Once again, a rich liberal insists that the government should force him to pay more taxes.

IÂ’m the chief executive of a publicly traded company and, like my peers, IÂ’m very highly paid. The difference between salaries like mine and those of average Americans creates a lot of tension, and IÂ’d like to offer a suggestion. President Obama should celebrate our success, rather than trying to shame us or cap our pay. But he should also take half of our huge earnings in taxes, instead of the current one-third.

Then, the next time a chief executive earns an eye-popping amount of money, we can cheer that half of it is going to pay for our soldiers, schools and security. Higher taxes on huge pay days can finance opportunity for the next generation of Americans.

Of course, there is a flaw in Reed HastingsÂ’ logic. As we well know, increased taxes lower the amount of revenue received. Also, experience shows us that changing the way in which such compensation packages are taxed simply results in changes in how that compensation is received to legally avoid the taxes.

But if Hastings really feels that he isnÂ’t paying enough, there is an option available to him. Since 1843 there has been a fund established under the US Treasury department for individuals to patriotically give more to the US government. All Hastings really needs to do is write a check for the money he believes he is undertaxed, payable to the United States Treasury, and mail it to the following address:

In effect, Hastings will be raising his own taxes. That way he can celebrate his success by paying what he believes he owes this country – without, of course, imposing his own sense of guilt and/or moral superiority on the rest of America.

Anyone want to speculate upon the odds of his actually writing that check?

Posted by: Greg at 12:26 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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