Buffet Shifts into Backtrack Mode
By Robert Ringer - Sunday, October 2, 2011
The once media-shy Warren Buffett seems to have developed an affinity for the spotlight in his latter years. In an appearance Friday on Fox Business, Buffet said (in reference to people urging him to pay more in taxes voluntarily), “I would say if you have a country with a deficit of over a trillion dollars and you think it can be solved by voluntary tax payments, you sort of believe in the tooth fairy.”
With all due respect, Mr. Buffett, you’re actually wrong about that. In fact, I believe that an all-voluntary tax system would automatically work. Of course, that’s assuming you go along with my definition of work: Something that makes people more free. If the goal is freedom from government coercion and aggression, then a voluntary tax system, by definition, works better than any other kind of system.
But what about all the government programs that would have to be cut if people didn’t voluntarily pay enough into the system to cover their costs? Answer: It would mean that they voted with their dollars to eliminate them. Yes, big spenders in D.C., I’m talking about massive spending cuts. What gives you the moral right to extract money from taxpayers to pay for programs they don’t want?
Even Warren Buffett now seems to be trying to somewhat distance himself from his oft-repeated complaint that the wealthy don’t pay enough in taxes. It had such a nice ring to it that it led to BHO’s adopting it and christening it the “Buffet rule” as part of his proposed deficit-reduction plan — a plan that is certain to increase the deficit.
In his backtracking, Buffet told Fox Business that what he really meant by his past statements was, “I didn’t say the wealthy should pay more. I said the ultra-wealthy who are paying very low tax rates should pay more.”
Fine, Warren, but we’re still stuck with that same old problem of subjective definition. It is self-evident that no one has the moral authority to decide who is ultra-wealthy anymore than they have the moral authority to decide who is “rich” or who is “poor.”
Strange how many people there are who are so stubbornly determined to change the world to their liking that they can’t seem to grasp such a simple truth.
You have permission to reprint this article so long as you place the following wording at the end of the article:
Copyright © 2012 Robert Ringer
ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. He has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, The Lars Larson Show, ABC Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show, and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times.
To sign up for his one-of-a-kind, pro-liberty e-letter, A Voice of Sanity, Click Here.
Comment Policy: We encourage an open discussion with a wide range of viewpoints. Make your case passionately, but please keep your comments civil and to the point (150 words or less). Obscene, profane, abusive, or off-topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked.
If your comment does not appear, it is likely because it violates the above policy or contains links or language typical of spam. We reserve the right to remove comments at our discretion. Thanks for your participation.
23 Responses to “Buffet Shifts into Backtrack Mode”
Leave a Reply
1500 characters maximum.
Yes, I absolutely agree that the only way to tax is through a voluntary system. None of this Warren Buffett tax-the-rich-hypocrisy or 999%-Herman-Cain-tax-scam garbage.
One possible way to achieve a free-market tax is by starting out with a single, flat-consumption tax that sunsets into a voluntary tax-system thereby ending the IRS and the fascist-police-state government as it now exists.
Of course, a voluntary tax is a very, very important part of the solution, but not the only part. Let’s not overlook the fact that the medium of exchange (U.S. dollar) has been totally corrupted. In fact, some individuals (e.g. Milton Friedman) have pointed out that Fed-created monetary-inflation of the U.S. dollar is in reality a form of taxation; therefore, the entire monetary system must also be changed along with the tax system if we are to achieve free-market taxation.
Public ignorance regarding how corrupt the monetary system really is is astonishing. The general public is so completely ignorant about even the most basic concepts of money that an economics teacher has to start from scratch when discussing this crucial subject.
Public ignorance is already becoming a threat to what little remains of the free market. For example, most of the protesters that have now targeted Wall Street can viscerally feel that they’ve been screwed by the system, but without understanding Austrian economics they become easy prey for the demagogues like Michael Moore.
As these Wall Street-type protests grow and intensify—and, don’t kid yourself, they will grow, because this is only the beginning—the mounting pressure for radical socioeconomic change will lead to some type of revolutionary outcome—-and that future outcome remains very uncertain.
Note: There are some individuals who are taking part in the Occupy Wall Street Protests that are both educated and genuine, but they are in the minority. I wish I could join them. And I will join them, soon. And if anybody is sorry that they missed the protests of the 60′s and 70′s, then don’t you worry because you’re going to get an opportunity to protest alright—-and you’re going to get it in a very big way.
Hey Buffett, the demagogues will be coming for you soon, buddy. You and all of your crony-capitalism friends. And the walls that you’ve built won’t be big enough.
If capitalism is so bad, why is it those who purport to hate capitalism want all our money?
And, if communism, socialism, fascism and all the other “isms” are so good, why do all the countries with that form of government keep their citizens corralled through the threat (or use) of force?
