VIDEO: Jon Stewart Rips Super-Rich Reactionaries
Do you have a refrigerator? According to Fox News, that must make you spoiled!
As Chris J discussed earlier, billionaire Warren Buffett wants the super-rich to pay more taxes. Not surprisingly, a few of the super-rich (and the people who make a living arguing against taxes) aren’t happy about that.
Harvard Professor Jeffrey Miron says the real problem isn’t the wealthy. Here’s my favorite part (my emphasis added):
“Excessive licensing requirements, permitting fees, restrictive examinations and other barriers to entry into medicine, law, plumbing, hair styling and many other professions are bad for economic productivity…”
Yes, those hair stylists and their damn impossible certifications are ruining this economy!
Another conservative blogger rehashed the same tired ideas that the wealthy fuel the economy when they get to keep more money. Apparently he hasn’t noticed that over the past three years, the wealthy have gotten wealthier while the rest of us are still looking for jobs. Wall Street can be soaring (OK, not this week) with no positive effect on the rest of the nation.
As usual, Jon Stewart rises above and offers a (wide-eyed, disbelieving) voice of reason. He shows clips from Fox News where the anchor attacks the nation’s poor for living with luxurious ”modern conveniences,” as the guest puts it. Are they talking about welfare queens driving Cadillacs? No. They’re talking about cellphones and refrigerators.
“You food-chilling motherf**kers,” responds Stewart sarcastically, “How dare you!”
Blogger Deroy Murdock does however make a good point: if people want to pay more, let them! Apparently, America accepts gift donations through the Treasury Department. Also, Congressman John Campbell wants to let Americans pay more on their tax returns if they want. He calls it the “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act.”
