TheAgitator.com
The Philosophical Prostitute of Punditry
Thursday, August 14th, 2003TV commentator and author Arianna Huffington, who launched her campaign for governor with criticism of “fat cats” who fail to shoulder a fair share of taxes, paid no individual state income tax and just $771 in federal taxes during the last two years, her tax returns show.Huffington, who released her tax returns for the last two years to The Times, lives in an 8,000-square-foot home in Brentwood above Sunset Boulevard that is valued at about $7 million.
Now read this snide, sarcastic screed Arianna wrote shortly after her conversion to the left, in which she mocks the richest 1% for complaining about their share of the tax burden, while poor people struggle to find places to live.
Tell me, Arianna, how much public housing will that $385.50 you paid in taxes each of the last two years buy? How many rooms in that $7 million mansion do you offer up to the “working poor?”
Here’s more, from the LA Times. And here’s one more from Arianna.
Well, I read the first article, and after reading the first few paragraphs of the second article I’ve decided this woman cannot be sane.
I wonder how much she gave to charity? And in paticular, charities that help the poor she claims to champion? And if she wrote these off? The real question is does she put her money where her mouth is?
With that $7 million house she’s making sure her “fat cat” ex-husband is paying his “fair” share.
I’m loathe to do this, but I must caution you when castigating Huffington on this matter. Also, I certainly don’t know the facts of her situation, so I’m only speculating here.
This is what you get when the government’s principal source of tax revenue is based on INCOME. We do not have a federal NET WORTH tax in this country (except the estate tax). It is entirely possible that the pittance that Huffington paid in taxes is quite correct even under the most conservative (read: advantageous to the government) reading of the tax law. So while she may be WORTH a guh-zillion $$$, her INCOME in the years in question may have even been NEGATIVE (called a “net operating loss”). This is quite common for closely-held businesses in a tough economy.
If you don’t like this result, blame it on the IRC, and press for a consumption or net worth tax instead of an income tax.
On a related note, I find it hilarious that people were “shocked” to hear that Enron, a company that completely lost its shirt, paid so little in federal income taxes. Sure, Enron did some really racy tax deals/scams, but the bottom line is that company never really made money, so taxing its income should net the government absolutely zero.
If the ‘lefties’ spent as much time and money on charities as they do on ripping into so called uncompassionate libertarians and other small government advocates, then maybe they would actually solve a social ill or two.
Funny, that irony thing is.
The Rundown
This is the best faux pas shot since Dukakis in the tank. What idiotic campaign peon came up with this shot? And Kerry even ordered swiss cheese on his cheesesteak. Swiss cheese!?! The Final Roster of Candidates in California is…
Ah, the schadenfreude. It almost rivals Bill “I did not lose my shorts to the poker machine” Bennett.
Almost.
Put this to the side for a moment, and instead, picture her on one side and Arnold on the other.
I don’t know about you but I’ve exhausted what little trust I had in the notion that idiots can be elected to office because their “advisors” are shrewd, smart or what-have-you.
The example Radley has pointed out seems almost petty when the entire picture comes into focus. And as for excoriating her for her newfound lefty leanings………. geez, she seems ever so tmuch the libertarian when contrasted with Arnold. Dont ya think?
If she only paid 770 dollars in federal income taxes, how can she afford the property taxes & home owners insurance on a $7 million house in LA?
Rant: Rich and Poor, Left and Right
The prevailing myth is that conservatives are rich titans of industry, the upper crust, while liberals are the poor, suffering…
One of my fellow conservative youth bloggers, Josh Claybourn, linked to this blog entry yesterday. These are the two comment posts that I just posted at that entry of his:
…I just did a Google News search, and I found this item from Rush Limbaugh’s website. From that page, it seems that even Rush is somewhat defending Arianna over this issue.
I was also wondering why, if she did something unlawful, she hasn’t been charged with anything so far (unless she has, and I just haven’t heard about it). I am going to listen to that audio clip from Rush from that web page.
-
Josh,
I just finished listening to the audio clip from that page at Rush’s site. (At the bottom of that page, you can click on a link to that clip from the show.) A caller, Curt in California, phoned in to the show, and said that if Arianna isn’t audited, then everyone in that office deserves to lose their jobs. Rush then goes on to explain how Arianna did not do anything illegal, and how her actual net income is not high.
There is a Reuters article that deals with this issue as well. (It is about Arianna’s defense of her taxes.)
Rush obviously does not like Arianna, but it is admirable that he takes a principled stand here. You should listen to that audio clip.
Personally, as a conservative, I don’t see anything wrong with people who use clever methods (as long as they are legal and legitimate) to reduce the amount of income taxes that they are being forced to pay to Uncle Sam. The income tax in America is a monstrosity. It is ironic that Mr. Balko (who you link to above in this blog entry), a libertarian, is criticizing someone for avoiding giving large amounts of money to the IRS.
Please check some relevant pages on bonus … Thanks!!!
buy xenical Xen-770009122-345566
viagra ViaT8898111-01-01-22