When 53% of a nation does not work and depends on the govenement for its livlihood we live in a minorocracy not a democracy or even a consitutional republic. We are taxslaves in Rainbowland, bowing to the rulers of the Empire of the Designer Poor.
Buffet must never have learned the lesson to be very careful what you wish for. He also needs to relearn to keep his opinions to himself because, once the words come out, you can’t snatch them back before some ideologue like Captain Zero latches on to them and makes them his own.
I’m all for a voluntary tax system. Anyone who doesn’t believe it will work probably also believes the military can’t survive on volunteers rather than conscription.
The current economy, all the wars we’re in, taxes, government regulation and interference, as well as the complete ideology of the current leadership (and I use the term leadership VERY loosely) is allowed simply because of the herd mentality of the ultra-stupid.
Here is a graphic example – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRFx7YU6eXE
Sad, isn’t it?
Paul,
Thanks for sharing that link, very laughable. Sad too, but funny.
and they all vote, too…lol
btw, consider how many people know, rightly denigrate the bizarro incentives in goverland – failure calls for a bigger budget next year (instead of shuttering, or bankruptcy, as in the real world) – who then also vote, and argue for more voting to “solve the problems”.
voters have been reared to face the rear….
paul…in some elevators, it is face the rear, or be literally ejected (as opposed to ejecting oneself, emotionally/psychologically). preemptive self ejection? lol….
True, as you point out, the co-opt(ers) are hard at work, everywhere. But, Mises has now achieved economic martyrdom. Whatever happens henceforth, nothing will change the fact that Mises pointed the way.
Buffet, on the other hand, is a total sellout.
http://lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard272.html
it wasn’t due to too many words today, rs…
reunion,
Does it matter, really? Nothing is going to stop the new and improved Gutenberg press (i.e. Internet) from displaying the true feelings and expressions of the people, including you. This is just the warm up phase; soon, the distress levels will increase to the point that hour by hour history will be being made before your eyes.
Reunion, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to express your beautiful written poetry; and it is beautifully written. Use it, if you can, to influence young people to divest themselves of collectivism. It is the young, peaceful revolutionaries who’ll need the guidance most of all. And that’s why I’ll be there on the street with them. Many of the young are now in enough pain and anguish that they are going to react and act. They desperately need Classical Liberalism to guide them.
reunion,
The ignorance of young people regarding taxes, economics, the Constitution, Wall Street, free markets and liberty in general is sickening. The alternative news media (Youtube freedom-fighters) are exposing this ignorance, and then educating these poor ignorant souls.
Adam Kokesh is one of my favorite freedom fighters. Take a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFVR9Nv43J4&feature=player_embedded
just watched kokesh conversing with the ‘over-educated & underemployed’ (gorgeous girl, junior at harvard, presumeably, and oblivious…same obliviousness in the poindexter, too).
very good. you’re right. get those sponges while they’re still wet. that’s what the mises crew, at auburn, and spreading, is about.
and buckets of water to reconstitute some of the dessicated sponges…lol
hmmm…a better version…buckets of water to un-con-stitute some of the desiccated sponges…biological nerf balls can rejoin the quick – i’ve seen it with my own eyes.
i agree with you, rs. but object lessons are good.
the constitution is spoken of. a lot. all over the place, not just here.
what’s all too usually emphasized are the affirmative enumerations, the so-called chains and inalienable rights. those were inscribed with the “right” hand. and then the left hand inscribed the commerce clause, obviating all the goodies, the “principles”.
that is a psych technique; a sales process. mencken describes well those who are responsive to it.
as there, principles are enumerated here. as there, principles are at the top, and the obviating weasel clause is further down.
this is not news to me, probably to you, but a lot of people are sleeping right thru their alarm clocks. some few of them appreciate the bucket of cold water i pour on them…and i enjoy it, too, in any event
. that scene in el dorado where john wayne douses soused robert mitchum, and then runs like hell, laughing, always makes me laugh, too.
wake up a few mitchums, clean up the town. angie’s waiting (in that other version, with dino….).
thank you again for the compliments.
Buffett is like everyone else: make them pay but leave me alone. Just like “it’s their fault, why are you looking at me?”
Whatever happened to “We the People”? It did not state we the poor, or we the middle class, or we the farmers, or we the rich or we the ultra-rich. A presidential leader is one that brings all the people of a capitalistic society together to live in harmony and keep the capitalistic system blossoming. For water it is called “work” and each and every one has to put into the effort excepting those that are unable to from severe physical disability. Even the elderly are capable of doing something that benefits society. But instead we are in a divisive society, led by a great divider. Instead of land of opportunity it is now the land of punishment via the speech that if you have taken advantage through your efforts at effecting opportunity, then you are somehow responsible for those that did not achieve and owe them your treasure obtained by hard efforts but they think they have a “right” to that treasure.
