Politics

Trump vs Buffett–the Tax Dodger Picks on the Wrong Taxpayer

8 Comments
Cropped image of Titanic sinking painting by Stower
The Trumptanic is sinking

Trump will never release his taxes, everyone knows that. But that’s just part of his constant stream of lies. He projects all his faults and foibles onto everyone else. He assumes Warren Buffett, being a much, much richer billionaire than himself (assuming Trump is one at all) must also be avoiding paying federal taxes just he does. WRONG!, as Trump would say. If you don’t have facts, just make them up–that’s what Trump does on a daily basis. He probably never expected a public statement correcting this erroneous statement during the Presidential Debate on October 9:

“Many of her [Hillary Clinton] friends took bigger deductions. Warren Buffett took a massive deduction.”

Here’s what Buffett had to say in his statement:

My 2015 return shows adjusted gross income of $11,563,931. My deductions totaled $5,477,694, of which allowable charitable contributions were $3,469,179. All but $36,037 of the remainder was for state income taxes.

The total charitable contributions I made during the year were $2,858,057,970, of which more than $2.85 billion were not taken as deductions and never will be. Tax law properly limits charitable deductions.

My federal income tax for the year was $1,845,557. Returns for previous years are of a similar nature in respect to contributions, deductions and tax rates.

I have paid federal income tax every year since 1944, when I was 13. (Though, being a slow starter, I owed only $7 in tax that year.) I have copies of all 72 of my returns and none uses a carryforward.

Although we can’t be sure, because he won’t release his tax returns, Trump is unlikely to be a generous charitable giver–assuming he gives away anything at all. Buffett, Bill Gates and others have pledged to give away their wealth to charity before death or in their wills. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is, unlike the Trump “Foundation,” is an actual benevolent group giving millions away annually.

Incidentally, Gates and Buffett also are unlikely to spend much, if any, time in “locker room banter,”

 

8 thoughts on “Trump vs Buffett–the Tax Dodger Picks on the Wrong Taxpayer”

  1. Oh John, don’t even get me started. The debate was appalling. It wasn’t a debate about policies or what anyone could do for the USA, more like a cage fight. I try not to air my opinions on the web about politics but I posted on FB last night, not being able to hold back any longer.

    Regarding your post, Trump says he pays taxes and somewhere else I heard he hasn’t had to pay in 20 years. He’s a slimer who lies, finds loopholes in systems, says he wants to bring back jobs to America but hires out his own personal labor employees from Mexico because of cheaper labor. Cheats on his wife and disgraces women, yet when confronted about Saturday’s tape expose, instead of defending, brings Bill Clinton into it. He never owns up to anything and changes the subject, who the frig knows what this maniac will do in power. Better the devil you know than Satan for president. Imagine a president who goes on live TV calling political people liars, cursing and degrading others publicly. What kind of example is this for America?

    Here’s what I wrote on FB last night and the responses are overwhelming!

    Okay, I’m not American, although I love USA and follow American politics and try desperately to hold my tongue not to air my political opinions, but I can’t hold back anymore. I’m watching the debate and I’m astounded at the ARTFUL DODGER, yes, Trump, the master dodger of any question that’s ever been presented to him. He never answers a question, merely humiliates and accuses his opponent of every single problem in the US, claiming he’s going to fix everything. Well, it will be very interesting to see how he’s going to bypass congress and the senate with his wacky ideas, thinking he can rule the country single-handedly. And I really liked the part where he doesn’t even know where his running mate stands on issues. What a frightening mess. Every single question he’s asked he talks about Hilary and knocks her. Let me ask you Trump, WTF do you do when Hilary isn’t around to blame for everyone’s questions. Every single answer he always has is how bad Hilary and Obama botched everything. I’ve watched this ego maniac for a year now and never once have I heard a solution to any problem he could solve other than building a stupid wall. Such a sorry state of affairs.

    Sorry for taking up so much whitespace. 🙂

    1. Wow, you’re sounding like me–I like it! LOL 🙂

      I really should stop all this election posting. I don’t want to say it’s addicting but it’s hard not to continue. The next one, coming after a few days break, will be on the Gullibles and the Irrationals (more of them than the Deplorables in my opinion.

      1. Yes, no wonder we are friend. More than meets the eye with us,lol. I’ll tell you, I’ve held back for a year, but I can’t help but post a few things here and there now. I’m worried from over here.
        Not sure if you saw this yet from The Atlantic, but it’s a powerful 1 minute video I came across and posted on FB.
        Check it out https://www.facebook.com/debby.gies.3# Not sure if that works, let me know. 🙂

        1. Lucky for you, being up there, eh. Sorry, never got on Facebook so I can’t see the video. If you send me a regular hyperlink to its spot on the Atlantic I can catch it.

Comments are closed.