The American Spectator

Another Perspective

Voluntary Clinton Surtax Day

By Doug Bandow on 4.15.08 @ 12:07AM

The life of an ex-president is tough. Since leaving the White House the Clintons, mostly meaning Bill, have earned $109 million. And it's hard out there for liberal multi-millionaires.

The money just won't stop. Consultants pay dearly for Bill Clinton's earnest advice in helping foreign governments influence the U.S. government. Associations toss tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars at him for a single speech. There are book royalties, his pension, and even Hillary's Senate salary.

This creates a real problem of etiquette. After all, it would be impolite to tell people to stop stuffing the Clintons' oversized wallets.

Even worse, when they give away money -- including to their own charity, the Clinton Family Foundation -- their taxes fall even further.

All good and moral people know that taxes are way too low. So the Clintons are forced -- practically at gunpoint -- to keep far too much of their own money.

Sen. Clinton explained apologetically: "We didn't ask for George Bush's tax cuts. We didn't want them, and we didn't need them."

What's a confirmed redistributionist to do?

REPEALING BUSH'S TAX CUTS should be a no-brainer, but a lot of greedy, selfish Republicans stand in the way. They've misled many otherwise decent Americans to believe people have a greater right to their own earnings than do bureaucrats and politicians.

What that means is that even if a President Hillary Clinton wins the opportunity to make everyone increase their contribution to the collective, she and her husband won't be paying enough this year.

But there's still time for the Clintons to do the right thing. When they file their return this year, they just need to engage in some creative accounting.

It's really quite easy. Our complicated federal income tax provides extraordinary opportunities for the socially conscious to hike their support for the public weal.

Are selfish capitalists refusing to do the right thing? No matter. The Clintons can set an example by giving back to the community a little more of that $109 million they've collected.

We could call this initiative the Voluntary Clinton Surtax (VCS).

WHO SHOULD PAY this surtax? Ideally, everybody. But those who (a) opposed the Bush tax cuts; or (b) claim Americans are under-taxed; or (c) complain about "tax cuts for the rich"; or (d) pine for new spending programs; or (e) or say tax cuts are selfish should lead the way.

In fact, a good rule of thumb would be: the more categories that apply to you, the higher your VCS. You've always wanted to put your money where your mouth is. Now you can!

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Education, Trade, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Business, Social Security, Law, Energy