Taxes voluntary?
I just read your interview with Ralph Wanger and Robert Gordon concerning Warren Buffett’s tax proposal (Business, Sept. 18).
First a little perspective: I am a physician and have been blessed by the creator with many gifts and do well financially. My perspective is from the percent of the population that earns the most. I also believe in the randomness of geography and the idea that our self-actualization does to a large extent depend upon where we are born in the world.
I found sophomorish Ralph Wanger’s comments that the wealthy pay gigantic voluntary taxes in terms of their contributions to charities. Is his implication that taxes should be voluntary?
I could not help but recall with this entitlement argument a phrase from George Orwell’s iconic novel “Animal Farm” I read as a sophomore at St. Patrick’s High School in Chicago. Time magazine chose this book as one of the 100 best English-language books (1923-2005).
Wanger’s statements facilitated the memory of a quote from Orwell’s book, “The animals are all equal but some of the animals are more equal than others.”
Recall in Orwell’s narrative, “The farm is growing richer but the animals themselves do not seem to benefit much from it. The pigs are involved in running the bureaucracy of the farm and are not involved in doing any of the actual work, Squealer continues to impress everyone with detailed figures of how everything has improved on the farm, but deep down the animals are unable to reconcile this with the lack of improvement in their own conditions.”
I am astounded that any well-educated man and especially in the area of finance could utter such a weak argument for not taxing the most wealthy. Could it be that he is afraid of alienating his wealthy clients? If so, why did he not just take a pass on the question?
I also found interesting that Wanger referenced Germany, England and France in his arguments. I was surprised that with his financial acumen he did not share with us the top tax rates in those countries. Is not England’s top rate 50 percent, Germany’s 45 percent and France’s 41 percent? Don’t some of the Europeans like France also pay a value-added tax that averages about 19 percent? I was surprised that he did not mention that France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Norway also pay a net wealth tax up to 1.8 percent of total assets. Are we overtaxed or undertaxed compared with our European allies?
I find his statement that philanthropy’s goal is education unreferenced. This is not in any way to take away from philanthropy, but the gamut of the interests of philanthropy is so varied. Really what does philanthropy really have to do with taxes? Is not philanthropy an act that gives meaning to one’s life and has little to do with what we get in return?
How many well-educated Americans are now out of work? In many European nations the extra taxes paid provide a better safety net for those out of work. This safety net provides primary income, education and health benefits during which time the unemployed can become retooled for a changing workforce.
I find it egregious how Wanger has such little thought for the many Americans who cannot make their mortgage payments, afford medical insurance or purchase enough food and clothes for their children.
Does he think that added taxes will not touch this needy segment of society? It sounds to me that he is oblivious to the plight of the less-than-entitled upper class. This is what becomes conditions for class warfare.
This was certainly the condition that Voltaire witnessed in 18th century France where mainly the poor worked and paid taxes and where the rich and members of the Church of France had entitlements.
In the end, like in the novel “Animal Farm,” people become corrupted by absolute power, and as we all know money is power.
— Dr. Craig Dean, Chicago
