GOP’s Alternative Buffett Rule: Voluntary ‘Tax Me More’ Check Box on IRS Form
EmailHaving condemned President Obama’s “Buffett Rule” proposal to raise taxes on some millionaires as “class warfare,” Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., proposed his own solution to billionaire Warren Buffett’s complaints that he paid a lower tax rate than his secretary.
Scalise said he plans to submit a bill Wednesday night that would add a line to the 1040 tax form allowing people who feel they do not pay enough income tax to opt-in to paying more.
“I wanted to make sure that there was an option out there on the IRS tax form for those out there who wanted to send more of their money into Washington to help pay down the deficit,” Scalise said. “It’s an idea that solves a few problems and ensures that taxes won’t be raised on America’s job creators.”
Scalise said his bill will allow Buffett to “put his money where his mouth is” and “send in a check” to the U.S. Treasury.
Grover Norquist, the founder of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, sent a letter to Scalise praising him for the bill, but said when similar “tax me more” lines were tried at the state level, the “limousine liberal set” did not “put their money where their mouth is.”
“Mr. Buffett should be able to voluntarily pay extra income taxes if he feels the need to – without imposing broad, job-killing tax hikes on our nation’s small employers,” the statement said. “Taxpayers are calling Mr. Buffett’s bluff with this legislation. It’s his move.”
While Scalise may be the first congressman to propose an alternative Buffett Rule bill, he is not the first to suggest that Buffett voluntarily send in a check rather than have the president ignite “class warfare” by implementing a mandatory tax hike.
“If he’s feeling guilty about it, I think he should send in a check … but we don’t want to stagnate this economy by raising taxes,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in September.
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Obama’s Buffett Rule would “simply divide this country more.”
“It will attack job creators, divide people and it doesn’t grow the economy,” Ryan said on “Fox News Sunday” shortly after the president announced his rule. “Class warfare may make for really good politics, but it makes for rotten economics.”
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Posted by: joinamerica | October 5, 2011, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm
You would’t want to attack job creators, I would’t want to either, but do you really know who the job creators are. (THE CONSUMER STUPID),the working people in this country. All the the tax cuts in the world for corps. and big business can’t create one job if there’s no demand for their product or service, you do not hire if you are selling less. The class warfare started started when the workers of this country had to take cuts while the CEO’S got millions in raises. The bill sounds good, but I’d guess the working people will contribute more than the wealthy.
Posted by: David Beemer | October 5, 2011, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
David Beemer is thinking mostly in the right direction. In contest, I say that (THE CONSUMER) doesn’t really need another TV, when they might be better off setting a few bucks for something more worthwhile instead. Kinda hard to teach that to folks who are easily entertained by “reality” TV, though.
However, there has been no time since the Great Depression when there has been as great a disparity in the concentration of wealth as there is now. I was raised to understand that people must *earn* what they get – that lack of effort means lack of means, deservedly so. But we’ve already seen, from the “Reagan Years” (not me) that “trickle down” doesn’t do as much trickling down as it does giggling downward, with respect to the concentration of wealth.
One advantage of becoming older, as I have unwilling done, is the possibility of becoming wiser. Wiser, perhaps, in being able to understand that, with the world’s total population approaching 7 *biilion* people, YOU (most people) CAN’T DO IT ALONE!” To good or bad effect, the billions of people running about on this planet and on your street will affect you. Can you also affect them in a way that benefits you?
If you’ve got some backwoods, Ted Kaczynskii style property, you can dig in and tough it out on your own. Otherwise, you have no choice but to be a part of human civilization as it exists now. Try to understand it because you’re living it. Oh, come on… turn off the Internet TV now… I’m trying to talk to you!
Posted by: Reagan Thomas | October 5, 2011, 10:16 pm 10:16 pm
It’s already possible to voluntarily pay more than you owe. But people like Buffet want to be praised for public words instead of quiet deeds. If you want to give a gift to reduce the deficit, you can do it here:
Posted by: JN | October 5, 2011, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
The Senate leadership say they want to add tax to those who make > million right up front. Forget the box.
How about offering some real tax reform.
Waste of my damn time.
Posted by: 9Acrechu | October 6, 2011, 1:51 am 1:51 am
Just imagine how much money this will add to federal revenues – all the rich liberals and hollywood elite will voluntere to pay more – great idea!
Posted by: jamescbuilder | October 6, 2011, 7:46 am 7:46 am
Perhaps all people who think that the government should be doing more rather than less should be required to check that box.