The empire has become the Vampire, sucking the opportunity and freedoms out of a once great nation. A great leader is needed to unite ALL the people because only through unification can we ever hope to be the once great and proud nation of past.
“vampire empire” definitely has a ring to it…but name an empire that wasn’t vampiric….
democracy divides. it didn’t work well for the greeks who came up with it, and they were homogeneous (or made sure to impose homogeneity) – not a heterogeneous melting pot that the flame has gone out from under (guess what doused the flame? empire…).
benefit ‘society’? unification? by a man, or men? nah. puts you right back to ‘who died & made you (he, she, them) boss’.
here’s what did it (and the only thing that will do it again):
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” adam “I see invisible hands” smith nailed it.
smith was a scot. and there’s nothing like a good single malt scotch to make you feel warmly benevolent toward the distiller’s non-benevolence – and the “water of life” is an excellent part of keeping one’s sponge wet
. i like glenmorangie, their nectar d’or, sauternes cask finished. will be raising a toast with it tonight, first to my lady, and then to smith.
Getting BACK to the TOPIC of this article instead of the inane babbling of a few: None of you think outside the box.
You all seem to think that taxes are just peachy as long as the “right” person or persons pay them and in the proper amounts – as determined by some other person than the one actually paying the taxes and who is also the perfect Salomon when making that decision. Taint so.
In the true Republic, which we’ve never had nor enjoyed, you’d pay for services rendered (to you); nothing more. Oh, who would protect us, put out the fires, enforce the Laws?
Ah, Grasshopper, a subject well worth discussing and understanding but not appropriate here since this is Mr. Ringers website; not the free-for-all (as a few of you seem to think you are entitled to abuse).
If you don’t drive a vehicle, why should you be taxed to build roads? If you don’t have children, why should you be taxed to pay for schools? If you don’t (fill-in the blank), why should you be taxed to pay for it? You shouldn’t – period.
The simple answer, then, is you pay (vote) with your dollar as to what IS and, by elimination, what’s ISN’T important. Dollars thus voted dictate results. As Mr. Ringer opined, “…an all-voluntary tax system would automatically work.”
tex…..
what’s inside your box, but is outside others’ boxes, they might describe as inane, too. and that would be a poor word choice, wouldn’t it? i’ve filtered noise for signal, for a long time, and have concluded there is no noise. it’s all signal. “noise” is a dismissal that evades signal ignorance.
apprehending more signal is the goal, and in context rr is creating, acquainting denizens of this or that bit of spectrum with more of the bandwidth is the goal (my goal, anyway).
as for your championing of rr’s property rights & prerogatives, hopefully that’s just an erroneous hypothesis on matters outside your box, and not obsequiousness.
what if rr wrote and wrote and wrote, and nobody showed up, commented at all? does that question clarify signal? no shirt, no shoes, no service – otherwise, by all means, please enter, your business is very much appreciated.
agree with what you wrote about “taxes”. but would point out that, strictly speaking, what you described would simply be “prices”, not taxes. user/consumer pays, just as s/he already does, for most things. perfectly sensible, correct.
Come on, be real! If people were really given the choice, most would NOT pay taxes because they would count on someone else to do it. As it is, almost half don’t pay income tax. And they feel that’s okay because “other people owe it to them”. I’ve actually had a couple of non-working people tell me that because they “actually held a job for more than a year”. didn’t matter to them that we, the taxpayer, have been supporting them and their families for a lot more than a year. I think everyone should pay a percentage of their income, no matter its source. Sort of like the Bible encouraging people to give 10 per cent to help others. Hey, now there’s a novel concept for our times!
I’m not sure I would want to be Mr. Buffett’s bridge partner; you have to be able to trust a bridge partner. On the other hand (pun intended) he may have met his match (sorry, also intentional pun) with BHO.
If President BHObama isn’t bashful about co-opting Ronald Reagan with misquotes and misrepresentation, then no one is off limits. Dead, alive, sane or insane, senile…if it advances Obama’s agenda, then he’ll use them.
Buffett is the opposite of his great father, Republican Congressman Howard Buffett. Howard even voted against foreign aid. Most Repubs today stupidly vote for it. Blowhard Warren is said to idolize his dad. Too bad he couldn’t be more like pop. Robert Ringer is on target again, as usual. Notice Buffett fighting the IRS over tax bills dating back to 2002. He also loves the Death Tax, which enables him to pick up private companies at bargain prices from aging owners eager to sell, trying to avoid the 55 percent tax.. Many rich liberals love big government, using it as a weapon against the competition. Buffett is a good example.