflected, bullet dodged, whatever.

[nc4bo]

4. I think it's called self-deportation! Mitt's family knows how this works.

Unlike Mitt's family, they'll have more choices available to them. Some have self-deported already.

Bunch of poisonous, treacherous leeches can go.

[closeupready]

6. Agreed. Let's see how much they like China or Somalia.

To say nothing of how long they hold onto their wealth. Hint: probably not very long.

[gollygee]

3. Can the fire department volunteer to go to your house or not?

Stupid people are stupid. Voluntary taxes would = no taxes which would = our society falling apart. We need the things taxes pay for.

[Buns_of_Fire]

5. "Voluntary" for those with incomes over $1 million, of course.

The 99% better cough up their new and improved 45% (with no deductions) tout suite, of course. Gotta keep the chateaubriand and champagne flowing for the congresscritters and the "job creators," naturally.