Russel Simmons, tax warrior

[billc]

I know all the action today is about the silly, maybe soon to be violent, protesters, but here is another story of a greedy, fabulously wealthy, entertainer, begging to have his taxes raised...and then refusing to send the government more money. Russel Simmons....HYPOCRITE.

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/j...ssell-simmons-refuses-to-raise-his-own-taxes/

As FNC’s Geraldo Rivera appeared in New York City for his Geraldo at Large show on Sunday night to give attention to the Occupy Wall Street protests, participant and music mogul Russell Simmons sparred with FBN’s Charles Payne after Simmons complained that his taxes were too low and claimed that his employees pay more taxes then he does.
When Payne jumped in to suggest, “you could have written an extra check,” Simmons shot back: “Why am I gonna write a, that’s a dumb thing.”
Payne mocked Simmons’s refusal by cracking, “Because you feel patriotic.”
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After Simmons indicated that he contributes money to charities instead of donating more taxes, Payne challenged the music mogul on a credit card business Simmons apparently earns money from, and whether such a business is what the protesters Simmons supports are complaining about. Payne:
But, listen, you have a credit card company, you have a credit card company, and you charge people interest to use those cards. Isn’t that what they’re railing about? It’s not a free card. How did you make $100 million?
Simmons again defended his refusal to voluntarily contribute more taxes:
The point I’m making is that I’m not knocking corporations. I’m knocking the game they’re playing. I’m not knocking the players, I’m knocking the game. And what I’m telling you is that this country allows too much access to their politicians by too much interests and too much money. It’s really simple. And I’m happy to pay more taxes, but I’m not going to pay more taxes alone. I’d rather give it to my charities.
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Simmons only compounds his raging hypocrisy with the absurd claim we should excuse his refusal to raise his own taxes because of his charitable giving. Hey, what do you know, Russell thinks he can do a better job of helping those in need than the government.

 

[Empty Hands]

I know all the action today is about the silly, maybe soon to be violent, protesters...

I can hear you salivating through my broadband connection. I think nothing would make you happier.

 

[billc]

Actually, it wouldn't make me happy. I have, however, seen all the other left wing protests, the broken windows on starbucks, the trashed cities, and so on. If they don't get enough attention, or the kind of attention they want, the thugs will want to escalate as they did in the U.K. and Greece. I love protests of the government. It is the way democracy is supposed to work. What I don't like is when those protests hurt innocent people just trying to go about their business, living their lives. Look at the U.K. Tez and that one furniture store that was burned down. I'd rather they not try that here.

 

[Empty Hands]

Actually, it wouldn't make me happy.

Then why are you continually fantasizing about it?

 

[billc]

Actually, my fantasies have nothing to do with protesters and a lot more to do with scantily clad...well, nothing to do with protesters.

 

[Josh Oakley]

It is tough for me to call Simmons a hippocrite off hand. Now, if he uses his charitable giving as a tax write-off, then he most definitely IS a hippocrite. As far as super-rich people clamoring for more taxes, I will take Warren Buffet over Simmons.

 

[billc]

An update on the brave tax warrior russel simmons:

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/10/20/hollywood-one-percenter-russell-simmons-i-dont-pay-taxes/

Obviously feeling the sting from those of us who have pointed out that there’s [URL="http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/gift/gift.htm"]a very simple way

to fulfill your own burning desire to pay more in taxes, gazillionaire Russell Simmons tried to explain his way out of that with this nonsense:

The conservatives always say to me, would I, why don’t I just write a check for more taxes. … Well, no, I won’t give my money to war machine and to other things, but if it will help the education and the health care for people who are locked out, of course I want to pay more taxes.
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Oh, so that’s the hold up. He only wants to pay more taxes if those taxes are directed towards what he believes in. Unfortunately, that is not how taxes work and you can bet Simmons know this. But he lacks the moral courage to speak the truth and say he doesn’t want to pay more taxes.

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[Big Don]

Russel should STFU and bring back Def Comedy Jam.