“I’m in the highest tax bracket. We don’t need the money, the country does.”
— Anonymous wealthy liberal in MoveOn.org ad

“Obama said there were elements of the deal he personally opposed, including an extension of expiring income tax cuts at upper income levels and a more generous deal on estates.”
— Associated Press on Obama announcement of deal with GOP that extends Bush tax cuts to all Americans, December 6, 2010

The Lady in Yellow.

This woman is rich. Very. And she wants the government to take her money.

How do we know? She says so.

In one very public ad opposing the extension of the Bush tax cuts by the far-left MoveOn.org — an extension now agreed to by President Obama as he announced last night in an early evening statement — and demanding “Millionaire Bailout Accountability” (here’s the YouTube ad link supplied from MoveOn). The Lady in Yellow looks her fellow Americans directly through the camera’s eye and quite publicly begs…begs… for the government to take her money. Why? So she can personally pay more money to Uncle Sam. Because, she says memorably, “I’m in the highest tax bracket. We don’t need the money, the country does.”

Alrighty then!!! In spite of the Obama-GOP deal, there is a millionaire who wants to give her money to the government. Where it will disappear down the nearest rat-hole to some waiting political ally wanting to build the latest boondoggle. Before the Obama announcement threw his liberal allies under the bus, the obvious thought. So let’s talk about this. Let’s talk about this with The Lady in Yellow herself.

Oops! Never mind.

There seems to be a… ahhhh… bit of a problem having this conversation about her televised generosity with The Lady in Yellow. While she may be well known in some circles, household ID on… say… the scale of Angelina Jolie… isn’t there. When MoveOn.org was queried three different times as to 1) the identity of The Lady in Yellow, so that 2) we could chat by e-mail or phone about her desire to give her money to the government… well… it was like this.

Silencio! A vast left-wing veil of silence descended. There would be no ID provided for The Lady in Yellow. No chance to chat. Having jumped into the icy waters of raising taxes — MoveOn.org scrambled to get out by simply ignoring the inevitable questions. They would raise money. MoveOn wanted two hundred grand for ads and such — to insist Obama demand taxes on the rich — like the Lady in Yellow. But discuss this with The Lady in Yellow herself? Are you kidding?

There would be no chance to find out why The Lady in Yellow isn’t sending a check to the IRS today — before the sun sets. And now that the Battle for Obama’s Soul has been lost, which the President effectively acknowledged last night, arguably if one is as left as The Lady in Yellow there is even more incentive to rush her money to the federal government. Pronto.

So between us, knowing now that MoveOn is surely upset that Obama has caved, let’s just see how committed The Lady in Yellow is to increasing her taxes in spite of the President’s tax cut deal. Let’s ask Move.On to forward these questions to The Lady in Yellow.

• Is The Lady in Yellow aware that she can write a check to the United States Department of the Treasury — today — relieving herself of her extra cash? For the record, here’s what the Treasury Department has to say:

Gifts to the United States Government
How do I make a contribution to the U.S. government?

Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the U.S. government may send contributions to a specific account called “Gifts to the United States.” This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the federal government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below.

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D
Hyattsville, MD 20782

Any tax-related questions regarding these contributions should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-1040.

• Now that the President has given in to Speaker-elect Boehner from the Left’s view, when can we expect to hear from MoveOn.org that the Lady in Yellow has written her check to the government — a check she says she wishes to write? When will MoveOn post the receipt or letter from the government to The Lady in Yellow acknowledging her gift?

• How much will The Lady in Yellow pay? In light of the Obama cave-in, will she double her taxes? Triple her taxes? Quadruple them? Having raised the subject, it’s only fair for her fellow Americans to know from her just how much of an increase the tax traffic of The Lady in Yellow can bear.

So while we wait to hear from MoveOn.org and The Lady in Yellow as to how much money she is sending to the government in the next few days, let’s ask some more questions.

Let’s focus on her wealth. 

• How did The Lady in Yellow get her wealth? Is she a famous yet not instantly recognizable entrepreneur? Did she invent The Lady in Yellow Widget that some portion of humanity benefits from and is gladly paying X dollars for everyday? Is she a successful businesswoman? If so in what field? How long did it take to earn her first million? How many jobs were created as she built her widget business?

• Did The Lady in Yellow Marry a Rich Husband? There’s nothing wrong with being married to a rich man or woman if you didn’t have any money yourself. If this is what happened and The Lady in Yellow fell in love with a rich man who cherishes her — good for her. But the question still stands. How did Mr. Lady in Yellow make his fortune? Is he an entrepreneur? In what business did he earn all this money that the Mrs. is volunteering to give away to the government? How long did it take him to earn his first million? How many jobs has he provided to his fellow Americans?