Posted by: BCL1 | October 6, 2011, 8:27 am 8:27 am
Maybe they should also have a box labeled “lower my taxes.” Or better yet, have a list of boxes where each payer can decide which government programs to fund with their tax dollars. The money goes to where the check marks are. This would be more democratic than voting in elections.
Posted by: BCL1 | October 6, 2011, 8:30 am 8:30 am
The dems will never put their money where their mouth is…
Posted by: sammy | October 6, 2011, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
And none of you right wingers see this ‘clown show distraction’ for what it is …do you? A grandstand ‘distraction’ to avoid debating the real topic. Tax reform and the closing of loopholes. Until the middle class voter gets ‘sick and tired’ of this type of ‘theatrical pandering’….they will continue to disappear and the rich will just keep getting richer…and more powerful. You better WAKE UP and start voting these ‘clowns out’. Unless you like looking forward to an ‘unfulfilled retirement’.
Posted by: CND FOX | October 7, 2011, 8:23 am 8:23 am
Obama’s Buffett Rule would “simply divide this country more.”
No kidding but that is what Obama wants. He thrives on this unacceptable behavior
Posted by: Smartthinking | October 7, 2011, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
CND FOX–”And none of you right wingers see this ‘clown show distraction’ for what it is …do you? A grandstand ‘distraction’ to avoid debating the real topic. Tax reform and the closing of loopholes.”– Ummm sort of like the grandstanding tha Obama is doing by making speeches saying PASS THIS BILL while his own party is enacting teh NUCLEAR option to prevent it from going to a vote?? republican have submitted tax reform and loophole closure.. in fact the Ryan balanced budget ammendment called for loop hole reform as part of the plan to permanently balance the budget.. You remember that bill don’t you– It was the one REID called DEAD ON ARRIVAL..talk about grandstanding…LOL
Posted by: arkie vet | October 7, 2011, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
You mean like the republican candidate (Romney or Perry? who donated one million to charities, but in percentage points, that million was only 1.5 per cent of 100%. Talk about the french king expression “they are starving? why? let them eat cake.. The republican idea of charity does not make sense at all.
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
Unfortunately, it seems the republican millionaires cannot realize that providing jobs would also bring more sales and income to store owners. When a big CEOS’ company causes the bankruptcies of small businesses, Americans lose their jobs and foreigners get the jobs abroad. How can any American business owners can vote for Republicans who steal the bread and butter of poor unemployed Americans and union workers?
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
Right now, the real opponents of workers and the middle working class are the millionaire top republican leaders. President Obama is being used as a distracting target to keep the radicals tea partyists focused on an innocent leader who dared to stand firm against a deluge of radical conservative repressed fear and rage. Such fools, they are harming one of our best Presidents after Abraham Lincoln. :( It seems the tea party is led by the kkk and evangelists.
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
State separation would make Texas, Colorado, etc. small and weak nations. Mexico, and Venezuela, etc. would probably try to invade and appropriate such states. It is easy to feel powerful and invencible while one belongs to a powerful union like America. Now, that strength would evaporate if the Union disbands. I do not want to see more Alamos, neither you , right?In spite of our disagreement, or dissent , we must learn to dissident wisely and positively; not negatively like the current speaker of the House. His tactics are dividing us and threatening a conservative revolt that aims to destroy all the gains since the Civil War :(
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Jesus was the first communist.
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 7:11 pm 7:11 pm
An old tv’s, in spite they may still work, were thicker and produced lethal radiation. Instead modern thinner machines emit less radiation. So buying more modern tv’s , printers and computers is more healthy than keeping older and more damaging apparatuses. See how many elders now have eye sicknesses and hearing problemsl Some of them are rich. But radiation harms all users alike.
Posted by: Moderate American | October 7, 2011, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
‘arkie vet….’ I think you better go back and rexamine what is currently with the President and Mr. Reid’s strategy. I don’t think you understand what is happening here.
Posted by: CND FOX | October 8, 2011, 10:00 am 10:00 am
Can we also ask them to check if they’re Republican or Democrat? I want to see which party has the greater percentage of people willing to put their money where their mouths are. I’d also like to see how many members of Congress check the box. This would make for a great research project! Everyone’s willing to spout off, but who walks the talk?
Posted by: LagunaTriMom | October 8, 2011, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm
Scalise’s check box scheme is almost as stupid as the GOP mantra that lowering the tax on millionaires is going to create jobs. It does not escape me that most of our Republican elected officials, and the ridiculous talking heads on Fox are millionaires themselves. Why would any middle class person be a Republican when it is clear they only represent the wealthy and big business interests, all at the expense of the middle and lower classes. It’s outright class warfare.
Posted by: survivor1962 | October 12, 2011, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm