Stephen King: Tax Me, for F@%&’s Sake!

[babylonsister]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/30/stephen-king-tax-me-for-f-s-sake.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Fpolitics+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Politics%29

Stephen King: Tax Me, for F@%&’s Sake!
Apr 30, 2012 4:45 AM EDT

The iconic writer scolds the superrich (including himself—and Mitt Romney) for not giving back, and warns of a Kingsian apocalyptic scenario if inequality is not addressed in America.


snip//

Tough shit for you guys, because I’m not tired of talking about it. I’ve known rich people, and why not, since I’m one of them? The majority would rather douse their dicks with lighter fluid, strike a match, and dance around singing “Disco Inferno” than pay one more cent in taxes to Uncle Sugar. It’s true that some rich folks put at least some of their tax savings into charitable contributions. My wife and I give away roughly $4 million a year to libraries, local fire departments that need updated lifesaving equipment (jaws of life are always a popular request), schools, and a scattering of organizations that underwrite the arts. Warren Buffett does the same; so does Bill Gates; so does Steven Spielberg; so do the Koch brothers; so did the late Steve Jobs. All fine as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go far enough.

What charitable 1-percenters can’t do is assume responsibility—America’s national responsibilities: the care of its sick and its poor, the education of its young, the repair of its failing infrastructure, the repayment of its staggering war debts. Charity from the rich can’t fix global warming or lower the price of gasoline by one single red penny. That kind of salvation does not come from Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Ballmer saying, “Okay, I’ll write a $2 million bonus check to the IRS.” That annoying responsibility stuff comes from three words that are anathema to the Tea Partiers: United American citizenry.

snip//

I guess some of this mad right-wing love comes from the idea that in America, anyone can become a Rich Guy if he just works hard and saves his pennies. Mitt Romney has said, in effect, “I’m rich and I don’t apologize for it.” Nobody wants you to, Mitt. What some of us want—those who aren’t blinded by a lot of bullshit persiflage thrown up to mask the idea that rich folks want to keep their damn money—is for you to acknowledge that you couldn’t have made it in America without America. That you were fortunate enough to be born in a country where upward mobility is possible (a subject upon which Barack Obama can speak with the authority of experience), but where the channels making such upward mobility possible are being increasingly clogged. That it’s not fair to ask the middle class to assume a disproportionate amount of the tax burden. Not fair? It’s un-f--king-American, is what it is. I don’t want you to apologize for being rich; I want you to acknowledge that in America, we all should have to pay our fair share. That our civics classes never taught us that being American means that—sorry, kiddies—you’re on your own. That those who have received much must be obligated to pay—not to give, not to “cut a check and shut up,” in Gov. Christie’s words, but to pay—in the same proportion. That’s called stepping up and not whining about it. That’s called patriotism, a word the Tea Partiers love to throw around as long as it doesn’t cost their beloved rich folks any money.

This has to happen if America is to remain strong and true to its ideals. It’s a practical necessity and a moral imperative. Last year, during the Occupy movement, the conservatives who oppose tax equality saw the first real ripples of discontent. Their response was either Marie Antoinette (“Let them eat cake”) or Ebeneezer Scrooge (“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”). Short-sighted, gentlemen. Very short-sighted. If this situation isn’t fairly addressed, last year’s protests will just be the beginning. Scrooge changed his tune after the ghosts visited him. Marie Antoinette, on the other hand, lost her head.

Think about it.

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Ebenezer Scrooge was a fictional character

Far more rich people share the viewpoint of Marie Antoinette, and there will be no 'change of heart' until they see peasants scaling the walls of their cloistered estates.

[Dustlawyer]

26. The rich & the corporations will not give up power willingly!

They own Congress just like Dillon Ratigan said. They buy the cops when they need to, look at what happened in NY. They made a big donation to a police charity (forget which one). After that, they sprayed helpless women...

[liberalmike27]

34. Kudos to King

Fairness is not achieved by what percentage of one tax they cut, but more accurately measured by what remains after paying all taxes. It's striking to add up the tax burden of someone who makes 20,000 to $40,000 a year. Nine percent sales tax, about a ten percent gas tax depending on where you are, utility taxes, federal taxes, 15% on every cent of your income paid by you and your employer as part of your salary in payroll taxes. We're all paying 30 plus percent when you add every type of taxes up, and those taxes are nearly inconsequential, or not paid at all (SS FICA) when you get paid by gambling in the stock market.

We need some democrats that will reframe the argument in this way. We also need to connect globalization to the tremendous loss of taxes we've incurred--imagine 25-30 million jobs, still working in the U.S., all paying federal, state, city, county, sales, gas, property, toll, fees, cigarette, and alcohol taxes. Imagine the multiplier effect of all those jobs, in creating more jobs.

We'd have near zero unemployment, and another trillion or more in taxes we were collecting. In a way, this is just another problem created by the rich we can lay at their feet, just more justification for them paying more. The only problem is paying three of four more percent is entirely inadequate. It's going to have to be a much larger number now.

[valerief]

31. Most (all?) right-wing talking points are fictional.

[Kablooie]

38. Scrooge was fictional? I suppose you're going to tell me that some guy just made him up!

I know for a fact that he was real, because I read about him in A Christmas Carol and there was no mention at all about him being fictional!
You want to read fiction? Read the scientific reports about global warming! That's fiction for you!





( Sorry. I just needed to let my inner tea partier out. He was giving me gas.)

[Cirque du So-What]

41. Speaking of Scrooge...

Since Dickens, has any noteworthy author created such an unlikely character? To my knowledge, no transformation as fantastical as Scrooge's has ever been attempted by any author who wanted to be taken seriously afterward.

[Thor_MN]

63. hmmm, I've never heard of a tea partier giving anything away

Charity is something those damn libruls do.

[Dragonfli]

70. Actually they are not giving you gas but rather are nothing more than offensive methane

Better to let that right wing fart out (better out than in as they say)

They have no real substance so once released the tea farts just dissipate into the hot air they emulate.

[RebelOne]

55. I am sure King knows that and was just using him as an example. n/t

[Cirque du So-What]

77. I'll be sure to put that

in my 'no shit, Sherlock' file.

[aquart]

83. Marie Antoinette was a woman in an arranged marriage.

She had no power to change her situation whatsoever.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Bravo!

[2ndAmForComputers]

3. I wonder who will be the first idiot...

...to blather the "he's perfectly free to donate to the IRS" canard.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. He's already destroyed that point quite nicely.

What charitable 1-percenters can’t do is assume responsibility—America’s national responsibilities: the care of its sick and its poor, the education of its young, the repair of its failing infrastructure, the repayment of its staggering war debts. Charity from the rich can’t fix global warming or lower the price of gasoline by one single red penny. That kind of salvation does not come from Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Ballmer saying, “Okay, I’ll write a $2 million bonus check to the IRS.”

[TBF]

15. Looks like you're the only one saying that in this thread. nt

[2ndAmForComputers]

66. Call it vaccination.

[skydive forever]

5. Wow

That was awesome. He answered damn near every talking point. Bravo, Mr King.

[Garion_55]

6. stephen king for president

id do it just for the entertainment value

[wendylaroux]

7. Well thank you Stephen King

it says it all right there,the rich did at one time care about the country that made them rich. Not anymore,at least for most of them.

[lark]

8. I've loved Stephen King since the 70's and love him even more now!

So glad I have all his books.

[Dustlawyer]

24. Ditto!

[malaise]

9. Excellent

Rec

[maddiemom]

10. Include my BRAVO for Mr. King!

He remembers, I'm sure, once being part of the 99%. Unfortunately even some of those who weren't born rich are still too happy to pull the ladder up behind them once they become wealthy. 4 million yearly to charity without being missed? I believe it, and a few more right wingers in the (less than) 99% should start thinking about that.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Holy cow!

Best rant that I've seen in a long time! So glad I read so many of his books over the past 35+ years!

[young but wise]

12. K&R.

[joanbarnes]

13. I LOVE our rich liberals!

[exboyfil]

14. Does anyone not think that it was a loss that he left

the classroom to become a multi-millionaire author? He could be saying this in High School English classes (just joking about staying in the classroom).

I wonder if he could not put his considerable literary talents to crafting a realistic dystopia novel about what the world would be like if the Tea Party ruled the roost (I know it has been done in other books like The Handmade's Tale, but it could start by going forward from the next election).

The number I come back to is that if you divide the Defense (and related Defense expenses in other departments) budget up on an adult per capita basis, it comes to $3,800/person. My wife and I paid slightly more in federal taxes than our prorated share ($8K) last year, and we are in the top 20% of family income. The total budget sans Social Security is about $1,485T and about half of that amount is Defense related.

Any way you cut it we are not paying enough in federal taxes. I am not sure you are going to get enough by just taxing millionaires though. I would prefer not to pay more in taxes, and the money would come what we are saving for the kids for college. I want us to spend less particularly in defense. Given how much money is already spent on the federal level, I think carefully crafted single payer could also get us significant savings (assuming a revenue stream from additional payroll taxes).

[n2doc]

18. Just go back to Clinton levels. Both taxation and military.

That should do it.

To me, the really bad thing about the low rates on the rich is that it leaves them with far more to spend on PACS and other crap, messing up other people's lives (The Koch's are the best example).

[Myrina]

22. Have you read 'The Stand'?

Flagg's encampent at 'New Las Vegas' is very Tea-centric.

In many ways, King has almost been clairvoyant.

[exboyfil]

43. My favorite King book

Read it three times. Just like you cannot get a clear view of what the U.S. would be like if Kennedy had lived because of the effects of changing history (11/22/63), you cannot get a clear view of the actual society in The Stand because of the presence of Flagg. There is a big difference about not caring about your neighbor versus wanting to kill them because they do not worship you. I would want King to try to change the psychology of rich individuals to go from viewing not paying taxes as something for pride to shame. He has the talent to pull it off.

[RebelOne]

56. In my opinion, it was his best book ever.

I read both versions of it, the edited and unedited.

[mtnester]

74. If you have not read The Long Walk, you should. Very good stuff

I also love The Talisman and Black House. I really though Jack Sawyer would have more of a role in the final book of the Gunslinger series... but the apparent clues that indicated that actually seem to point toward a final Straub collaboration on Jack Sawyer.

[gadjitfreek]

75. Under The Dome

A small town in rural Maine is cut off from the rest of the world and the damage that is done by the conservative second selectman and his lackeys in the furtherance of their greed in the name of God to accelerate the ultimate destruction of everything is pretty staggering. If you read this story as a microcosm of the closed system that is Earth and the long spiral of destruction that are perpetrated by corporate greed aided by conservatism with the use of religious fervor to scam the masses to supporting it. When you have a US Representative saying that global climate shift can't be an issue because God promised never to flood us again, things have taken a remarkable turn for the worse.

[hifiguy]

88. The evil second selectman was clearly a DicKKK Cheney

analogue, just as the amiable idiot first selectman was a stand in for Commander Bunnypants. King has admitted as much.

[n2doc]

16. Love it

My Favorite contemporary writer. If you are a fan of his "Dark Tower" series, he has a new book out, very worth checking out.

[SalviaBlue]

46. Wow... I didn't realize he had written this. Thanks for the heads up.

I loved the Dark Tower series. I read each book as they came out and then after the long interval at the end of the series, before he finally finished the last couple of books, I reread the whole series through from start to finish.

[n2doc]

48. Then you really need to read "The Wind through the Keyhole"

It is a lot of fun.

[Dragonfli]

73. Is that the one with the "gunslinger" in it?

If it is, didn't he use a nom de plume for that series or am I thinking of something else?

[n2doc]

78. That's the one

He also wrote under the name "Richard Bachman" but those stories are (mostly) unrelated. One think about King, he likes to weave little bits of storyline from his other books into most of his newer stories.

[Dragonfli]

90. I started reading that, God it must have been 25 years ago, I waited for the next one for ten years

before giving up
(it didn't end and another volume was supposed to come eventually I think).

Does this mean he finished it, or continued it?

I certainly hope so, it was a very different kind of story from him, one that I thought was great.

[progressoid]

17. ...

[LiberalArkie]

19. So good, the entire article is very well worth the read.

[quinnox]

20. thank you Stephen King!

you are, as always, awesome. (Even if I don't like much of your new stuff compared to your older books)

[ck4829]

21. Stop coddling the rich

[Bradford]

23. The only way to achieve "tax equality"

is to get rid of the Income Tax so that nobody pays it.

How economic slavery came to the "land of the free" I will never know.

[DocMac]

33. I don't think so.

If you want tax equality, get rid of every single loophole and never allow them again.

Make capital gains tax equal to earned income.

Our military uses 59% of our budget. You wouldn't want to cut that and live in fear, would you? Less revenue means cuts. So what do you suggest we cut?

[guardian]

61. military spending is about 19% of budget not 59%

And about half of that 19% is spent on retirement pensions and Tri-Care (healthcare for retirees, active duty, and dependents).

[DocMac]

62. I saw another pie chart here

that had defense at 59%. Anyway, this link has all pensions listed. It doesn't break it down to sectors that I can see. I see that pensions are close to defense spending. That kinda surprised me.

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_defense_spending_30.html

Thanks for the correction.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

68. Medicare and SS don't come out of income taxes.

Those programs are self funded by payroll taxes. Take that approximately half of the revenue out of the equation and that might be the discrepancy.

[DocMac]

71. I know SS and Medicare are funded.

Why would SS and Medicare be listed if those are paid for? That isn't an expense for the government.

I know those funds were raided. Who in congress will stand the fuck up and tell us how much and why?

Gotta stop now before I go on a huge rant.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

81. Why would SS and Medicare be listed if those are paid for?

To make defense look like a smaller portion of the actual budget. To make medicare and SS look like a big drag on "the budget"

[guardian]

85. taxes are taxes

I don't care what you call it. Income, sales, gasoline, FICA, etc.

Besides anyone who actually believes there is a social security 'lock box' is naive beyond the point of debate. All that money has been raided by the Congress for decades and used for general funds.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

87. But SS and Medicare do not come out of the general fund. Which is my point.

Not sure what your point is and what it has to do with what we were discussing.

[DocMac]

94. Well, my paycheck stub shows

how much comes out for SS, Medicare, and FICA. These deductions have a specific destination. The government can use my federal taxes as they wish, but they shouldn't be using these other deductions for anything else.

I know it's just a dream, but I really would like to know who raided the SS funds and when and why.

[valerief]

40. I absolutely LOVE the idea of everyone starting out in life with the same equity.

Same bank account, same property, same advantages. Yes, in that world we probably wouldn't need income tax. However, in this world, the very wealthy have a responsibility to pay it. The rest of us shouldn't have to.

[maddiemom]

49. And then what?

We maintain our infrastructure, public services, defense (within reason) on an unpaid volunteer basis?

[provis99]

51. libertarian troll.

[hifiguy]

54. Who has now, like Elvis, left the building.

The trolls have been multiplying around here lately. Time for some (((((TROLL SPRAY)))))

[jberryhill]

69. Please visit out New Member Memorial Forum

Donations to DU in lieu of flowers.

[WilliamPitt]

84. (facepalm)

[handmade34]

25. mandatory reading...

[woo me with science]

27. Oh, my god, Stephen King, I love you.

Thank you. Please let this be just the beginning of a deluge of conscience among the rich.

[Blue_Tires]

28. kick

[snappyturtle]

29. The only thing that bothers me about the OP is that

at the time of writing there have been 6667 views and only 83 Recs! I don't
understand how anyone could read this and not recommend it.

[woo me with science]

32. I've been back to reread it several times.

It's a breath of fresh air.

But, I agree with you.

[hifiguy]

30. That is one righteous rant.

Bravo, Stephen!!

[Xyzse]

35. Posting..

So that I can find this later.

[Festivito]

36. The RICH would rather set their DICK on fire than pay another penny to US.

I think he could have picked a more universal metaphor.

But, it does remain that a small albeit powerful minority of the rich are far more stupid than we would think they would be. And, they don't all have dicks. Am I right Mrs. Clarence Thomas?

[aquart]

86. Mrs. Clarence Thomas may be rich, but she's not WEALTHY.

Chris Rock makes that difference so clear.
[link:

|

[Eyerish]

37. K&R

[Rex]

39. That was so good that I read it twice

and will probably come back and read it again tonight!