• Did The Lady in Yellow Inherit Her Millions? Did The Lady in Yellow win the birth lottery, being born to a rich daddy and mommy? Again, there’s nothing wrong with being an heiress. But, again, the questions. Who originally made all this money that is now clogging the arteries of the financial institutions that holds The Lady in Yellow’s millions? How was it made? How long did it take to earn the original sum that is now fueling the guilty conscience of The Lady in Yellow? How many jobs were created in this process?

• When was The Lady in Yellow’s Fortune Made? Are we talking the grandchild of a so-called robber baron? Is she, for example, the descendant of a Rockefeller? Was this money made originally in the days before the income tax? What was the tax rate when this money was made? Was it a Reagan-era 28% or a Roosveltian 90%?

• Is The Lady in Yellow Promising to Will Her Estate to the Government? On January 1, as noted by our friends at the Wall Street Journal, the estate tax (aka the “death tax”) will rise from zero to 55%. Is The Lady in Yellow promising that she will not, as the WSJ notes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, advocate for an estate tax increase while “parking most of their wealth into tax-exempt foundations”? Will she give vent to her enthusiasm and just stipulate now that upon her death her entire estate will revert to the government — since she apparently believes the government has the right to her wealth in the first place?

• How Many Jobs is The Lady in Yellow Creating with Her Wealth? Surely such a generous soul isn’t spending her days popping bonbons. The economy, under the direction of President Obama and the liberal policies MoveOn has so relentlessly championed, is now continually hovering at a double-digit unemployment level. People need jobs, and the so-called Obama stimulus hasn’t delivered, as the recent election has made… ahhh… clear. So with all this capital sloshing around in her Louis Vuitton Monogrammed Canvas bag (or does she prefer the Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Canvas bag?), is she holding back on the job creation front? How many Americans are being denied employer-based health care today because The Lady in Yellow is holding on to her money waiting for the government?

• Why Not Give Money to Others in the MoveOn Ad? Aside from writing a check today to the government, there’s another way The Lady in Yellow could be true to her professed beliefs. Presumably some of those appearing in the MoveOn ad are not wealthy. How hard would it be for The Lady in Yellow to get a list from her MoveOn friends — and just write some checks to the less well off appearing in the ad? Then she could not only fund the government she could fund MoveOn supporters individually and directly.

The argument against low tax rates is frequently made by rich liberals who seem curiously unwilling to take the medicine they prescribe for others — while simply ignoring the sheer cruelty and immorality that government control of the economy dishes relentlessly to those less fortunate than themselves. The Lady in Yellow is, per her description, rich. Yet in the most soothing of voices she and her friends at MoveOn.org in a coldblooded fashion are willing to pull up the draw bridge to the castle of economic wealth. Simply shrugging their shoulders and giving the excess of their cream to the government appeals to their conscience. It makes them feel good. Not good enough to write a check to the government today, mind you, but some day.

Maybe. If this happens in Washington. Or that. Or maybe something else. Or something else after that.

Never mind that the theories The Lady in Yellow appears to favor don’t work. Have never worked. Which is presumably why she is shy about writing a check. Never mind the sheer hypocrisy in all of it. Pay no attention to the fact that this is the worst post-recession economy since World War II precisely because the Obama administration has done exactly what MoveOn.org and their liberal buddies wanted him to do.

The Lady in Yellow has decreed. She wants to make a splash about giving her money to the government.

Just not today. So MoveOn.org has apparently moved to shield a wealthy donor by simply taking her hand and stepping into the Cone of Silence. President Obama appears to be trying to pull a Clinton-triangulation to salvage his presidency in 2012. A battle he is apparently willing to risk against a challenge from liberals like The Lady in Yellow and the funders of MoveOn.org.

But since The Lady in Yellow insists, and since MoveOn is making such a big deal of her insistence, it’s fair for the rest of us to bang on the virtual front door and ask of MoveOn.org:

Who was that lady?

When can we expect her check to the government? For how much? When will MoveOn.org produce the receipt that proves she is as good as her word — and the word of MoveOn.org itself?

Says Vice President Biden of the need for the wealthy to pay more money to the government: “It’s time to be patriotic… time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut.”

OK.

So, when will MoveOn.org and The Lady in Yellow be patriotic?

Where’s her check?

What is MoveOn.org hiding?