Bill Gates wants ultra-wealthy individuals to pay more tax — and now a growing chorus of billionaires agree.
In his annual “Ask Me Anything” forum on Reddit last year, the Microsoft cofounder said he was “surprised” that taxes for the rich haven’t been increased more.
Gates doubled down on his calls to tax the rich in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. He said the wealthiest nations should donate more money to developing countries to help redress inequality.
“Those who have the most — whether it’s countries, companies, or individuals — should be pushed to be more generous,” he said.
It seems others agree, as more than 250 ultra-wealthy people signed an open letter calling for global leaders to impose a wealth tax.
Performative, these people could write checks directly to their countries tax collection agency any time they wanted. Old Bill there could send $500,000 a day for a hundred years and not miss it.
Yes I did the math, that would work out to only 18 Billion of his 121 Billion fortune!
See PugJesus’s reply below, plus mandating it would make it required
They shouldn’t pay less taxes if they don’t exist in the first place
Buy a few Republicans and let’s make it happen, Billy Boy.
He could do that with his pocket lint, and it’s what needs to happen
How about backing up that letter with some lobbyists?
Ads. We need these folks taking out issues ads, raising the profile of taxing the ultra-rich.
Hi, I’m Bill Gates, and I am spending more on this ad campaign than I paid in taxes.
Paid for by Bill Gates
As long as it is only a letter other billionaires don’t care. They know it’s lip service.
You know, you can voluntarily pay more taxes. I don’t think the irs would stop you paying more if you wanted to
if you overpay the IRS they will refund you
This is the correct answer
“I’m surprised the thing me and my ilk have been actively working against hasn’t magically happened despite our massive efforts to the opposite effect.”
Bet you Bill thinks these kinds of publicity stunts will exclude him from being eaten, when we go to eat the rich.
Just curious, how has he worked against it?
Is he funding lobbyists to affect this kind of change? No.
Is he employing top tier accountants to make sure he doesn’t pay his fair share like the poors? Betcha.
Does he funnel his wealth into charitable foundations that are a tax write off leading to him getting money rather than having to pay it, while it stays in an eco system he has full control over? Betcha.
Is he buying expensive art, property, etc. to incur expenses that are tax write offs? Betcha.Since I’m not a Billionaire, I won’t be able to tell you all the ways that cunt is 100% pushing for a status quo while putting out fluff pieces like these that make him look good while doing literally nothing to affect the change he supposedly wants.
Wouldn’t even be surprised if this was something to get out ahead of some revelations about tax evasion, so if you ever search up Bill Gates taxes, all you get is this curated nonsense of what a stand up good lad he is, trying oh so hard to pay his fair share. Why won’t anyone take his money? Poor Bill. Must be hard not getting taxed and being utterly powerless to do anything about that. Shucks. Now he has to go another decade without ever coming close to paying his fair share.
Oh, also garbage takes like these, where he publicly opposed new tax plans - but it’s fine, it was all cute and the audience laughed and he payed soooo much, sooo many taxes. https://youtu.be/dXxP4S_WwS0
Irrelevant to this tax thing but Bill Gates still helping known patent trolls obtain more patents
Bill Gates is widely known for massive hypocrisy. And funneling his “Charity” money into vaccine companies he owns himself. And buying up an insane amount of farm land during Covid.
If Bill Gates says something you can bet that he’s doing the exact opposite. There’s a reason that this “charity man” somehow keeps getting richer.
By being part of the billionaire owner class for decades and saying nothing about it until there’s very real threats of working class solidarity.
Being part of the billionaire class prevents taxes being levied against you?
I’ve come to the right place if bill gates isn’t cheered on by leftwingers… Dude has such a sketchy past especially regarding intellectual property and market manipulation.
But “at least he doesn’t support trump”
He probably is through some back-ass-channel. These kinds of assholes always play all colors, all cards and have backup plans. He still wants to cling to his little riches even if the political winds change again. Gotta be able to show receipts when that happens.
I’ll never support a single Billionaire ever for any reason whatsoever. They’re leeches and parasites to society, our species and planet.
“should be pushed to be more generous”
Generosity my arse. Should be forced to pay their way. The rest of us cannot afford them.
“if only someone would close the loop holes, but alack, they remain and the accountants force me to use them, what ever is to become of poor rich Bill”
Sad bit is, you don’t even have to use loopholes. Certain forms of income that are more common amongst the wealthy are simply less taxed than regular income.
What would stop them from just funding housing, healthcare or education by themselves, if they want to contribute to society?
TBF Bill Gates does.
That would put them behind those who wouldn’t do it, if every rich person is forced to pay more taxes noone loses power
Bingo. They could do it themselves, but they want to spend other people’s money, not just their own. Same as any other tax. Bonus PR points for appearing “generous”.
Do you want an American Sengoku Warring States era? Because this is how you build an American Sengoku Warring States era. It would very rapidly devolve into multiple self-contained nations each lorded over by a different billionaire. They would each come with their own schools and housing and military. It would be the end of whatever United we still have left in our States.
Literally nothing is stopping any of them from cutting a massive check to the government. This is lip service to stop people from hating on the billionaire class.
If you think billionaires paying more taxes to governments will mean better lives for the poor then oh boy do I have a bridge to sell you.
No, obviously it takes those in government to have good intentions as well.
Too late, compost these fuckers.
I wonder if those billionaires that agree do so because they feel that the time are changing and people are done with getting ripped off.
Says the guy who funnels his entire wealth through a foundation to avoid paying any taxes. Just like he told Epstein to do. Love you Bill
¯_(ツ)_/¯ At least bill is probably the most generous billionaire that has existed so far
If there was ever a generous billionaire, they’d no longer be a billionaire.
But you see, he deserves it for stealing all that work and ideas from other people
They always say shit like this then put all their money in charities or shell corporations overseas… this is just marketing. He could easily pay more taxes right now if he wanted to.
At this point I think they’re just taunting us.
People are right to point out that he should not simply cut a check to the government, instead he should lobby for higher wealth taxes like he lobbies for patents or voucher schools. Anything less is just free PR.
I think people often lob unfair criticism at Gates, but this is more than fair.
Gates has done enough evil during his lifetime to earn all the shit talk.
K
Yeah I’m all for some much needed tax reform but on the flipside can you imagine what the current form of government would do with all the money from tax revenue? They would fuckin blow it and we’d be fucked all over again.
Our current government is all too happy to build weapons with borrowed money. What taxation does is it causes deflation, and a wealth tax has the benefit of deflating the power of the ultra-wealthy.
And cut a check.
Pretty sure I’ve seen this exact story about every 5 years for the last 20 years. It looks to me at this point like wealth apologism.