[polichick]

42. "douse their dicks..." Oh, the images great writers come up with! lol

[Gregorian]

44. Tax me. But spend my money wisely.

As long as half of our taxes go towards an economy of death, I'd rather just keep my money. Otherwise, I like getting good things for my cash. That goes for taxes. I'd pay far more in taxes if I got schools, hospitals.

[marlakay]

45. I've noticed he is starting to speak out more

And more this past year...I wonder if like a lot of other people from Maine he is upset about the moderate senator retiring because she couldn't handle the new republican party.

I hope he speaks out even more as the election gets closer....

[harun]

47. Wow, that man can write.

[Rainngirl]

50. His books scare me...

but I'll keep buying them just to support him. He is an excellent human being.

[RebelOne]

57. His books are meant to scare you. n/t

[ck4829]

64. People can walk away from a book

They can't walk away from the vicious cycles of poverty and unemployment.

[zzaapp]

52. I think it would be great if

everyone sent in more money than they were supposed to on their income taxes like Mr. King probably does. BRAVO

[arcane1]

53. It would be greater if everyone paid their fair share in the first place

And even better if so much of that revenue wasn't wasted on war.

[Zorra]

58. Of all the artists in the world, I'd most like to have a long heart to heart with Stephen King.

I've read his books, many of his commentaries, and am aware of his charity work.

Plus, he's a fellow musician, that alone could easily take up an entire night/week of conversation.

He seems to think a lot like me, only he does it a whole lot better.

I've really learned a lot from his work, he is immensely entertaining and at the same time gets across some really great heavy messages, yet he's never pedantic or preachy.

And I seriously love his writing style(s).

If I had enough talent to write fiction/novels, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, and Barbara Kingsolver would be the ideals that I would strive to surpass.

[Ruby the Liberal]

59. Righteous rant, Mr. King! k&r

[Dont call me Shirley]

60. Ecxellent, Mr King. Now write a really really scary novel about the 1/10th of 1%

when they get too greedy for money and power. That should scare them sufficiently as the ghosts did to Ebenezer.

[unkachuck]

65. it's too late, Mr. King....

....to beg or scold the rich into doing the right thing....much more aggressive measures must be and will be taken....

[Kennah]

67. Wait, we tax the rich and everyone gets laid? Sounds like a plan.

[Dragonfli]

72. We need Rodney Dangerfield to promote it

[BlueIris]

76. Damn skippy.

Man, I love that man.

[peacefreak]

79. Mr. King does put his money where his mouth is.

I love walking into my library & seeing the Stephen & Tabitha King Young Adult section or the wing they put on at the local hospital. They certainly haven't forgotten where they came from.

[Atman]

80. If you want to see how truly STUPID the righties are...

...read the responses to this at The Cave. These people are as dumb as human beings come.

The first responses are, of course, "then just right a check." Obviously they couldn't read beyond the first couple of paragraphs of King's article. It didn't involve horror or killing things, so they lost interest quickly.

[aquart]

82. Adorable man.

[saras]

89. Sorry, not good enough. He has to fight as hard for it as the right-wingers are fighting

If he was fighting for a fairer America as hard as the Kochs are fighting in the opposite direction, I'd have more respect for the position.

"The majority would rather douse their dicks with lighter fluid, strike a match, and dance around singing “Disco Inferno..."

I'll provide the live disco band if King provides the lighter fluid and matches.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

91. . King in his early years, when he first started working and writing,

struggled to just exist, he and his wife were dirt poor.
Not much food, unpaid bills.
He knows the subject well because he lived it.

[Zax2me]

92. Let me take a WILD guess - he's keeping his millions -

I'm correct!
?cda6c1
If all the people who asked for higher taxes actually paid higher taxes we would not have to call them out on their bullshit.
Is King's net worth over a million?!
Then...
BULLSHIT.
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/stephen-king-net-worth

King can talk about higher taxes but he can, at any time, donate his entire fortune - estimated at close to a half billion - anytime he wants, to the govt.

HELLO. He won't do it ever.
King? Meet bullshit.
Bullshit?
KING.

Another fat cat rich pig.

[babylonsister]

93. "he can, at any time, donate his entire fortune" - - funny, that's the rethugs' line. Hmmm. nt