Bill Maher: When Will Obscenely Rich A**holes Stop Crying About Taxes?

[Better Believe It]

Bill Maher:
When Will Obscenely Rich A**holes Stop Crying About Taxes?
The wildly wealthy got us into this mess, and now they're whining non-stop because they might have to pay a little more in taxes.
September 26, 2010

New Rule: The next rich person who publicly complains about being vilified by the Obama administration must be publicly vilified by the Obama administration. It's so hard for one person to tell another person what constitutes being "rich", or what tax rate is "too much." But I've done some math that indicates that, considering the hole this country is in, if you are earning more than a million dollars a year and are complaining about a 3.6% tax increase, then you are by definition a greedy asshole.

And let's be clear: that's 3.6% only on income above 250 grand -- your first 250, that's still on the house. Now, this week we got some horrible news: that one in seven Americans are now living below the poverty line. But I want to point you to an American who is truly suffering: Ben Stein. You know Ben Stein, the guy who got rich because when he talks it sounds so boring it's actually funny. He had a game show on Comedy Central, does eye drop commercials, doesn't believe in evolution? Yeah, that asshole. I kid Ben -- so, the other day Ben wrote an article about his struggle. His struggle as a wealthy person facing the prospect of a slightly higher marginal tax rate. Specifically, Ben said that when he was finished paying taxes and his agents, he was left with only 35 cents for every dollar he earned. Which is shocking, Ben Stein has an agent? I didn't know Broadway Danny Rose was still working.

Ben whines in his article about how he's worked for every dollar he has -- if by work you mean saying the word "Bueller" in a movie 25 years ago. Which doesn't bother me in the slightest, it's just that at a time when people in America are desperate and you're raking in the bucks promoting some sleazy Free Credit Score dot-com... maybe you shouldn't be asking us for sympathy. Instead, you should be down on your knees thanking God and/or Ronald Reagan that you were lucky enough to be born in a country where a useless schmuck who contributes absolutely nothing to society can somehow manage to find himself in the top marginal tax bracket.

First off, far from being vilified, we bailed you out -- you mean we were supposed to give you all that money and kiss your ass, too? That's Hollywood you're thinking of. FDR, he knew how to vilify; this guy, not so much. And second, you should have been vilified -- because you're the vill-ains! I'm sure a lot of you are very nice people. And I'm sure a lot of you are jerks. In other words, you're people. But you are the villains. Who do you think outsourced all the jobs, destroyed the unions, and replaced workers with desperate immigrants and teenagers in China. Joe the Plumber?

We don't hate rich people, but have a little humility about how you got it and stop complaining. Maybe the worst whiner of all: Stephen Schwarzman, #69 on Forbes' list of richest Americans, compared Obama's tax hike to "when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939." Wow. If Obama were Hitler, Mr. Schwarzman, I think your tax rate would be the least of your worries.

Read the full article at:

http://www.alternet.org/economy/148305/bill_maher%3A_when_will_obscenely_rich_a%2A%2Aholes_stop_crying_about_taxes/?page=entire

[fascisthunter]

1. they didn't get a big enough Pony

[valerief]

2. They don't want a pony. They want the whole herd of horses. nt

[Andy823]

3. That's right!

And the don't want to "share" with the lower class! These people who are worth millions, even billions will not have to worry about getting their kids through college, paying the bills, being able to put food on the table, etc., and even with the higher tax rates they won't even notice them! It's all about "GREED"! The average american is in trouble these days. Wages are dropping, jobs are being outsourced, unemployment is up, there are few jobs out there for those who have lost their jobs, or who fear they may lose their jobs, and these GREEDY ass holes complain because they want to keep the tax cuts Bush gave them, even though those tax cuts did NOTHING to help the economy, and even though most of these people are making "MORE" money now, even in the biggest recession in history!

I say tho hell with them, take away their tax cuts and let them start paying their fair share of taxes!

[Better Believe It]

4. Tax the Rich, Not Working People! I'd like to see and hear that at the march on Washington!

So the government really needs money to finance big WPA type jobs programs?

Go where the money is.

Tax the rich, the banks and corporate America.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. I'll be screaming it tomorrow on The Mall!! n/t

[Johonny]

5. , he was left with only 35 cents for every dollar

Given Americas tax law if this is true, Ben Stein is an idiot. It's funny people take money advice from him.

It also means his agent must be screwing him big time and more to the point, WTF do taxes have to do with how much you pay your agent? What does Stein think the government should regulate agents? Sounds like a commie idea to me :)

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Don't Think Too Hard About It

It's a made up number. There is no way he pays that much in agency fees and taxes. He just made that number up. If you try to figure out how he came up with that figure, you'd just be wasting your time.
GAC

[valerief]

10. Of course, he had a LOT of dollars. nt

[drmeow]

7. He hit that one

out of the park. I hope my only teabagger friend on FB actually reads it (I posted the link).

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. I remember a time in the US history when the rich were actually humble.

I think they called them old rich. I even met one in college. If all the rich were like her, this world would have turned out very differently.

[Taitertots]

11. After paying taxes and agents he has 35%, why is his agent included?

5%-20% or more of his taxable income might be going to agents. That whole statement is intentionally misleading.

If he is making 250,000 or more than 35 cents on the dollar is still lots of money.