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You can disagree with the scheme of things while exploiting it. Buffet thinks his taxes are too low but he doesn't offer to pay extra unless he is forced to.

bengebre 17y ago
I think it's hard to criticize the man on those grounds since he has pledged to give the "bulk of his fortune" to the Gates Foundation. That's arguably more productive than donating money to the government. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/25/AR2006062500801.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06...
- marshallp 17y ago
  I was disagreeing with the original commenter. I was arguing it's possible to not agree with the way the world works, but still exploit it. Of course buffet shouldn't pay taxes until the laws are changed. Hs's publicly argued many times that taxes are too low on rich people, just as he argues derivatibes are net destructive to society - it desn't mean he should not deal in derivatives if he sees an opportunity.
bmj 17y ago
Wouldn't voluntarily paying extra taxes be akin to donating money to the government? Say what you will about Buffet, but I don't think you can criticize him for not writing a few extra zeros on his tax check. EDIT: Fixed duplicate words.
- anamax 17y ago
  Sure you can. Also, Buffet advocates higher taxes that the won't pay and that he benefits from. Consider the estate tax. He pushes it, but his estate will never be taxed. He also makes quite a bit of money selling insurance to help people pay estate taxes. Yes, he benefits directly from estate taxes.
  - jbooth 17y ago
    Why will his estate not be taxed? Because he's going to give most of it away before he dies? That makes him some kind of tax cheat? The estate tax doesn't even kick in unless the inheritance is over something like 2 million dollars. That is one "anti tax" issue that I seriously don't understand. Seems like that should be literally the last tax that gets cut, why not cut the income tax if we're cutting taxes?
    - yalurker 17y ago
      Family farms and small businesses are often severely hurt by estate taxes. Many of the people who oppose the estate tax are those who want to see a farm or business stay in the family, but tax laws make it incredibly hard to transfer it to their children. It is often portrayed as something only the super wealthy need to worry about, but plenty of farmland goes on sale in the midwest because taxes can't be covered.
      - jbooth 17y ago
        Well, advocate for an exemption, then. Advocating to abolish the tax entirely come across as advocating for only the super wealthy's needs -- let's face it, family farms and small businesses with values over 2 million are a tiny minority of these inheritances, nationwide.
        anamax 17y ago
        You're missing the point. The estates of the super wealthy aren't subject to the inheritance tax. It only hits family biz because they can't make the necessary arrangements.
- jessriedel 17y ago
  marshallp wasn't criticizing him. On the contrary, he was just pointing out that Buffet's actions are morally consistent.

bengebre 17y ago

I think it's hard to criticize the man on those grounds since he has pledged to give the "bulk of his fortune" to the Gates Foundation. That's arguably more productive than donating money to the government. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/25/AR2006062500801.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06...

marshallp 17y ago
I was disagreeing with the original commenter. I was arguing it's possible to not agree with the way the world works, but still exploit it. Of course buffet shouldn't pay taxes until the laws are changed. Hs's publicly argued many times that taxes are too low on rich people, just as he argues derivatibes are net destructive to society - it desn't mean he should not deal in derivatives if he sees an opportunity.

bmj 17y ago

Wouldn't voluntarily paying extra taxes be akin to donating money to the government? Say what you will about Buffet, but I don't think you can criticize him for not writing a few extra zeros on his tax check. EDIT: Fixed duplicate words.

anamax 17y ago
Sure you can. Also, Buffet advocates higher taxes that the won't pay and that he benefits from. Consider the estate tax. He pushes it, but his estate will never be taxed. He also makes quite a bit of money selling insurance to help people pay estate taxes. Yes, he benefits directly from estate taxes.
- jbooth 17y ago
  Why will his estate not be taxed? Because he's going to give most of it away before he dies? That makes him some kind of tax cheat? The estate tax doesn't even kick in unless the inheritance is over something like 2 million dollars. That is one "anti tax" issue that I seriously don't understand. Seems like that should be literally the last tax that gets cut, why not cut the income tax if we're cutting taxes?
  - yalurker 17y ago
    Family farms and small businesses are often severely hurt by estate taxes. Many of the people who oppose the estate tax are those who want to see a farm or business stay in the family, but tax laws make it incredibly hard to transfer it to their children. It is often portrayed as something only the super wealthy need to worry about, but plenty of farmland goes on sale in the midwest because taxes can't be covered.
    - jbooth 17y ago
      Well, advocate for an exemption, then. Advocating to abolish the tax entirely come across as advocating for only the super wealthy's needs -- let's face it, family farms and small businesses with values over 2 million are a tiny minority of these inheritances, nationwide.
      - anamax 17y ago
        You're missing the point. The estates of the super wealthy aren't subject to the inheritance tax. It only hits family biz because they can't make the necessary arrangements.
jessriedel 17y ago
marshallp wasn't criticizing him. On the contrary, he was just pointing out that Buffet's actions are morally consistent.